Chapter 174

Lucas grabbed Dominic's arm, pulling him toward the emergency exit.

"Dominic, it's clear you still have feelings for Evelyn. Why do you keep acting this way? This—Sophia. No matter how stunning she is, do you really think she compares to Evelyn?" Lucas wanted to shake some sense into him.

"No one means more to me than Sophia!" Dominic snapped, his voice sharp.

"Did Evelyn divorce you because of this?" Lucas pressed.

"Yes!"

"Then she isn’t the one at fault! What right do you have to be upset? You’re the one who let her down!" Lucas rarely spoke to him with such intensity. "As your friend, I won’t judge who you choose to love. I just want you to—"

"Then like Evelyn, you should leave too!" Dominic cut him off. "I don’t need outsiders interfering in my personal life!"

He used the word outsiders.

Lucas exhaled heavily.

Fine.

If Dominic wanted to be this stubborn, he’d regret it sooner or later.

Evelyn was single now, but that didn’t mean she’d stay that way forever.

Hopefully, Dominic could keep living without regrets when she married someone else.

When Evelyn returned home, it was already past ten.

She quietly opened the door to the children’s room, and Lily immediately lifted her head. "Sweetheart, why aren’t you asleep yet?" Evelyn walked over and gently stroked her daughter’s hair.

"Mom! Henry and I were playing with drones today! It was so much fun!" Lily chirped excitedly. "Uncle Mike sent them."

"I saw them. But it’s late, darling. Time for bed."

Lily pouted adorably. "I was waiting for you to come home and kiss me goodnight."

Evelyn leaned down and pressed a kiss to her daughter’s cheek. "Goodnight, my love."

"Mom, you’ve been drinking!" Lily’s small hand brushed against her mother’s face.

Evelyn sighed, pulling back. "I’m sorry, baby. I forgot. Let me get a towel to wipe it off."

Lily giggled. "It’s okay! You still smell nice!"

Warmth flooded Evelyn’s heart.

She hurried to the bathroom, dampened a towel, and gently cleaned her daughter’s cheek.

Once Lily was asleep, she slipped out of the room.

Back in her bedroom, she called Mike.

"Finally! I’ve been waiting for your call. What took you so long?" Mike’s voice was playful but impatient.

"I had a lot to handle today. Just got home." Evelyn switched to speakerphone and tossed her phone onto the bed as she grabbed her pajamas. "Are those drones you sent over part of your new prototype?"

"Absolutely! They’re incredible! The battery life is insane, and the sensors? Next-level. Honestly, they’re practically robots!" Mike’s excitement was palpable. "Once they hit the market in Eldermere, they’ll dominate!"

Evelyn frowned slightly. "The team at my company isn’t fully set up yet. I’ll get it done as soon as I can."

"I know you’ve been busy with the divorce lately."

"It’s done. Also—have you been teaching Henry how to hack? I’ve seen him on my computer during his free time. Don’t fill his head with anything dangerous."

"He’s interested! And I didn’t charge you for lessons, so don’t complain."

"Let’s drop it. I’m exhausted." Evelyn ended the call and headed to the bathroom with her pajamas.

At one in the morning, Dominic was still at the hospital.

He’d finally gotten his hands on yesterday’s surveillance footage.

Maintenance had just been an excuse to deny him access.

He scrolled through the footage, determined to find out who had brought Sophia to the hospital.

Even if they refused the reward, he wanted to know their name.

If they ever needed help, he’d be there.

By three, his eyes burned with fatigue.

His coffee cup sat empty.

Only an hour of footage remained.

He’d rest after finishing it.

Rubbing his temples, he refocused on the screen—

And froze.

A familiar figure appeared.

Amid the crowd entering and exiting the hospital, he recognized Evelyn instantly.