Chapter 129

Evelyn had never questioned Alexander about the past between Nathan and Serena before. In the past, even the mere mention of Nathan’s name had felt like ripping open a barely healed wound.

Alexander had always been careful, avoiding any mention of him around her.

But now, her perspective had shifted.

After a brief pause, Evelyn spoke, her voice measured. "It seems… Leonard must have uncovered something."

Alexander nodded in agreement. "Nathan suspected the same at first. But after an exhaustive search, he found nothing. That made him think Leonard might have erased all traces of what he’d discovered."

Evelyn’s sharp, calculating eyes narrowed further. "What secrets could Serena possibly be hiding?"

A thought seemed to strike Alexander, and he exhaled heavily. "Serena endured hell during those three years of isolation. She was under constant surveillance, cut off from any means of communication—no phone, no computer. She wasn’t even allowed to step outside except for a tightly monitored two-hour walk each day. At one point, her mental state deteriorated so badly she was diagnosed with severe depression and underwent extensive therapy."

Evelyn fell silent, her expression unreadable.

She hadn’t fully grasped the extent of Serena’s suffering until now.

Alexander’s voice grew somber. "It’s hard to fathom what Serena could have done to make Leonard despise her so much. But keeping someone locked away like that—it’s inhumane."

This was the first time he had ever discussed this with Evelyn.

Evelyn remained quiet, her mind drifting to the guilt Nathan must have carried all these years.

When Alexander noticed the subtle shift in her expression, his gaze flickered before he deliberately changed the subject. "Let’s move on. Any progress on your investigation into those unexplained hormones in your system?"

Evelyn snapped out of her thoughts. "Nothing yet. All the medication from my childhood was disposed of long ago. I had Gabriella check the calcium supplements I took later, but they were clean."

She frowned. "I still don’t understand how those hormones got into my body in the first place."

Alexander considered this before asking, "Do you have any suspects?"

"None," Evelyn admitted bluntly.

Alexander sighed. "Given your lifelong struggle with weight, if someone was secretly dosing you as a child, it would most likely be someone close—family. But I can’t imagine Eleanor or Diana ever doing something like that. They adore you."

Evelyn exhaled sharply. "Exactly why I’m stuck."

Alexander offered a reassuring smile. "Don’t rush it. This case is over two decades old. The truth won’t surface overnight."

"I know," Evelyn murmured.

She turned her attention back to the meal. "Let’s just enjoy dinner for now."