Chapter 151

"Your concern is unnecessary," Dominic stated coldly.

Bianca's face fell at the blunt dismissal. Without another word, she turned on her heel and exited.

The sudden ringing of a phone shattered the heavy silence of the penthouse.

When Evelyn's name flashed across his screen, Dominic felt an unexpected twitch in his jaw.

It was nearly midday.

He'd promised to meet her this morning.

The call from Bianca had made him completely forget about their scheduled meeting.

Dominic answered with measured calm. "My apologies. An urgent matter arose. I'll have my attorney handle the divorce paperwork."

There was a brief pause before Evelyn responded, her voice steady. "Very well. Since it's the weekend, have your lawyer contact me Monday."

"Agreed," Dominic replied.

The conversation should have ended there, yet Dominic found himself continuing. "I'll sell Thornfield Tower to you."

His thirst for vengeance against Evelyn had evaporated.

Now, his sole focus was Sophia's treatment.

Sophia was his twin sister, born with cognitive impairments.

Their father had been ruthless with his children.

The shame of having a disabled child was unacceptable - he couldn't risk the Blackwood name becoming society's joke.

Sophia's existence had been carefully concealed.

No one outside the family knew Dominic had a sister named Sophia.

Memories flooded Dominic's mind - his father's drunken rages, Sophia's terrified whimpers, the bruises hidden beneath long sleeves.

His sister had endured too much...

There had been that one night when she'd nearly died.

Only their mother's intervention had saved Sophia, spiriting her away to safety.

The guilt still gnawed at Dominic.

Sophia represented both his deepest pain and greatest concern.

He would move heaven and earth for her recovery.

He dreamed of the day she might experience life as others did.

With modern medical advances, Dominic had scoured the globe for specialists who might help his sister.

Zoe Montgomery's emergence had kindled a fragile hope.

Evelyn felt an odd hollowness in her chest.

For four years Dominic had refused to sign the papers. Now, when she'd finally secured his agreement, he couldn't even be bothered to meet in person.

Instead, he delegated to his lawyer.

It was difficult not to interpret this as some final act of pettiness. Yet he'd agreed to sell Thornfield Tower without negotiation or inflated price.

This wasn't revenge.

This was apathy.

Dominic had simply stopped caring.

Stepping from the café into the sweltering noon heat, Evelyn barely registered the temperature.

Her car's interior was an oven, yet she felt nothing as she slid inside.

She sat motionless, her mind curiously blank, as if every memory of Dominic had been systematically erased.

The shrill ring of her phone jolted her back to reality. Drawing a steadying breath, she answered.

"Wesley. What is it?"

"Evelyn, remember Zoe Montgomery?" Wesley's voice held barely contained amusement. "When Professor Whitmore chose you over her as his protégé, she never quite measured up."

Evelyn's cheeks warmed. "Why bring this up now? We barely knew each other."

"Well, Dominic Blackwood just consulted her. He believes she's the expert Professor Whitmore referenced."

Wesley's derisive chuckle carried clearly. "That woman couldn't diagnose a headache, let alone treat whatever case he's brought her."