Chapter 282
The realization hit Julian like a tidal wave—the woman who had married the comatose Nathaniel all those years ago was none other than Evelyn, his own sister!
A storm of emotions raged within him. Anger. Regret. Guilt.
Victoria had wanted to marry Nathaniel but was stopped by Alexander. In the end, she had given up, likely assuming Nathaniel wouldn’t survive.
Then, the Whitmores announced someone had agreed to the marriage.
Now, Julian wished they had found Evelyn sooner. If only they had known…
Evelyn’s voice trembled with remorse. "I know I was wrong. We weren’t close at first, so I didn’t know how to tell you. And we were already considering divorce—I thought it would be better to just let it go."
Besides, the Whitmores were one of the most powerful families in Bern City.
She hadn’t wanted to burden her brothers with the mess.
She lifted her gaze, eyes glistening. "I’m sorry. I should have told you."
Julian exhaled deeply, his hand gently resting on her head. "Don’t apologize. We’re the ones who failed you. If we had found you earlier… you wouldn’t have suffered like this."
What was done couldn’t be undone. He couldn’t bring himself to blame her.
No wonder Nathaniel had moved so swiftly when he learned of her kidnapping.
After a tense discussion, Julian and Alexander agreed—they would keep a close watch on Nathaniel, who clearly still had feelings for Evelyn.
Who could have guessed? Married for three years. And with a child.
Julian’s gaze darkened as he studied her. "Evelyn… did the Whitmores let you go knowing you were pregnant?"
She shook her head. "They didn’t believe me. Mrs. Whitmore only agreed to the surgery if I got pregnant. I had to lie, but they thought I was faking it. So I played along."
The full picture was finally clear.
Julian’s jaw tightened. "Disgusting. Evelyn, were you forced into this marriage?"
"No." Her voice was firm. "I chose it. Because I loved him."
His hands clenched. Every word was a knife to his heart.
She forced a weak smile. "I’ve decided to move on. But I have to keep up appearances until Mrs. Whitmore’s surgery is over. She’s been kind to me."
Julian hesitated. "Evelyn… are you sure you can let him go? If not… maybe you shouldn’t keep the baby."
Her fingers curled protectively over her stomach. "I want this child, Julian. Before I found you all, this baby was my only family. I won’t abandon them just because I have you now."
His heart shattered.
The thought of her, alone, with only this unborn child as her anchor—it was unbearable.
He pulled her into a tight embrace, his voice rough. "Alright. Keep the baby."
Whatever she asked, he would give.
They owed her that much. More than they could ever repay.
Evelyn buried her face against his shoulder, discreetly wiping away tears.
At least he understood.
Then—a prickle of awareness.
Someone was watching.
The weight of that gaze made her skin crawl.