Chapter 199

Without another word, Nathan turned on his heel and strode upstairs, leaving behind a shaken Victoria and a visibly distressed Celeste in the suffocating silence.

At Grace Monroe's residence, Nathan appeared to have an unusually hearty appetite. Perhaps it was the carefully prepared meal that suited his taste, but he ate more than usual tonight, even going for seconds.

Evelyn noticed this subtle change and allowed a small, satisfied smile to tug at her lips. She had deliberately prepared several of Nathan's favorite dishes—a quiet gesture of gratitude for his earlier intervention.

After dinner, she loaded the dishwasher, wiped down the countertops, and returned to the living room with a tray of freshly cut fruit.

The three of them—Nathan, Evelyn, and Grace—sat together on the plush sofa, idly snacking on fruit while a drama played on the television. The atmosphere was unexpectedly serene, a rare moment of harmony settling over them.

As the clock neared ten, Grace broke the comfortable silence with a gentle smile. "It's getting late. You two should head back."

Evelyn glanced at her mother before replying, "Mom, I'll stay the night. I want to keep you company."

Then, turning to Nathan, she added casually, "You can go ahead."

"Alright," Nathan responded with a brief nod, his tone even.

Grace, observing the exchange, didn't refuse Evelyn's offer. Instead, she suggested, "Evelyn, why don't you walk Mr. Black out?"

Evelyn hesitated for a moment, tempted to decline—after all, seeing Nathan out seemed unnecessary. But then she remembered how he had stood by her earlier. Swallowing her reluctance, she gave a slight nod. "Fine, I will."

The two left Grace's apartment and stepped into the elevator together.

The hum of the descending elevator filled the silence between them, but Nathan was the first to speak, his deep voice laced with quiet curiosity. "How exactly did your aunt hurt your mother?"

Evelyn blinked, surprised by his interest. After a brief pause, she recounted the entire incident, her voice steady but edged with lingering anger.

Nathan listened intently, his brows drawing together as the details unfolded. Victoria's actions, as Evelyn described them, were undeniably cruel. But when Evelyn mentioned how she had retaliated by throwing coffee at Victoria, Nathan's expression shifted. A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips—amused, yet unsurprised. He had expected nothing less from Evelyn. She wasn’t one to let slights against her or her loved ones slide.

Evelyn exhaled sharply, her tone firm. "I won't debate who was right or wrong between my parents. Even if my mother made mistakes, as her daughter, I have no right to judge her. But she’s always given me everything—treated me like the most precious person in her life. So, no matter what happened in the past, I won’t let anyone hurt her now."

Nathan’s gaze remained steady as he replied calmly, "You did what you had to."

Hearing his approval, Evelyn’s lips curved into a small, confident smile. "Exactly. Victoria got exactly what she deserved."

Nathan let out a quiet chuckle, the sound barely audible, and said nothing more.

When the elevator doors slid open, they stepped out into the crisp night air, walking side by side toward Nathan’s car. Just as they neared the vehicle, Nathan slowed his pace. He turned his head slightly, his voice low and rough in the quiet. "I heard..."