Chapter 857

The arcade buzzed with noise, filled with the laughter of young people.

Bianca Langley noticed people raising their phones and quickly tugged Vivian Dempsey's sleeve. "Ignore him. Let's try the dance machine."

Vivian raised an eyebrow. "Does clubbing count as dancing?"

"Of course." Bianca pulled her toward the queue.

Two trendy guys who had just finished a game stood nearby. The curly-haired one stared blatantly at Bianca while the other whistled at Vivian.

Vivian rolled her eyes.

Bianca, however, remained composed. Taking the curly-haired guy's suggestion, she selected beginner mode. She picked it up instantly, and Vivian, a seasoned player, quickly switched them to a high-difficulty track.

A crowd gathered to watch.

Vincent Croix stood in the corner, his face dark with anger.

Alexander Hamilton arrived pushing a cart loaded with plush toys just in time to see the scene. He and Evelyn Carter stayed on the periphery, but their height gave them a clear view.

Bianca executed the complex moves effortlessly, her score skyrocketing to an S-rank.

"I'm done," Vivian panted, waving her hands. "I need a break."

The curly-haired guy immediately approached. "Can I dance with you?"

"Sure." Bianca smiled brightly.

Vincent's knuckles turned white from clenching his fists.

Vivian bounded over to Evelyn and gasped at the cart. "Did you empty the whole claw machine?"

"Alexander did all of it," Evelyn said with a laugh.

Vivian opened her mouth to praise him, then pursed her lips. "Planning to open a toy store?"

Alexander shrugged. "Evelyn suggested we share them."

Vivian cheered and began picking through the haul, but Evelyn noticed Vincent's icy glare. Even through the crowd, the hostility was palpable.

"Miss Langley is provoking him on purpose," Evelyn murmured.

Sure enough, as the game ended and the curly-haired guy pulled out his phone to ask for Bianca's number, Vincent shoved him aside. "Move."

"Sorry, I didn't know she had a boyfriend—"

"He's not," Bianca said coldly.

Vincent smirked. "True. Ex-husband. We also have a child."

The guy fled in terror.

Bianca looked at Vincent with disdain. "Finally admitting it now?"

"Never denied it." His voice was low.

She turned away with a scoff. She had a plan, but this wasn't the time to reveal it.

As they left, Vincent blocked Alexander. "I'll take Bianca home."

Bianca put on sunglasses, hiding the disgust in her eyes. How could she have ever loved such an arrogant man?

Alexander feigned ignorance. "Concussion patients can just check themselves out now? Did the doctor approve that?"

Evelyn Carter responded with perfect timing: "Mr. Croix, shall I contact your physician for a neurological evaluation?"

Vincent Croix had endured humiliation all evening, his fury simmering beneath a veneer of forced composure.

Bianca Langley's laughter sparkled like champagne. "What a delightful night. You should head home—work awaits tomorrow."

Evelyn shot Vincent a wary glance. "Baby Chloe misses you. Come with us."

Vivian Dempsey instantly understood. "I'll stay with Miss Langley. My schedule's clear tomorrow anyway."

Vincent's face darkened.

With Vivian present, his chances of reconciling with Bianca would evaporate completely.

Bianca ignored him entirely, smiling at Vivian. "There's a lovely lounge bar ahead. Let's grab drinks."

"Absolutely not!" Vincent finally exploded.

Vivian's smirk was razor-sharp. "And who are you to object? Single women can't enjoy themselves? Your presence alone would clear out the entire establishment."

When it came to verbal sparring, Vivian never lost. She'd even berated Alexander Hamilton during his indecisive phase.

Vincent's temple pulsed with rage as he turned to Bianca. "Those bar rats only want one thing!"

He remained oblivious to Bianca's past ownership of a lounge bar.

Alexander listened silently, hearing echoes of his younger self.

Evelyn suddenly gagged, fighting back nausea.

