CHAPTER 93: ANOTHER INTERRUPTION

As soon as Alexander stepped inside, he felt a sense of peace or maybe it was the familiar and pleasant scent of Evelyn’s that he has become used to over the past few months.

The color of the room was very her. The pastel tones, books stacked everywhere, photographs pinned on a board and a half-finished painting on the easel by the window.

Alexander stepped further inside silently, taking everything in without touching anything.

"This is where you hide from the world," he murmured.

"Not hide," she corrected gently. "Just, breathe."

He nodded. "It looks like a place you would breathe."

Their eyes met and something shifted. It was a slow pull, magnetic and familiar.

Alexander took another step forward and Evelyn took one back but hit the edge of her bed lightly.

He stopped right in front of her and her breath hitched.

He reached up, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, a gesture that felt too intimate for such a quiet moment.

"You look nervous," he whispered.

"I am not," she whispered back.

"You are."

She swallowed. "Maybe a little."

Alexander leaned in closer, lips near her forehead, his voice low and deep. "This is the first time I have been in your room. I think I am allowed to be a little affected."

Her pulse raced. "Alexander—"

He cupped her jaw lightly with one hand, his thumb brushing her cheek.

And her breathing grew shallow.

"If you don’t want this," he said gently, "tell me now."

She didn’t say anything and she didn’t move.

Alexander’s eyes softened as he lowered his forehead to hers, their breaths mixing, hearts stuttering—

And then—

"HELLOOO???"

Evelyn jolted and Alexander quickly straightened.

Then the door flew open and Patricia barged in with a bowl of grapes.

"Oh," she said, loudly. "OH. You guys were— oh my god, did I interrupt a moment?"

Evelyn turned crimson. "PATRICIA!"

Alexander cleared his throat, stepping back a measured two inches.

Patricia looked between them, wiggling her eyebrows. "Carry on, don’t mind me. I just came to steal your moisturizer from Evelyn and to remind you your dad wants everyone downstairs in ten minutes."

Evelyn sighed. "We will be down in a minute"

Patricia backed out dramatically. "Sure, sure. But please lock the door next time! We don’t want to traumatize the household."

"OUT!" Evelyn gave her a look.

Then the door closed.

Evelyn peeked through her fingers at Alexander, mortified. "I am so sorry."

Alexander’s lips twitched into the slowest, warmest smile.

"I am not."

His smile made her heart do a full somersault.

"Come on," he said softly, offering his hand. "Let’s go before she comes back."

She took it and it felt like the beginning of something beautiful, terrifying and completely theirs.

....

[Dining Room]

The dining room of the Carter mansion felt warmer than usual that evening. The soft lights lit the room, the polished cutlery, and the faint scent of Melissa’s favorite candles lingering in the air.

Alexander sat beside Evelyn, calm and effortlessly composed, yet his presence seemed to shift the entire atmosphere.

Gregory sat at the head of the table, looking more relaxed than he had been in weeks, while Melissa looked quietly relieved that her family was finally eating together without tension weighing down the air.

And Patricia took a seat too.

They had barely finished their soup when Gregory cleared his throat lightly. It was the kind of throat-clearing that meant ’I am about to bring up something serious’.

Evelyn tensed beside Alexander.

Melissa shot her husband a warning look but Gregory continued anyway.

"I had a long conversation with your grandmother today," he began, stabbing a piece of grilled salmon a little too forcefully while looking at Alexander.

Evelyn’s fork paused mid-air and Alexander’s brows lifted mildly in curiosity.

"Is it something related to the wedding?" Alexander asked with a small amused smile touching his lips.

Gregory huffed. " She is practically ready to march into the registrar’s office and drag both of you by your ears to get the wedding done tomorrow morning."

Evelyn nearly choked on her water and Melissa stifled a laugh.

Gregory went on, grumbling now, "She insists we should finalize the earliest date possible. She says the sooner the better. Something about her ’old bones’ not trusting time anymore."

Evelyn finally spoke, swallowing her embarrassment. "Dad, isn’t that a little too soon?"

Gregory lifted one brow. "Is it?" Then he shifted his gaze to Alexander. "What do you think?"

Alexander reached for his napkin, wiping his fingers calmly before answering.

"I think we should do whatever Evelyn is comfortable with."

Evelyn’s eyes softened at that.

Gregory stared at him for a moment longer. "So no objection to an early wedding?"

Alexander glanced at Evelyn again, not for permission but because he naturally centered her in every decision.

"If Evelyn wants it," he said. "If she doesn’t, then we wait as long as she wants. I am fine with either."

Gregory’s fingers paused around his glass and for the first time that evening, approval flashed in his expression. It was subtle but unmistakable.

Melissa noticed it too and smiled softly.

"So—" Melissa said, cutting in gently, "we will discuss dates later. There is still plenty of time. The important thing is that both of you feel happy and ready."

"Exactly," Alexander said immediately.

Evelyn fought a smile.

Gregory leaned back, studying Alexander with a seriousness that wasn’t hostile anymore. He was just calculating in the way fathers evaluated the man their daughter chose.

"Well," he said slowly, "Margaret might be the commander of this wedding arm, but the final decision is yours. Both of you."

Alexander nodded. "We will decide together."

Evelyn glanced at him, warmth blooming beneath her ribs.

Melissa clasped her hands together with visible relief. "Good. Now that that’s settled, can someone please pass me the potatoes before they get cold?"

Everyone chuckled and the conversation drifted to lighter things like funny stories from work, childhood memories and Melissa teasing Gregory about how terrible he was at proposing thirty years ago.

Through all of it, Alexander listened, genuinely comfortable, occasionally teasing Evelyn, occasionally answering Gregory’s questions with thoughtful sincerity.

It felt natural and like family.

And for the first time since the chaos began, Evelyn felt the knot in her chest loosen because her father’s eyes softened every time Alexander spoke and Alexander’s gaze lingered on her with quiet affection every few minutes.

By the time dessert arrived, the tension that once lived in this house had faded into something warm and hopeful.

It wasn’t perfection, not yet but it was the closest they had come to peace.

And everyone at the table felt it.

....