CHAPTER 69: EVELYN’S ANSWER

[Carter Mansion – Evelyn’s Room]

Evelyn sat curled up at the corner of her bed with her knees drawn to her chest and her fingers absent-mindedly rubbed her temples.

Her head throbbed, not painfully but heavily from emotions pressing inward from all directions.

There were too many things going on in her mind. Starting from the ultimatum, Alexander’s immediate yes and Patricia’s chaotic but somehow logical pep talk.

All of it swirled in her mind like a storm she couldn’t outrun.

She closed her eyes and whispered to herself, "What am I supposed to do?" She groaned in frustration and buried her face on a pillow.

She was so caught up in her own thoughts that she didn’t hear the door open until a gentle knock followed.

"Evie?" Melissa stepped inside softly, closing the door behind her. "Honey, are you alright?"

Evelyn tried to straighten up. "Just a little headache."

Melissa sighed, unconvinced and came to sit beside her. The mattress dipped slightly under the familiar mother’s weight.

"I spoke to your father again," Melissa said quietly but her tone carried both frustration and exhaustion. "He is adamant and he wants you married, Evie. Soon." Her voice cracked a little but she composed herself.

She didn’t want to break down in front of her daughter who was already in a panic.

Evelyn swallowed hard. "I figured."

"He isn’t listening to anyone," Melissa continued. "Not even me but I will talk to him again. I promise you that."

"Mom, is everything okay?" Evelyn asked. "Dad, isn’t like this."

Gregory’s behavior wasn’t usual and Evelyn had a feeling that the ultimatum he gave her came with a reason and maybe some consequences.

Melissa sighed and took Evelyn’s hand. "I know, he is just angry and upset about a few things."

"Things that Benjamin said about me?"

"That is one of the many reasons," Melissa answered. "I will try to talk to him again but—" She hesitated before continuing. "If he refuses to change his mind, what will you do? Will you choose Alexander?"

Evelyn’s breath shook.

"I don’t know," she whispered.

Melissa watched her daughter carefully and she could see the confusion, the fear and the hope hiding underneath.

"Evie," she said gently, "Alexander is a good man. Even without your father’s ultimatum, he is a good choice."

Evelyn closed her eyes, overwhelmed. "That’s not the only issue, Mom. What if—" She hesitated before confessing the fear aloud. "What if things don’t work out between us? What if we marry too soon and everything falls apart?"

Melissa lifted Evelyn’s chin with warm fingers.

"My love," she whispered, "if something is not meant to work, it won’t. It doesn’t matter if you marry him now or after five years. .

"But—" Melissa continued softly, brushing a strand of hair behind her daughter’s ear, "when two hearts care for each other, love always finds its way."

Her words hung in the quiet room like a warm blanket.

"You and Alexander—" Melissa smiled faintly, "the way you both look at each other, the way he speaks about you, the way he showed up here when things went wrong, that is not something that disappears overnight."

Evelyn inhaled sharply and her heart ached in a way that felt almost tender.

Melissa cupped her cheek. "You are scared and that’s normal. That means your heart knows this matters."

Evelyn whispered, barely audible, "It does."

Her mother pulled her into a hug, holding her as Evelyn finally let her head rest against her mother’s shoulder.

"You can take your time before making a decision," Melissa murmured. "But whatever you choose, choose for the right reason and not fear."

Evelyn closed her eyes, breathing in the comfort she had needed all day.

"I will think about it," she said softly.

Melissa kissed the side of her head. "That’s all I am asking for."

....

[A Week Later]

It had been a long, suffocating week for Evelyn.

She was tired of meeting strange men who for some reason couldn’t stop smiling. She was tired of being forced to have conversations she didn’t want to have.

And she had tried and God knows she tried to be patient but every single meeting felt like an interview for a position she never applied for.

And today was the final straw.

She sat stiffly in front of yet another "prospect," a man who talked about himself nonstop. He couldn’t stop talking about his travels, his achievements, his gym routine, his investment plans. He talked about everything but her,

Evelyn’s head throbbed when she looked at him.

And it made her wonder why she was doing this?

Not being able to take the man’s self-obsessed talks anymore, she stood up so abruptly that even Melissa flinched.

"Evie—" her mother whispered, worried.

But Evelyn was done.

She turned sharply and walked toward her father’s study where Gregory was speaking with the man’s father.

Evelyn didn’t even knock and pushed the door open.

Gregory and Mr. Albright both turned, startled.

"Evelyn?" Gregory frowned. "We are in the middle of—"

"When is this going to stop?" Evelyn demanded.

The room froze.

Gregory straightened in his chair and Mr. Albright looked embarrassed, glancing away.

"What kind of question is that?" Gregory asked, keeping his tone controlled. "We are discussing something important."

"For who?" Evelyn snapped. "Because it’s not important for me. None of this is for me."

"Evelyn—" Melissa murmured from behind her, trying to calm her.

But Evelyn’s frustration was weeks of pain and confusion brewed together.

Her voice trembled as she continued, "I have met four men in a week and every single time, you expect me to sit there and smile like I am some trophy waiting to be picked off a shelf."

"Evie—" Gregory warned softly.

"I am exhausted!" she yelled, tears burning her eyes. "I am tired of pretending, tired of being pushed and being cornered as if I don’t have a say in my own life."

Gregory inhaled sharply and Mr. Albright awkwardly looked between them, unsure whether to leave.

Evelyn pointed at the door sharply without looking at him. "Please excuse us, Mr. Albright."

The man nodded quickly and slipped out.

Melissa shut the door behind him and the moment it clicked closed, Evelyn turned back to her father.

"I want this to stop, Dad. I can’t do this anymore."

Gregory folded his arms. "There is a way to stop it."

Evelyn froze.

She knew what he was going to say but hearing it always hit like a punch.

"You know the condition," he said quietly.

"You mean your ultimatum," she shot back with a scoff.

Gregory didn’t deny it. "Call it whatever you want, the choice is still yours."

Her breath hitched and her vision blurred with angry tears. She hated being cornered and being forced but she was also tired of everything that was happening and she wanted it to stop.

Evelyn wiped her cheeks roughly.

She wasn’t thinking logically anymore and she wasn’t calm or composed. .

"Fine," she yelled.

Gregory blinked. "What?"

"Fine—" she snapped louder. "You want an answer? You will get one."

Melissa took a worried step forward. "Evelyn, why don’t you calm down first."

Ignoring her mother, Evelyn glared at her father and snapped again, "I will marry Alexander."

....