Chapter 232

Evelyn reached the Blackwood estate thirty minutes later.

Her heels clicked against the marble floor as she hurried through the grand foyer. The usually bustling mansion felt eerily quiet.

"Lily?" she called out, her voice echoing through the empty living room.

A high-pitched squeal answered her. "Mommy! Help! The monster wants to spank me!"

Evelyn's heart leapt into her throat as she followed the sound into the formal dining room.

There, crouched beneath the massive oak table, was her four-year-old daughter. Lily's golden curls were tangled, her cheeks streaked with tears.

The moment Lily spotted her mother, she scrambled out from her hiding place. "He was gonna get me!" she wailed, throwing herself into Evelyn's arms. "I ran fast but he's big and scary like a giant!"

Evelyn smoothed her daughter's hair, exchanging a glance with Mrs. Wilkins who stood nearby looking helpless. "Sweetheart, no one's going to hurt you," she murmured.

Dominic's deep voice cut through the moment. "Actually, I was considering it."

Evelyn's head snapped up. Dominic leaned against the doorway, his gray silk robe slightly disheveled. A fresh bite mark stood out angrily on his neck.

"Lily Thorne," Evelyn gasped, pulling back to examine her daughter. "Did you do this?"

Dominic's stormy expression darkened further. "She drew blood. Like her brother before her."

Evelyn's stomach twisted. Last time, Henry had bitten Dominic when he'd taken the boy without permission. But this? Lily had come here willingly.

The little girl sniffled dramatically. "He picked me up! I told him no but he didn't listen!" Her lower lip trembled. "Hayden says we don't let strangers touch us."

Evelyn sighed. "Biting isn't how we solve problems, baby. You need to apologize."

"Never!" Lily crossed her arms, her tiny face set in stubborn defiance. "Henry will think I'm a traitor!"

Dominic's jaw tightened. "Evelyn. A word. Now."

Handing Lily to Mrs. Wilkins, Evelyn followed Dominic into the study. The moment the door closed, he turned on her.

"What exactly are you teaching those children?" His voice was dangerously quiet. "The hatred they have for me—is that your doing?"

Evelyn shook her head. "I've never said anything negative about you to them."

"Then it's Lucas," Dominic concluded bitterly. His fingers brushed the bite mark. "First your son, now your daughter. Should I expect you to take a chunk out of me next?"

Heat flooded Evelyn's cheeks. "Let me get the medical kit."

When she returned, Dominic had settled onto the leather sofa. As she approached, the open collar of his robe revealed the strong column of his throat, the sharp angle of his collarbone. Her fingers trembled slightly as she cleaned the wound.

"Did you... come to my birthday party last night?" she asked, desperate to fill the tense silence.

Dominic's dark eyes flashed. "I wasn't invited."

Evelyn froze. "Oh. I suppose Lucas thought since we're divorced—"

"You didn't see the guest list?" His accusation hung between them. "I only learned about the celebration yesterday. An entire gala thrown in your honor, and I was excluded."

The bitterness in his voice made her stomach clench. She focused on applying antiseptic, avoiding his piercing gaze. The air between them crackled with unspoken words, the weight of their fractured past pressing down like a physical presence.