Bianca's question floated like a dagger wrapped in silk: "And what about you? What's your true motive?"

Vincent choked on his words again.

"Bar patrons might covet my body," Bianca enunciated each syllable like a death sentence, "but you? You wanted my fortune. Used me as your stepping stone. Even framed me for murder!"

Vincent's breathing turned ragged. "Say whatever you want. I'm not leaving you tonight."

Vivian rolled her eyes. "Ugh, like a leech that won't detach."

Alexander murmured to Evelyn, "Shall I call your driver? The baby needs to sleep."

Clutching her plush toy, Evelyn suppressed dizziness. "No need. I'll take a cab. Keep an eye on them."

She couldn't shake the fear that Bianca and Vincent's confrontation might escalate dangerously.

Alexander sighed. "At least consider your own condition."

Watching Vivian and Bianca's fiery determination, Evelyn whispered, "Vivian's like a sister to me, and Miss Langley... I owe her."

Every time she cradled Baby Chloe as her own, guilt gnawed at her.

Alexander understood her unspoken remorse. He summoned a private car, insisting she text upon arriving home.

Meanwhile, Vincent kept retreating under Vivian and Bianca's combined assault. They still managed to wave Evelyn goodbye between verbal strikes.

The night breeze cooled Evelyn's face, yet her vertigo worsened.

Margaret Hamilton gasped at her pallid arrival. "What happened? Why didn't Alexander escort you?"

Baby Chloe toddled into Evelyn's arms.

"It's nothing," Evelyn hugged the child. "I told him to stay. Miss Langley's ex came causing trouble again."

Memories surfaced of Bianca's darkest days spent recuperating at the Hamilton residence.

Margaret Hamilton's fingers trembled slightly. The ripples in her teacup mirrored the pain in her eyes. Vincent Croix's obsession was like a blunt knife, repeatedly cutting into her heart.

"What a tragedy..." she murmured. "If he truly cherished their past, he should let Bianca and the child go. Now both mother and child are suffering. The baby is over a year old and still doesn't have a proper name."

As if sensing the tension, Baby Chloe toddled over and clutched Margaret's sleeve with her tiny hand.

"No cry..."

Margaret's heart warmed as she gathered the child into her arms. "She's so clever. Yesterday she saw a butterfly in the garden and knew to pull my hand to chase it."

"Very bright indeed," Evelyn Carter agreed, stroking the baby's soft hair. "Shall we hire an early education teacher?"

Margaret started to nod, then hesitated. "But she doesn't even have a legal name... What about school later?"

Evelyn's chest tightened. This child's life had barely begun, yet she already bore the weight of her parents' feud.

Late that night, Evelyn cradled the sleeping baby, gazing absently at the moonlight through the window.

Alexander Hamilton entered quietly and found her sitting motionless by the bed.

"Still awake?"

Evelyn pressed a finger to her lips. "Just got her to sleep."

Alexander slipped into bed on the opposite side, their hushed conversation spanning the sleeping child between them.

"How are you feeling?"

"Mrs. Hamilton asked me the same thing." Evelyn smiled wryly. "I'm fine."

Alexander exhaled in relief. "Bianca Langley and Vivian Dempsey are settled now."

Evelyn lowered her lashes. "Is she... alright?"

"She made a decision." Alexander's voice dropped. "She wants to formally grant us custody of the baby."

Evelyn's head snapped up, nails digging into her palms. "She's serious?"

"She said..." Alexander swallowed hard. "Rather than watch the child grow up with Vincent's face and torment each other, it's better to let go now."

Only the baby's steady breathing filled the room.

Evelyn gently wiped drool from the child's mouth. "What about the name..."

"She said we should choose." Alexander's voice roughened. "We'll process the paperwork tomorrow."

Moonlight filtered through the curtains, casting dappled shadows across the baby's face. Evelyn suddenly realized this tiny life was about to become her greatest responsibility.