Chapter 839

Evelyn's gaze settled on the woman's face.

The woman kept her head turned, presenting only the unblemished side of her face.

Evelyn suddenly stepped forward.

"Did it hurt when this side of your face was ruined?"

The woman visibly stiffened.

She seemed unprepared for the question, a flicker of dazed confusion passing through her eyes.

She pressed her lips together.

"I've long forgotten."

"The year after you left, they made their move."

"Counting the years, it's been nearly two decades now."

"At the time... it probably did hurt."

"So remember this, Grace. If you can't win, get plastic surgery. Change your identity. Never come back."

Evelyn stared at the scar on her face.

"Does every loser end up like you?"

Her thoughts were on Sophia, but she knew asking directly would provoke anger. She could only probe indirectly.

The woman saw right through her.

"You want to ask about Sophia?"

"Hah. She might be slightly better off than me."

"But I hear she gets whipped every day."

"There should be a live stream on the news tonight."

Evelyn's fingers clenched abruptly.

The woman's tone was flat.

"That's already the lightest punishment."

"She's almost fifty. Long past childbearing age."

"If she'd been discovered twenty years ago..."

The woman lowered her lashes, leaving the sentence unfinished.

Just then, two men approached from the side.

One was older, the other young and handsome.

The older man walked to the woman's side and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Elara, it's all my fault."

"If you hadn't insisted on being with me back then, refusing the man they arranged, and secretly had your uterus removed..."

"They wouldn't have broken your legs and ruined your face."

Elara.

Evelyn silently committed the name to memory.

Elara brushed his hand away.

"I was never likely to get pregSterlingt anyway."

"Stealing Grace back then was already my way of giving them an answer."

"But losing the heir competition means losing all dignity."

"They came every month to give me ovulation shots, forcing me to bear more heirs for the Sterling Family."

"If I hadn't removed my uterus, I'd probably still be forced into pregSterlingcy preparation."

"I didn't do it for you. I did it for myself."

The man sighed and said nothing more.

The young man stepped forward, crouched before Elara, and took her hand.

"Sister, you're so brave."

As Elara was about to speak, the older man shoved the young man aside.

"Stop playing the innocent victim here!"

"Elara, his feelings for you aren't genuine. Don't be fooled!"

Evelyn: "..."

Truly, you live and you see.

She was actually witnessing a male version of a manipulative, innocent-acting person.

And watching two men vie for a woman's affection right before her eyes.

She was engrossed in the spectacle when Elara turned to look at her.

"This is your First Dad. He changed your diapers when you were little."

"And this is your Second Dad."

Evelyn looked at the young man.

Elara explained, somewhat awkwardly.

"Even though I'm... useless now, the Sterling Family still sends men over every year."

"He didn't want to be sent elsewhere, so he stayed with me."

Second Dad looked at First Dad, his voice soft.

"Big Brother, Sister and I really have nothing going on."

"Don't see me as a rival. I just wanted a place to stay."

First Dad sneered.

"Starting with the manipulative talk again!"

Second Dad immediately looked at Elara, his eyes like a startled fawn's, radiating a fragile need for protection.

Elara frowned at First Dad.

"That's enough!"

"Don't I spend every night with you?"

"Why are you always picking on him?"

First Dad's face flushed with anger. He pointed at Second Dad, speechless, before finally stamping his foot hard.

"Fine! I can't out-talk him. I'm going upstairs!"

He turned and hurried up the stairs.

Only then did Second Dad look pitifully at Elara.

"Sister, I'll go up too. I won't disturb you and your daughter."

Elara looked at Evelyn, catching the suppressed smile on her face.

She immediately put on a stern expression.

"What are you looking at?"

"If you lose too, this will be your life!"

"Everyone except the winner has to accept men sent every year, to continue the bloodline..."

"All these years, I've only been with your First Dad. No one else."

"Your Second Dad was sent last year. He looked pitiful, so I let him stay."

Evelyn: "..."

She didn't speak, but the meaning in her eyes made Elara extremely uncomfortable.

Elara snorted.

"His eyes are like a fawn's, clear and innocent."

"I just took him in on a whim. What's wrong with that?"

Evelyn tried hard to hold back her laughter.

"Nothing, nothing at all..."

Elara glanced at the clock on the wall.

"You must be hungry. I'll have someone prepare some food for you."

Before Evelyn could answer, she picked up the remote and turned on the TV.

"You're concerned about her, right? Take a look."

Evelyn turned to the screen.

The image that filled it was unmistakably Sophia!

She instantly held her breath.