Evelyn didn’t say anything to Xavier.
She simply lifted her gown slightly on one side and turned towards the mansion.
However, just as she was about to ascend the steps, Xavier stopped her.
“Mrs.
Callahan.”
Evelyn halted.
Xavier hesitated for a moment before walking over to her.
Looking at her for a second, he finally said, “Later, please don’t do anything to upset Madam Callahan.”
Evelyn’s brows furrowed at that.
She shifted slightly on her feet and stared at him.
“Mr.
Stone,” she began, looking at him as though she had just realized something, “did I, by any chance, give you the wrong impression?”
Xavier’s expression changed.
For a second, he didn’t understand, and then his brows knitted together.
He didn’t have any particular impression of her.
But given how easy she had been around them since they left the resort earlier, he thought he could come and speak to her.
And she would understand and follow.
However, only now did he realize he might have misjudged her.
She didn’t look like someone who could be easily persuaded.
“Mr.
Stone, your boss might be the formidable CEO of Callahan Corps,” Evelyn said, her tone calm and controlled.
“He might have the backing of a powerful mafia family, but I’m not a nobody either.”
She paused.
“I won’t do anything simply to please him.
And as for being a docile and obedient wife…” A faint, humorless smile touched her lips.
“That will be the last thing I ever become for him.”
Her gaze hardened.
“So don’t expect me to play any particular role.
Whether Madam Callahan gets upset or not —that has nothing to do with me.”
With that, she gave him one last look before turning toward the mansion again.
Xavier stood there, watching her.
Only now did he realize there was something he had gravely miscalculated.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Meanwhile, inside the mansion,
A woman in her late fifties sat anxiously in the living room.
Beside her stood another woman around the same age, her hands clasped nervously in front of her.
“Madam, please don’t worry so much,” she said, trying to comfort her.
“People have always loved to talk.
They must be talking again.
Whatever you heard is probably nothing more than a rumor.”
She offered a reassuring smile.
“Sir has always lived up to your expectations.
He would never disappoint you.”
Helena shook her head.
“I don’t want to get worked up over their words either, Matilda.
But this time…” She frowned.
“I have a feeling something isn’t right.”
She turned toward Matilda.
“Call Damian.
Ask him when he’s coming home.”
Matilda nodded immediately.
“Of course, Madam.
I will—”
Before she could say anything more, the sound of deep footsteps came from the entrance.
Both women turned.
Matilda’s expression immediately brightened.
“Madam, Sir is here,” she chimed.
Helena rose at once and hurried several steps toward the entrance.
“Damian, why weren’t you answering my calls?” she asked, her voice filled with concern.
“I’ve tried calling you so many times, but you didn’t pick up even once.”
Damian’s expression softened slightly at the sight of her.
However, the faint crease between his brows remained.
He simply walked into the room without answering.
Matilda sensed the silence and hurried to fill it.
“Sir, Madam has been worrying the entire day.
She heard someone saying that you had gone to get married, and ever since then, she has been anxious.”
She glanced toward Helena, and spoke again as if she could feel every bit of unease her lady had suffered. Visit g.com for the full chapter.
“I’ve been trying to explain to her that you wouldn’t—”
Damian’s cold gaze snapped toward her.
The warning in his eyes was immediate.
No one was allowed to say more than they were supposed to.
Matilda only had the courage to speak so freely because she had served beside Helena for decades.
Her years in the household, combined with her closeness to Madam Callahan, had given her a level of confidence that few others possessed.
At times, she dared to do things that would have earned anyone else a severe punishment.
But even she knew when to stop.
The moment Damian’s gaze settled on her, Matilda fell silent.
She lowered her eyes and stood quietly, not daring to say another word,
“Damian,” Helena said, frowning at him.
“Don’t scare Matilda.
She was only telling you what happened.”
“Mother, I didn’t do anything.”
Helena looked at him suspiciously.
He might not have done anything obvious to the eye.
But she was his mother.
She knew well how to read his every gaze, every silence.
But before she could say anything else, something behind Damian caught her attention.
She paused, and her eyes narrowed.
Then she shifted to the side, trying to get a better view.
“Who is that girl?”
Her gaze fixed on the woman walking towards them —dressed in a deep red wedding gown.
As the possibility dawned upon her, Helena’s breath caught.
She didn’t need Damian’s answer to know.
Just the sight of the red bridal gown on the girl was enough to tell her.
However, she wasn’t ready to believe it.
Not yet.
Her eyes slowly moved from Evelyn to Damian.
Then, with a sternness that made the entire room fall silent, she pointed toward Evelyn and asked
“Is she your bride?
Did you really marry her?”