Chapter 825

Alexander Hamilton sighed softly after hearing Evelyn Carter's words. "You noticed it too."

He had spent more time caring for Baby Chloe but hadn't mentioned the issue, unsure how to address it.

"Though she won't remember this age, she's already taking her first steps and crawling fast. Sooner or later, she'll sense her mother's distance. It breaks my heart that she has to go through this so young, yet I don't know who to blame."

"Before becoming a mother, Miss Langley was her own person first. Mr. Valentine's sudden passing—without justice—left her with deep hatred for Vincent Croix. As for the baby..." Evelyn trailed off.

Alexander seamlessly continued, "Do you also think she's starting to resemble her parents more? Both Bianca and Vincent are attractive, and Chloe inherited their best features. She'll undoubtedly grow into a beauty. But her timing couldn't be worse."

At just over a year old, Baby Chloe already had delicate features—her eyes and mouth mirroring Bianca's, while her nose and brows were unmistakably Vincent's.

What should have been a blessing now weighed heavily on Bianca, each glance at her daughter reviving painful memories.

Evelyn knew avoidance wasn't a solution, but alternatives were scarce. "Vincent won't give up easily. The more he appears, the harder it'll be for Bianca to move on. She once joked about us raising Chloe. If that day comes... what do you think?"

As godparents, they were the natural choice if Bianca couldn't continue parenting—not just from months of bonding, but because they genuinely connected with the child.

Alexander nervously rubbed his pant seam, uncharacteristically tense. "We could raise her together. Like... how things are now."

Evelyn met his gaze. "You once said you wanted to maintain the status quo."

That was months ago.

Panicked she might recall his past mistakes, he clarified, "I meant our current dynamic, not before."

Back then, they hadn't faced life-and-death trials, and her attitude toward him had been entirely different.

Seeing his fluster, Evelyn chuckled. "I hadn't even finished speaking. If Emily saw you like this, she'd think the company was in crisis."

Her teasing signaled a lighter mood.

Alexander exhaled inwardly. "The company's fine. Vincent's tactics might work on others, but he's met his match with me."

He dismissed Vincent entirely—his real concern was Evelyn's reaction. "I know I'm being greedy, but there's no alternative. If you think I'm going back on my word, I'll accept that."

Recognizing his sincerity, Evelyn smiled without pressing further.

That afternoon, Vivian Dempsey arrived in the rain, visiting Bianca first. Her somber attire showed she knew what had happened.

Bianca seemed unsurprised—or perhaps nothing could surprise her now.

Vivian, however, was shocked by the once-vibrant beauty's haggard appearance. Only Evelyn's prior warning stopped her from cursing Vincent outright.

"Miss Langley... how are you holding up?" Vivian barely caught herself from asking "Are you okay?"

Evelyn retracted the elbow she'd prepared to nudge Vivian with.

"Quite idle," Bianca replied with a hollow smile. Not that she didn't want to smile—she'd simply forgotten how to feel joy.

Vivian's heart ached. "Miss Langley, I heard you're moving? My place is empty—you could stay there!"

Eager to repay Bianca's past kindness (though hiring thugs to beat Vincent was her preferred method), this was her only current option.

Evelyn agreed. "You could keep each other company."

"No need. I'll find a place after the rain stops." Bianca deflected. "Vivian, congratulations on your business success—I hear you're being called 'CEO' now."

Evelyn stiffened at Bianca's casual mention of Vincent, but her calmness matched her demeanor since returning from the cemetery.

When Evelyn had expressed concern earlier, Bianca had shrugged: "I'm not calm—just exhausted. After years without illness, this cold hit hard. Otherwise, do you think I wouldn't have thrown those flowers in his face?"

That reaction would've been more typical of Bianca.

Seeing her discuss Vincent so impassively, Evelyn could only console herself that Bianca wasn't fully recovered.

Yet Bianca successfully redirected Vivian's attention to her loan endeavors.

"Don't flatter me—I know my limits. Without your help, keeping the company afloat would've been an achievement, let alone launching new production lines. So Miss Langley, please don't hesitate to ask for anything."