Chapter 768

The silver ring glimmered faintly in the sunlight.

Evelyn Carter stared blankly at the necklace dangling from Alexander Hamilton's neck. The familiar wedding band swayed gently with his steps. She remembered this ring had been retrieved by the police after being dredged up—she never expected to see it again like this.

"You kept it."

Her voice was as light as a feather.

Alexander noticed her gaze but didn't slow his pace. "That period was important to me. Unfortunately, I realized it too late. So I need it to remind me not to repeat the same mistakes."

The ring had become his warning sign, a constant reminder of his past failures.

Evelyn recalled the dream she had that morning, her fingers unconsciously tightening around the hem of her coat. The cold voice from last night's study had momentarily transported her back to those dark days.

Annabelle Taylor got what she deserved, but if Alexander was truly as ruthless as the rumors suggested...

"If you don’t like it, I won’t wear it."

Alexander, ever perceptive, picked up on her shift in mood and unfastened the necklace with one hand. Baby Chloe was clutching his other hand, babbling happily.

"Do as you please." Evelyn averted her eyes.

"But you can interfere with my decisions." His deep, steady voice held her gaze.

The words spread through Evelyn’s heart like ink in water. Even after slipping into her white coat and settling into the consultation room, they lingered in her mind. She was accustomed to solitude—aside from patients and close friends, she rarely involved herself in others' lives.

Even during their marriage, she and Alexander had maintained clear boundaries.

Now, he was the one breaking them.

"Dr. Carter?" Olivia Lightfoot’s voice pulled her back to reality. "Should we call Mr. Hamilton?"

"Why?"

"To tell him not to come so early to wait for you," Olivia said with a teasing wink. "Last time it rained, he ran into Dr. Wilson in the waiting area. The atmosphere was so icy it could freeze hell over..."

It was only then that Evelyn remembered Alexander had been picking her up from work recently. As she dialed his number, she flipped through the medical records of a newly transferred patient.

"Don’t come to pick me up tonight."

"Then I’ll wait until you finish? I have overtime too."

"The patient’s condition is critical. I might be here all night." She paused. "Let the family know for me."

The moment the words left her mouth, she froze. Without realizing it, she had started referring to the Hamilton estate as "home."

A brief silence stretched on the other end.

"Alright." Alexander’s voice sounded slightly strained.

The consultation lasted well into the night. The pregnant woman was only four months along—the fetus wasn’t fully developed yet, but the mother’s heart condition posed an immediate threat to her life. Evelyn and the cardiothoracic surgeon debated treatment options at length.

"I’ll have to stay in the on-call room tonight." Rubbing her temples, she headed toward the inpatient ward—only to be stopped by an enticing aroma.

The reception desk was laden with an array of late-night snacks: steaming wontons, fragrant coffee, vibrantly colored pastries...

"Dr. Carter!" Olivia waved at her with a milk tea in hand. "Come eat something!"

"Where did this—"

"Not takeout." Olivia winked mysteriously.

"It’s me."

Alexander emerged from the far end of the hallway, holding an insulated container. The rich scent of chicken wonton soup enveloped her.

"I told you—"

"I know." He cut her off. "So after calling home, I stayed at the office to work overtime. And I prepared these."

His gaze settled on her exhausted face. "You said the patient was in critical condition. I figured everyone must be exhausted."