Chapter 899

Night fell, and the Anderson villa was brightly lit.

Everyone was staying overnight. Andrew Anderson had once brought his wife and daughter here as guests, a visit that reconciled the two families and officially united them. The rooms they stayed in on the second floor were still preserved, cleaned weekly by dedicated staff.

Grace Anderson and Margaret Hamilton shared a guest room, where the baby was also taken.

Alexander Hamilton accompanied Evelyn Carter to her room, deliberately making small talk to distract her. But when they passed the door of the room Andrew had once stayed in, Evelyn’s steps noticeably faltered.

If she had noticed her father’s condition earlier, would he still be here?

Her eyes burned suddenly.

Alexander immediately took her hand, silently walking beside her. Pregnant women were prone to mood swings—he ached for her but didn’t know how to comfort her, so he could only offer silent support.

The bedroom had been outfitted with fresh summer bedding, the crisp green color a refreshing sight.

After washing up, Evelyn sat on the edge of the bed. A cool breeze drifted through the open window, carrying just the right chill. The villa was naturally warm in winter and cool in summer, and this bedroom had the best natural light and ventilation in the entire house—even surpassing the master suite where Anthony Taylor and his wife slept.

They were truly making an effort to make up for lost time with their daughter.

Noticing Evelyn’s distant expression, Alexander, who had planned to sleep in the guest room, paused and sat in the chair across from the bed. "If I did anything wrong tonight, just tell me."

"It’s not about you," Evelyn replied calmly.

Her attitude toward him remained detached.

A flicker of disappointment crossed Alexander’s eyes, but he quickly adjusted. "I can keep a secret. If something’s bothering you, you can talk to me."

Evelyn sighed. "I know they genuinely care about me, but I just can’t bring myself to call them 'Mom' and 'Dad.' Especially when my mother is right there... Though I’ve noticed she doesn’t mind."

"Aunt Grace just wants more people to love you. Uncle Anthony and Aunt Lillian won’t force you," Alexander reasoned objectively.

"But I can’t get past it," Evelyn murmured, gazing out the window. The night breeze was gentle—tonight, they didn’t even need the air conditioning.

If she could harden her heart a little more, lower her standards a little more, life might be easier. But then she wouldn’t be Evelyn.

Understanding her nature, Alexander suggested, "Why not try truly merging the two families?"

It was Andrew’s dying wish and Anthony’s hope. Evelyn rested a hand on her slightly rounded belly and finally nodded. "The grudges of the past generation should end. For the baby’s sake, I’m willing to try."

Alexander’s gaze was resolute. "Leave it to me."

"You?" Evelyn raised an eyebrow. This was the man who still refused to commit to marriage.

"Aunt Grace and Aunt Lillian’s birthdays are only three days apart. I want to throw them a joint celebration," Alexander explained, his plan clear. "I’ll have the details ready in two days."

He knew Evelyn was the key, but the older generation’s relationship needed progress too. This time, he would handle it personally—no delegating.

While Alexander buried himself in planning, Evelyn was swamped at the hospital.

A colleague’s joke at last week’s gathering had turned out to be prophetic—this week, patient numbers surged, and emergencies kept cropping up. The most challenging issue was the post-op complications of a lung transplant patient who had given birth.

The premature baby, weakened by the mother’s lung transplant during pregnancy, was still in the incubator—expected. But the mother’s paranoia was escalating.

First, she accused the doctors of inadequate treatment, blaming them for her slow recovery and repeatedly harassing the attending physician. After multiple interruptions, the doctor finally lost patience.

A formal complaint left the attending physician scrambling, and Evelyn, who had assisted in the surgery, became the next target.

"Dr. Carter, you performed my C-section. You saw the transplanted lung, right?" The patient had her husband "invite" Evelyn to the room, then asked anxiously, "Could the donor have had some disease?"

Evelyn had come on her break, but professional ethics kept her lips sealed. "Donor information is confidential, but all transplant organs undergo rigorous screening. Your discomfort is a normal post-op reaction."

The patient grew more agitated. "But lately, I keep feeling short of breath, and my chest hurts terribly. Are you sure it’s not the lung?"