In her past life, Claire had done exactly this.
And back then, Evelyn had been too foolish to see through Claire’s schemes.
She hadn’t noticed Grandfather Blackwood’s disappointment.
She hadn’t noticed the hurt in Alexander’s eyes.
She hadn’t understood how deeply her actions had wounded him.
But that was the past.
She had been given another chance.
This time, she would correct every mistake she had made.
Evelyn stood before the main entrance of the Blackwood family residence.
She took a deep breath.
Then she raised her hand and pressed the doorbell.
The door opened moments later.
The woman standing behind it was Aunt Eleanor, Alexander’s mother.
She was a gentle, soft-spoken woman with a naturally delicate appearance.
There was something warm about her that made people instinctively want to trust her.
In Evelyn’s previous life, Aunt Eleanor had died suddenly inside this very house.
And Evelyn had been the only person there when it happened.
That incident had ultimately led to Evelyn being sent to prison.
Thinking about it, Evelyn’s fingers tightened slightly.
She would never allow that tragedy to happen again.
“You’re here, Evelyn.”
Aunt Eleanor’s face immediately brightened.
“Come inside quickly.”
She looked at Evelyn with unmistakable affection.
Over the years, she had always treated Evelyn like another daughter.
“Aunt Eleanor, I’ve come to see Alexander.”
Evelyn stepped inside.
As soon as she explained why she had come, Aunt Eleanor’s smile faded.
She lowered her eyes and sighed.
“Thank you for thinking about him.”
Her voice trembled.
“Alexander…”
She couldn’t finish.
Her eyes quickly reddened.
Evelyn’s heart ached.
“Don’t worry, Aunt Eleanor.”
She gently held the woman’s arm.
“Medicine is advancing every year.
There has to be a way to treat his injuries.
Alexander will stand again.”
She looked at her firmly.
“You have to believe that.”
“Yes…”
Aunt Eleanor wiped away the tears gathering in the corners of her eyes.
“He will.”
She forced herself to smile.
She couldn’t cry in front of her son.
If Alexander saw her crying, he would only feel worse.
Then something suddenly occurred to her.
Aunt Eleanor looked at Evelyn with surprise.
“Wait…
how did you know Alexander was back?”
Alexander had only returned home that day.
The Blackwood family hadn’t even had time to notify the Vale family.
So how had Evelyn known?
Evelyn answered naturally.
Claire told me that Alexander had returned and that he might never walk again.”
She deliberately emphasized the source of the information.
Aunt Eleanor’s expression changed.
Her eyes flashed with displeasure.
Damien.
And Claire.
She had always thought Claire was somewhat insensitive when it came to Alexander.
But Damien was Alexander’s cousin.
How could he speak about Alexander’s condition so casually?
How could he say that Alexander would never walk again?
Aunt Eleanor’s heart tightened.
She decided she would speak to Grandfather Blackwood about it later.
It was one thing for Claire, who wasn’t part of the Blackwood family, to say something so cruel.
But Damien was family.
Why would he seem so eager to declare Alexander helpless?
What exactly was he thinking?
Aunt Eleanor looked at Evelyn again.
Her expression softened.
“You’re a thoughtful girl.”
There was genuine relief in her eyes.
In the past, Evelyn had always been close to Damien.
She rarely spent time with Alexander.
Alexander, meanwhile, had always been distant and reserved.
He had never been good at saying sweet things or making girls happy.
Damien was completely different.
He had an easy smile and a charming way with words.
It was no wonder Evelyn had been drawn to him.
But even so…
At a critical moment, Evelyn had still come to see Alexander.
Aunt Eleanor couldn’t help feeling touched.
“We’re family, Aunt Eleanor.”
Evelyn’s cheeks flushed slightly.
“There is no need to be so formal with me.”
Aunt Eleanor’s eyes immediately softened.
She understood the hidden meaning behind Evelyn’s words.
And the slight blush on Evelyn’s face made her smile.
So this girl still cared about Alexander.
Perhaps adversity truly did reveal a person’s heart.
At a time when everyone else was worried about Alexander’s future, Evelyn had come all this way to see him.
That alone meant something.
“Alright.”
Aunt Eleanor smiled.
“I won’t treat you like an outsider anymore.”
Evelyn followed her deeper into the house.
The Blackwood residence had been provided to Grandfather Blackwood by the military administration years ago.
The main household lived together here, while another branch of the family had a separate residence elsewhere.
But today, everyone had gathered.
The entire family seemed to be waiting in the living room.
And among them…
Was Alexander.
He sat silently in a wheelchair.
Twenty-four years old.
Young.
His hair was still completely black.
His features were sharp and striking, as though they had been carved from ice.
Strong brows angled slightly toward his temples.
A high, straight nose.
Thin, perfectly shaped lips pressed tightly together.
No one could tell what he was thinking.
But Evelyn noticed something immediately.
His complexion was unusually pale.
His body was still extremely weak.
Evelyn’s heart tightened.
This was Alexander.
The man she had once abandoned.
The man whose heart she had broken.
The man she had spent eleven years regretting.
She looked around the room and greeted everyone politely.
“Grandfather Blackwood.”
Then she turned toward the older members of the family.
“Hello, Uncle.”
“Hello, Aunt.”
She greeted them one by one.
Finally, her gaze landed on the young man sitting silently in the wheelchair.
Alexander.
Her fiancé.
Her eyes softened.
A brilliant smile spread across her face.
“Hello, Alexander.”
The room fell strangely quiet.
Alexander slowly raised his eyes.
His gaze landed on the girl standing before him.
A red dress.
Bright and fiery.
A beautiful young woman standing confidently in front of him.
She was his fiancée.
They had been promised to each other since childhood.
But Evelyn had never truly cared about him.
Instead, she had always been much closer to Damien.
Alexander had seen it all.
He had never complained.
He had simply kept his feelings buried.
But now…
She was smiling at him.
Calling his name so warmly.
Why?
Alexander’s eyes narrowed slightly.
His instincts immediately warned him to be cautious.
Was she only being nice because she pitied him?
Was this warmth nothing more than sympathy because he had lost the use of his legs?
A sharp pain stabbed through his chest.
The coldness surrounding him intensified.
He could tolerate many things.
He could endure pain.
He could endure losing his career.
He could even endure spending the rest of his life in a wheelchair.
But pity…
That was something he couldn’t accept.
Alexander Blackwood had once stood proudly on the battlefield.
He had earned everything he possessed through his own strength.
He didn’t need anyone’s sympathy.
Least of all hers.
His gaze became colder.
And for the first time since Evelyn entered the room, the distance between them felt even greater than before.