Chapter 721

Evelyn Carter lay on the hospital bed, her face as pale as parchment.

She struggled to prop herself up, her fingers clutching the sheets so tightly her knuckles turned white.

"Alexander—" Margaret Hamilton began, but Evelyn's vision suddenly darkened. She pitched forward.

"Careful!" Grace Anderson and Margaret both lunged to catch her.

Margaret's hands trembled. "The firefighters said the entire industrial park was destroyed. They searched for hours before—"

Her voice broke. She couldn't continue.

Grace wiped her tears and rushed out of the room.

The attending physician arrived shortly. Seeing Evelyn awake, he exhaled in relief. "Dr. Carter, you've been unconscious for nearly 24 hours. There's still inflammation in your lungs. You need further observation."

"I'm discharging myself." Her voice was hoarse.

The doctor frowned. "That's against protocol—"

"There's something I must do. Immediately." Her gaze was terrifyingly resolute.

The doctor finally relented, prescribing a stack of medications.

In the car ride back, Margaret held Evelyn's icy hand. "Natalie brought the children home safely. But the baby wouldn't stop crying—"

"The others?" Evelyn stared at the blurring scenery outside.

"The bodyguards are hospitalized. Emily is handling the aftermath." Margaret hesitated. "The police said...they found nothing at the scene—"

Evelyn's fists clenched.

Her nails dug into her palms, yet she felt no pain.

At the police station, the lead detective offered her a cup of warm water.

"The warehouse was stocked with chemicals. The fire spread too quickly..." The officer flipped through his notes. "We've issued warrants for those thugs."

"Was there..." Evelyn's throat tightened. "Any sign of him?"

"Don't worry. The industrial park had been abandoned for years. No casualties."

This should have been good news.

Yet Evelyn's heart sank like a stone.

No casualties meant Alexander Hamilton had vanished into thin air.

"What about Lydia?" She suddenly grabbed the officer's sleeve. "She must have taken Alexander!"

The officer shook his head helplessly. "The Laurent case isn't under our jurisdiction. Currently...there's no trace of her."

As Evelyn stepped out of the station, the setting sun stretched her shadow long across the ground.

She looked up at the sky, abruptly remembering that dream.

In it, Alexander had gazed at her with heartbreaking tenderness when he said "goodbye."

For seven days since, he hadn't appeared in her dreams again.

As if...that truly was their final farewell.