Chapter 955

Alexander Hamilton stood at the Langley family's villa entrance, taking a deep breath before ringing the doorbell. In his arms, Baby Chloe slept soundly while he carried carefully selected gifts in his other hand.

The moment the door opened, the sudden noise startled the baby awake. Her wails pierced the tense silence.

Mr. and Mrs. Langley stood in the foyer, their gazes fixed on the infant whose features unmistakably resembled Vincent Croix's.

"Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Langley." Alexander fumbled to soothe the crying baby, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

Mrs. Langley turned her face away, voice trembling. "Come in."

The living room's atmosphere weighed heavier than lead. Alexander alternated between calming the distressed infant and stealing cautious glances at the elderly couple.

"That child..." Mr. Langley studied the baby for a long moment before sighing. "She looks just like her mother did as a baby."

The housekeeper intervened at just the right moment, taking the baby and allowing Alexander to finally exhale.

During their video call, Evelyn Carter immediately noticed his exhaustion.

"You look terrible," she murmured.

Alexander rubbed his temples. "The Langleys are emotionally fragile, and the baby's been fussy with strangers."

Seeing the stubble shadowing his jaw on screen, Evelyn felt an unexpected tenderness. "Don't push yourself too hard."

The words gave him pause. After ending the call, he stared at the darkened screen before collapsing onto the bed in deep sleep.

Vivian Dempsey burst into Evelyn's home with hurricane force, nearly toppling the coffee table.

"What's got you so distracted?" She grabbed Evelyn's cup and gulped its contents.

Evelyn snapped to attention. "That was my jujube tea!"

"Huh?" Vivian smacked her lips. "No wonder it's so sweet."

Auntie Wu discreetly retreated to the kitchen, leaving the friends their privacy.

"Company troubles?" Evelyn detected the tension in her friend's demeanor.

Vivian flopped onto the sofa. "Don't ask. Trying to hire architects—either they charge astronomical rates or their skills don't measure up."

A thought occurred to Evelyn. "Alexander's in Canada right now scouting a designer."

"No!" Vivian waved her hands frantically. "Anyone Hamilton Group wants is way beyond Dempsey Corporation's budget."

She counted on her fingers. "Dad's return helped stabilize things, but funds are still tight. I'm planning to camp out at Hudson University and snag some graduates for internships."

Evelyn chuckled. "You've got this all figured out."

"Damn right." Vivian grinned smugly. "But if Alexander knows any reasonably priced designers, send them my way."

Her voice dropped suddenly. "Speaking of which... how are things with the Langleys?"

Evelyn's expression dimmed. "Their feelings about the baby are... complicated."

Vivian patted her shoulder. "Give it time. Hey, there's a new dessert place opening this weekend. Come with me?"

"Sure." Evelyn nodded with a smile. "But nothing too expensive—I'm on a budget."

Their shared laughter momentarily scattered the gloom.