CHAPTER 56: EGO

The moment the front door slammed shut behind Gregory, Evelyn stormed into the living room after him.

"Dad, what the hell was that!?" she demanded with her voice shaking with anger and disbelief.

Melissa looked up immediately from the sofa where she had been waiting. Her expression was already tense as she knew what was going to unfold.

"Gregory, we can discuss this later." she said softly with worry lacing her voice.

But Gregory didn’t answer. He walked straight to the sofa and gestured Evelyn to sit down.

"Sit," he said sharply.

"No." Evelyn threw back. "You can’t just send Alexander away like that. Tell me what is going on."

She was furious. The way her father had chased Alexander out was outrageous and insulting.

"I SAID SIT, EVELYN!"

Melissa winced at the volume and Evelyn froze.

She then lowered herself onto the couch but her chest was still heaving with anger.

Gregory exhaled and lowered himself into the opposite chair.

With his hands resting on the coach, Gregory said, "I am arranging meetings starting this week."

Evelyn blinked, confused. "Meetings?"

"For your marriage."

Melissa closed her eyes briefly, her heart breaking a little more. She looked at Evelyn and then at her husband, helplessly.

Evelyn stared. "What? No dad, absolutely NOT." She then looked at her mother, shocked, "Mom, what is he saying?"

But Gregory continued as if she hadn’t spoken. "I will choose a few respectable families. People who value tradition and you will meet them and decide. I will find someone who—"

"No—" Evelyn stood so fast the table rattled. "You can’t decide who I marry!"

"I can," Gregory said firmly. "And I will."

Melissa stepped closer, placing a gentle hand on her daughter’s shoulder.

"Evie, sweetheart—just take a breath."

But Evelyn was in no state to calm down. "Why? Why are you doing this?" She yelled, desperate for answers.

"Because the Carters were insulted today," he replied with a cracked voice. "Because Benjamin Reid looked me in the eye and said you will never be good enough for their family because he thinks no one will marry you now."

Evelyn felt the air leave her lungs.

"Dad—" she whispered.

"And because—" Gregory added, his voice breaking, "he might be right if I don’t do something."

Her anger evaporated and was now replaced by disbelief and a dawning ache so deep it hurt to breathe.

"You think no one would want me?" Her voice trembled.

Gregory shut his eyes. "I didn’t say that."

"You didn’t have to," she whispered.

He opened his eyes and they were filled with pain.

"I am trying to save you, Evelyn," he said, his voice softer now. "This society is cruel. They won’t forget the scandal, those pictures and the names attached to yours."

Evelyn clenched her jaw. "I don’t care what society thinks."

"But I do!" Gregory thundered, standing abruptly. "I care because I have watched you cry yourself to sleep, because you stopped looking people in the eye and locked yourself in the room during dinner and pretend you aren’t hurting."

Evelyn’s breath hitched and a tear slipped, betraying her.

Gregory’s voice cracked completely. "I don’t want you spending your life begging for scraps of respect from people who don’t deserve you."

Her chest constricted painfully. Seeing her father in an emotionally vulnerable state was not easy for her. But she also couldn’t let him make big decisions in her life without talking to her first.

"So your solution—" she whispered bitterly, "is to decide my future for me?"

"My solution—" Gregory replied, stepping closer, "is to find you someone who will protect you, respect you and not drag your name through the mud."

Melissa immediately wrapped an arm around her daughter, steadying her.

She looked at her husband with teary eyes. "That’s enough Gregory." The confrontation between Gregory and Evelyn broke her heart.

Though Gregory’s approach and ways looked unethical and forced, she knew it came from a good place. He was a father concerned about his daughter’s well-being. He was just trying to protect her from society and people like Benjamin Reid who were ready to pull her down.

But Gregory ignored her and continued, "I WILL PROVE HIM WRONG."

"Dad," she whispered, "you don’t have to—"

"Yes, I do—" he exploded. "I have to protect you, I have to show that man what you deserve."

"By forcing me to marry a stranger!?" Evelyn cried. "How is that protecting me?"

When Gregory did not say anything, she shook her head fiercely. "You are only doing this because your ego is hurt."

Gregory’s face twisted with pain. "I am doing this because you are my daughter and I don’t want to watch you break again."

Melissa placed her hand on his arm as a quiet reminder to breathe and to soften but Gregory couldn’t be softened now.

He looked straight into Evelyn’s tear-filled eyes.

"You are fragile, Evie," he whispered. "You love too deeply and hurt too easily. I cannot watch it happen again."

Evelyn’s voice trembled as tears spilled. "Dad, please don’t make decisions for my life because you are scared."

Melissa stroked Evelyn’s hair gently, whispering, "It’s okay, darling we will figure this out later."

She looked at them simultaneously and added, "Why don’t we go to our respective rooms, calm down and then talk again later?"

But Gregory shook his head. "There is nothing to talk about, Melissa," he said quietly. "Evelyn will meet the men I choose."

Evelyn shook her head with tears streaking her cheeks. "That is not your decision to make."

"I am your father," he said quietly.

"And I am your daughter—" she whispered fiercely. "Not your responsibility or some business transaction. My life is not something you bargain to protect your ego."

Gregory flinched at that.

She stepped back, voice breaking. "I don’t want to marry anyone you choose. I don’t want to marry at all and I am not leaving Alexander."

At his name, Gregory’s face hardened again.

"You will stay away from him," he said firmly. "That family will destroy you."

"That family?" Evelyn whispered. "Or just Benjamin?"

Gregory didn’t answer.

She wiped her tears. "Alexander is not his father."

Gregory’s voice lowered into something heavy and painful. "Maybe but you are not marrying into that chaos. Not after how they spoke about you."

"And what about how YOU spoke about him?" she shot back. "Do you know how humiliating it was to watch you throw him out like that?"

Gregory swallowed hard, anger and pain mixing in his eyes. "I would throw out anyone who brought suffering to my daughter."

Evelyn’s hands trembled violently. "He didn’t bring suffering, dad, he brought peace. He helped me breathe again." She gently placed her hand on his arm. "Why can’t you see that?"

"Go to your room," Gregory ordered, leaving no room for any further discussion.

Evelyn wiped her tears with the back of her hand and ran upstairs,

....