CHAPTER 46: PITY AND GUILT

[Carter Mansion]

The Carters’ living room was warm and softly lit with the glow of the lamps brushing gently across the cream-colored walls.

Gregory sat with his reading glasses perched low on his nose, flipping through the newspaper and Melissa was arranging fresh lilies in a vase, humming faintly.

"Where is Evelyn?" Gregory asked without taking his eyes off the file he was reading. "I haven’t seen her all day."

"She is in her room," Melissa answered. "She needed an uninterrupted personal day."

"Personal day?" he sighed. "She needs to go back to work." When Melissa gave him a look, he added, "She has taken enough time off, I don’t want her to fall behind."

"She works in her father’s company," Melissa scoffed. "She is already way ahead of everyone."

Gregory just sighed but did not say anything and continued reading the document carefully, word by word.

He was reading the file which was sent over by Reid Enterprise, personally sent over by Benjamin Reid.

His legal team had already gone through it and had given it a green signal stating that it was flawless but Gregory was still not satisfied. He wanted to go through it himself to make sure nothing was missed.

It was still quite hard for him to believe that someone like Benjamin Reid would do something without a motive.

"What are you reading?" Melissa asked.

"Just some documents," he answered.

Just then, the quiet was interrupted by the sharp chime of the doorbell.

Gregory exchanged a puzzled look with his wife. "We aren’t expecting anyone," he said, closing the file.

A house help opened the door and stiffened instantly.

Jack Reid stood outside with guards surrounding him.

His eyes were red, his hair a mess and his shirt wrinkled as if he had been pacing for hours. He looked unsteady, like someone who had crashed under the weight of his own guilt or someone pretending to.

"Sir, we tried to stop this gentleman but he insisted on knowing you personally and asked us to bring him to you," one of the guards informed.

"Jack?" Gregory asked, rising with surprise and caution. "What are you doing here?"

Jack stepped inside, the desperate energy around him filling the room.

"I—I came for closure," he said in a strained voice. "Please, I needed to apologize."

When one of the guards tried to hold Jack down, Gregory stopped him. Even though Jack looked unstable, he was still a Reid. And he knew better than letting his men manhandle a Reid inside his property.

Melissa set the vase down slowly. "Jack, this really isn’t—"

But he was already dropping to one knee in front of them right on their living room carpet.

His voice cracked. "I made a mistake. The worst mistake of my life and I lost the woman I loved."

Gregory stared, startled and Melissa pressed her lips together tightly.

The couple exchanged glances not knowing what to do.

Jack lifted his head. His eyes were shimmering with practiced pain. "I have been unbearable since the scandal. I just—I need forgiveness."

His voice shook as he broke down again. "I need Evelyn, please. I need to see her."

Footsteps echoed down the hallway.

Evelyn entered the living room, still adjusting the bracelet on her wrist but when she saw Jack kneeling, her body went still.

"Jack?" she breathed. "What—what are you doing?"

He stood up so fast it startled her. Then grabbed her hand, kneeling in front of her.

"Evelyn—I had to see you," he said with his voice trembling. "Just once, I had to tell you I am sorry. I shouldn’t have treated you that way, you didn’t deserve that."

He pressed her hand on his forehead. "I was drunk and acted stupid that night. I am so sorry, I shouldn’t have done that."

Evelyn’s chest tightened. She didn’t pull away, she was too stunned and too unprepared to react.

His fingers clung to hers like a lifeline. "I can’t sleep," he whispered. "Can’t think. I lost you."

He moved closer as tears poured down his cheeks. "Evelyn, baby, please I am begging you— don’t hate me."

Her heart twisted but not with love. It was pity and grief for the girl who used to believe him.

Since the day she had known Jack, this was the first time she was seeing in such a vulnerable state.

The usual proud, arrogant and self-obsessed Jack Reid was nowhere to be seen. He looked like a pitiful man asking forgiveness for something that couldn’t be forgotten.

"Jack—this isn’t the way to make things right." She tried to pull her hand away but he tightened his grip.

"Could we try again?" he blurted softly. "Could you ever forgive me?"

Her breath caught.

It was too much, too sudden and too emotional.

Evelyn didn’t know what to say.

And before she could process, the front door opened.

.....

When Alexander walked in, he froze.

Not because he was surprised but because the scene ripped something open inside him—

Jack’s hand wrapped around Evelyn’s.

Evelyn’s soft, emotional and conflicted expression. And the way she was standing so close to him with her eyes lowered and her shoulders tense, she looked like she might say yes.

Alexander’s heart slammed painfully against his ribs.

For one agonizing second, he believed the thing he feared most that he might have lost her again.

Jack turned when he saw Alexander. "Brother—" he said quietly. "I was just fixing what I ruined."

Alexander’s face didn’t move. He also didn’t say anything.

Evelyn swallowed, finding her voice. "Alexander—"

But Alexander didn’t look at her, not even once.

He only looked at Jack.

"Let’s go," he said with his voice cold and steady.

"No, just give me five more minutes," Jack begged again. "Evelyn is going to say yes."

He then tightened his grip around her hand. "She loves me brother, she has always loved me."

Every muscle in Alexander’s body tightened. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Jack, we need to leave right now."

He then took a step forward. "If Ms. Carter wants to say yes, she will call you."

Jack hesitated just for long enough to throw Evelyn one last wounded look before letting go of her hand.

Alexander’s jaw ticked but he said nothing. He grabbed Jack by the arm with clipped restraint and guided him toward the exit.

Evelyn blinked. "Alexander—wait—"

But he walked past her like her voice didn’t reach him.

Not a glance.

Not a word.

Not a breath of acknowledgement.

She stood frozen as he pulled Jack outside.

The silence left behind felt sharp enough to cut.

Evelyn pressed a hand to her chest, breathing unevenly, confused and hurt.

He had never looked away from her like that and had definitely never shut her out.

Melissa touched her arm gently. "Sweetheart, are you okay?"

Evelyn didn’t know how to answer.

All she felt was the sudden, hollow ache of losing something she hadn’t even named yet.

.....