Chapter 162

Evelyn Carter's footsteps remained unhurried.

Emily Anderson jogged to catch up. "Aren't you curious what Alexander said?"

"Don’t call him that anymore."

"Then what should I call him?"

"Mr. Hamilton."

Emily pouted. "Fine."

Evelyn gazed at the distant trees and added softly, "But we probably won’t see him again. The title doesn’t matter."

Thanks to her mediation, the tension at home gradually eased.

On the day the college entrance exam results were announced, cheers erupted in the Anderson living room.

Andrew Anderson stared at the computer screen, his fingers trembling slightly. "630 points! I always knew our daughters were exceptional!"

Grace Anderson beamed with pride. "That’s my good genes at work!"

"You’re right," Andrew conceded uncharacteristically. "And Peter deserves credit too. He tutored and drove Emily around all semester."

Grace nodded eagerly. "We should thank him properly."

The opportunity came soon enough.

Auntie Lucy’s fiftieth birthday party included an invitation for the entire Anderson family.

Lately, good news had been plentiful. Evelyn watched her sister giggle over her phone, her mother fuss over gifts, and her father proudly boast about his daughters to anyone who would listen. Even her own mood felt lighter.

Vivian Dempsey noticed it over the phone. "You’ve been different since returning home."

"Maybe leaving Hudson City—that place of heartbreak—really helped."

"By the way, the housing development you liked is opening next week. It’s in insanely high demand."

Scholar’s Residence wasn’t downtown, but its location was ideal—close to both Hudson University and Central Hospital, surrounded by top-tier schools. The perfect place for a family.

Most importantly, it stood on the opposite side of the hospital from her former marital home, minimizing any chance of unwanted encounters.

"What are you afraid of?" Vivian scoffed. "You think that homewrecker would dare cause trouble?"

"I just don’t want unnecessary stress."

"It’s not them you’re avoiding, is it?"

Silence stretched over the line.

Vivian sighed in sudden understanding. "If you truly want a child, start fresh."

Evelyn tightened her grip on the phone.

She’d never been particularly eager for marriage or motherhood.

Yet Grandma Hamilton’s dying words echoed relentlessly: The child said they’d return to the heavens to choose a mother again.

If she never remarried or had children, would that mean she’d never see them?

She wanted to meet them again.

Even if the odds were one in a million.

"Hold on," Vivian said abruptly. "I need to check something."

Ten minutes later, her phone buzzed.

A notification.

Evelyn opened it to find a screenshot.