Chapter 314

Evelyn set down her chopsticks and said softly, "I might not make it in time."

"I see..."

"Yeah."

Teresa smiled gently. "It's alright. We can have it when you return."

"...We'll see."

"Or perhaps your father could cook for you abroad?" Teresa's eyes sparkled with hope. "Foreign food never quite compares to home cooking."

Anthony immediately chimed in, "Yes, your mother and I could come take care of you. Don't worry—we won't disturb your work. Just cooking and tidying up."

The sudden outpouring of familial affection caught Evelyn off guard.

Her silence made Anthony and Teresa tread even more carefully. They hesitated to even pick up food, afraid of displeasing her.

The meal was unusually tense.

As they left, Anthony asked the server to pack the leftovers. "You can reheat these later. Saves you the trouble of cooking."

"My mom prepares dinner every day."

Anthony's hand froze mid-air. He forced an awkward smile. "Right. I forgot you go home for meals."

"Yeah."

"Then... we'll take them." He quickly backtracked, anxious not to upset her. "No pressure at all."

Evelyn asked, "Are you heading back to the hospital?"

"Yes. Annabelle is still recovering—her injuries were quite severe..." Teresa hurried to explain, "Evelyn, please don't misunderstand. You're our biological daughter—that will never change. But we raised Annabelle, and now that Alexander has abandoned her, we can't just turn our backs."

"I don't mind." Evelyn picked up her bag. "Take care of her. I should go."

...

In the following days, Teresa sent daily morning and evening texts.

Simple messages—just asking if work was busy or if she was tired.

During lunch breaks in the cafeteria, Evelyn often spotted Anthony from a distance. If their eyes met, he'd smile and nod.

They maintained the perfect distance.

Evelyn breathed a quiet sigh of relief. It seemed they'd taken her words to heart.

She didn’t want her current life disrupted, and they understood boundaries.

At home, everything remained normal. Grace cooked her favorite dishes with creative flair. Andrew insisted she take extra money. Emily clung to her, crying like a child. "Sis, you and Peter are both leaving. When school starts, I’ll be all alone..."

Grace comforted, "Your dad and I will be with you."

"I know," Emily sniffled. "I just don’t want to say goodbye to my sister."

Andrew chuckled and shook his head. "No backbone! Your sister handled college all on her own."

"How can I compare to her? She’s my one and only sister!"

Evelyn hugged her sister, a sudden ache in her chest. "I’ll visit when I can. You can come see me during summer break."

"Really?" Emily’s eyes lit up. "I’ll definitely go!"

Grace hesitated. "International flights aren’t cheap, and your school expenses..."

Evelyn gently nudged her mother’s arm.

But Andrew said firmly, "Evelyn, your sister’s grown up. She needs to face reality."

Evelyn understood.

Yet she still wanted to shield Emily from life’s storms.

This time, Emily surprised her with maturity. "It’s okay, sis. If I can’t visit, you’ll come back for New Year’s, right? We’ll celebrate as a family."