Chapter 152

The realization hit Evelyn like a bolt of lightning.

She was certain now—the person Dominic was desperate to save must be the woman who still held his heart.

There was no way she could ever wish them happiness.

Evelyn started the car, the engine humming to life. She cranked up the air conditioning, letting the icy breeze fill the space, matching the chill in her chest.

She needed to distract herself.

Taking the kids out seemed like the perfect solution.

Since returning to Eldermere, she hadn’t spent a proper day with them.

"Where are we going, Mommy?"

Lily and Henry were already buckled into their car seats, well-behaved as always.

Unlike other children their age, they were far more composed, almost too mature for their years.

Evelyn hadn’t decided yet.

"How about the amusement park? There’s one shaped like a castle!" she suggested, forcing enthusiasm into her voice.

Lily sighed dramatically, her tiny nose wrinkling. "It’s too hot, Mommy. Can we go somewhere cooler?"

"A water park, then?"

Lily scrunched her face. "I don’t like swimming with strangers. It’s gross. Let’s just get ice cream!"

Evelyn nearly laughed.

Of course.

Lily was always thinking about food.

"Let’s just drive around, Mommy! We can find something nice to eat and go home after," Lily suggested, noticing her mother’s hesitation.

Henry, ever the quiet one, simply nodded. "Agreed."

That settled it.

Her children had social anxiety—crowded places were a hard pass.

Evelyn drove aimlessly through Ravenswood, letting the city blur past the windows.

Two hours slipped by unnoticed.

By half past four, she parked in the city center and led the kids into an upscale restaurant.

The place was quiet, the kind of expensive establishment that kept the crowds at bay.

She chose a table by the window.

Lily and Henry sat across from her, perfectly in sync.

They rarely fought, and when they did, Lily was always the first to apologize.

Evelyn skimmed the menu—each dish accompanied by a glossy photo—then handed it to the kids.

"Mommy, if I eat all my food, can I have ice cream after?" Lily bargained, eyes wide. "Henry wants some too."

"I don’t," Henry muttered.

Evelyn smiled. "Eat first, then we’ll see."

Lily beamed.

The night before, Julian had visited the Winslow family with his father to apologize.

Jennifer Winslow, moved by their sincerity, had given him another chance.

Now, Julian sat across from her at dinner, his charm dialed up to ten.

"I’m sorry about yesterday, Jennifer. Out of all the men in that restaurant, that little girl had to mistake me for her father. Just my luck, right?" He flashed a self-deprecating smile. "I couldn’t sleep last night, thinking about how I embarrassed you. But then I realized—maybe I used up all my good luck just meeting you."

Julian was undeniably handsome, his tailored suit accentuating his lean frame.

His smooth words made Jennifer laugh, her earlier annoyance fading.

He slid a velvet box across the table.

"This is for you. Not just a gift—my sincerity."