CHAPTER 50: HIS RETURN

[Two Weeks Later—Carter Enterprise]

The office floor buzzed with its usual weekday rhythm.

The phones rang, the printers hummed and employees moved briskly between departments, carrying files and coffee cups.

But at Evelyn’s desk, the world felt muted.

She sat in her glass-walled cabin with blueprints laid open, documents neatly arranged and her laptops running yet her mind was nowhere near all the pending work she had.

Her eyes drifted over the layout of the new project for the third time and she sighed. It might as well have been in another language.

Ever since Alexander left she hadn’t been able to think straight or sleep well. So she decided to go back to work hoping it would distract.

She slumped in her chair and groaned.

She glanced at her phone which lay beside her mouse.

The screen was blank and there were no messages.

It had been two weeks since he hadn’t called, texted or left a voicemail.

She tried to tell herself he was busy, that business trips were unpredictable and that he needed space.

But deep down she knew he had left because he thought he had his answer because she hadn’t spoken quickly enough and her silence had looked like doubt.

She breathed out slowly, focusing on the blueprint in front of her as she reminded herself her new life motto:

Focus. Work. Move on.

A knock gently tapped on her glass door.

"Come in," Evelyn said, straightening herself.

Gregory entered, holding his coffee mug and newspaper. His face softened the moment he saw her.

"Evie—" he said warmly, "You have been here since seven. I checked the logs."

She stiffened. "I just wanted to catch up on work."

Gregory stepped inside and closed the door behind him, leaning against the glass wall with familiar fatherly patience.

"Catch up?" he repeated. "You are already ahead of schedule. We are the ones trying to keep pace with you."

Evelyn attempted a smile but it didn’t reach her eyes.

Gregory’s gaze softened. "I understand you are trying to distract yourself from personal things," he said quietly. "But overworking is not a solution."

She looked down with her fingers twisting around her pen. "Dad, I am fine."

She had been coming early and going home late. Her father thought she was overworking but she had barely done any work.

Gregory sighed and moved closer. "You have barely eaten breakfast these days. You come home late and you don’t laugh like you used to."

She blinked hard.

Her father’s worry only tightened the pressure in her chest.

Gregory took her hand in his. "Evie, you don’t have to tell me anything you are not ready to but I am your father and I know when my daughter’s heart is somewhere else."

Tears pricked the back of her eyes not because he asked but because he cared enough to see what she was trying to hide.

"Now tell me, is it because of Alexander?" he asked.

"No—" She whispered, "I am just tired."

He nodded slowly. He knew she was telling him the truth but he didn’t press harder. "Fine then, I will respect your boundaries and not ask again."

He sighed and was about to leave when he remembered something. "The meeting with Benjamin has been postponed," he added with a tone that carried a faint frustration.

She looked up sharply. "Dad, this is the fifth time it has been postponed in two weeks."

"Yes." Gregory’s jaw ticked but he did not say anything.

She looked at her father with raised brows. "Dad, are you postponing it because of what happened?"

George did not say anything. He was the one who was postponing it even though Benjamin had been consistently giving him the available dates.

After everything happened, he wasn’t sure if the deal was appropriate.

"The deal is a good one and you know it dad," Evelyn tried to convince him. "It will benefit us in many ways."

"I know."

"Then why aren’t you moving forward with it?" she asked. "You have always taught me not to let personal matters interfere with business. Then why are you doing this?"

Gregory sighed. "Okay, I will think about it and you, don’t push yourself too hard or worry about it."

She nodded quietly as Gregory walked out, leaving her alone in the silence again.

The moment the door shut, she closed her eyes and exhaled shakily.

Her phone buzzed suddenly on the desk.

It was Patricia.

Evelyn swiped the call immediately. "Pat—?"

"OH MY GOD, EVIE!"

Evelyn jerked back. "What? What happened?"

"Okay, don’t panic but I have news," Patricia declared breathlessly.

"Patricia, what is it?"

"He is back."

Evelyn went completely still.

"Who?" she whispered, though she already knew.

Patricia groaned dramatically. "Don’t play dumb. Alexander Reid landed in the country this morning."

Evelyn’s breath hitched and her heartbeat instantly sped up.

"He is back?" she whispered again, voice cracking. "How do you know?"

"I was talking to Lucas and he told him." Patricia answered. "He asked me not to tell you but I couldn’t resist."

Evelyn didn’t hear the rest. A sharp, painful mix of longing and fear twisted inside her.

"He didn’t call," she said softly.

Patricia’s voice softened. "Evie, maybe he didn’t know how to. Maybe he thought—"

"I need to see him," Evelyn breathed, standing up so abruptly her chair rolled back.

"Evie, wait—" Patricia made a startled sound. "Are you sure about this?"

"What am I supposed to do then? Just sit here and wait for his call?" Evelyn snapped. She was hurt, frustrated and raged at the same time.

"Maybe you should—" Patricia sighed. "Look, he didn’t call you so maybe he doesn’t want to see you now. Maybe he needs time."

"Time?" Evelyn scoffed. "He had two weeks of time, I am sure he doesn’t need more."

Before Patricia could say anything, Evelyn had already ended the call.

She grabbed her purse and hurried out of the cabin.

"Miss Carter, this—"

"Not now Gerald," Evelyn interrupted her assistant as she strode past him towards the elevators in a hurry.

She didn’t know what she would say or how he would react.

She only knew she needed to try and she needed him to know that silence wasn’t rejection.

She needed a chance to explain herself no matter what the consequences would be.

....