Chapter 413

Night had fallen when Evelyn Carter pushed open her front door to find her parents waiting in the living room.

"Mom, Dad, Grandma Duan was suddenly hospitalized, so today—"

Grace Anderson set down the remote. "We understand. The elderly's health comes first."

Andrew Anderson sighed. "At our age, nothing terrifies us more than midnight calls from the hospital."

Evelyn glanced at the wall clock. "It's so late. Have you eaten?"

"Too angry to eat," Andrew grumbled, slamming the coffee table.

Grace shook her head helplessly. "Your sister said she was attending a high school reunion and still isn't back. Her phone's unreachable."

"Where was the reunion?"

"She rushed off before I could finish asking, like a gust of wind." Grace wrung her hands. "It's past eleven now..."

Evelyn immediately pulled out her phone. "I'll call her classmates."

After several calls, her frown deepened.

"They said... there was no reunion."

Grace paled. "Then where could she be?"

"One classmate mentioned 'Celestial Club'..." Evelyn grabbed her coat. "I'll check."

The taxi stopped before a gilded building.

Roman columns glowed decadently under neon lights as uniformed security scrutinized every guest.

"Alone?" A guard blocked her path.

Evelyn nodded. "I'm looking for someone."

Through the revolving doors, crystal chandeliers forced her to squint.

"Sister-in-law?"

Vincent Wilson swayed drunkenly toward her. "Looking for Alex? Let me—"

He reached for her arm.

Evelyn stepped back. "You've mistaken me for someone else."

"How could I—" Vincent suddenly shoved her hard.

She stumbled backward into a solid chest.

The acrid mix of tobacco and cologne assaulted her senses.

"Alex! Look who I found!" Vincent crowed.

Evelyn looked up into fathomless dark eyes.

Alexander Hamilton's wrinkled shirt bore smudges of lipstick in varying shades. A woman in red clung to him, her crimson lips grazing his ear. "Who's this?"

"My sister-in-law!" Vincent announced.

The woman tittered. "Since when did Mr. Hamilton change wives?"

"Fake marriage last time—"

Nathan York materialized, yanking Vincent away. "You're wasted."

He gave Evelyn an apologetic nod before dragging off the younger man.

The lobby fell silent.

"Where's my gift?" Alexander murmured to the red-clad woman.

She giggled, pulling him toward the garden. "Outside..."

The click of stilettos faded.

"Ms. Carter." Nathan returned.

Evelyn regarded him calmly.

Nathan rubbed his neck. "So it's really... over this time."

"Yes."

"No wonder Alex has been..." He hesitated. "He never explains, but I knew it was you."

Evelyn tightened her grip on the phone. "I have matters to attend to."

As she turned, Nathan's sigh followed her: "Your photo's still his lockscreen."