CHAPTER 48: "I WON’T BOTHER YOU AGAIN"

Evelyn’s heart skipped.

She slipped on a cardigan, stepped into her slippers, and crept down the stairs.

She hesitated in the doorway before quietly stepping out into the cool night.

When she opened the front door, Alexander was standing on the porch.

He had no blazers, no tie and his shirt sleeves were rolled to his elbows. His hair was slightly messy as if he had run his hands through it too many times and his face looked wrecked.

He didn’t look angry or cold, he looked wounded.

Seeing him in such a state twisted something painfully inside Evelyn’s chest.

"Alexander," she began softly, "is everything—"

He cut her off, voice low and raw. "Don’t comfort me, Evelyn. I didn’t come here for that."

She froze.

He exhaled and his gaze dropped to the wooden porch for a moment before lifting back to her.

"I just need to ask you something," he said quietly. "And I need you to be honest."

There was no anger in his voice but only strained restraint.

"Okay," she whispered, her heart beating wildly with anticipation and anxiety.

A long beat passed.

"Earlier—" he started, "when I arrived and saw Jack holding your hand—" His jaw clenched and he paused before continuing, "You looked at him like you still cared."

Evelyn’s breath caught. She wasn’t sure where this was heading but she knew it wasn’t somewhere good.

Alexander stepped closer until she could smell the faint scent of alcohol fixed with his cologne.

"Tell me the truth," he said. "If I hadn’t come and if I hadn’t taken him away—" His voice cracked so quietly that she almost didn’t hear it. "Would you have given him a second chance?"

Evelyn’s heart slammed against her ribs.

She opened her mouth but nothing came out. Not because she didn’t know the answer but because the question itself hurt.

How would he even think like that? It seemed like he was accusing her or something that he had clearly assumed and that hurt as hell.

He looked at her silence and something inside him broke very quietly but completely.

He let out a low, humorless laugh. "That is all I needed to know."

"What—" Evelyn frowned.

At first, she didn’t understand what he was trying to imply and by the time she figured that it was some kind of stupid misunderstanding, she quickly jumped to explain herself.

But little did she know that it was too late.

"No— Alexander—" Evelyn stepped forward instinctively.

But he stepped back.

His expression was carefully blank now, the way he always hid pain.

"Thank you," he said softly. "For being honest."

"But I didn’t even—"

"You did," he whispered. "Silence is an answer, Evelyn."

Alexander had driven all the way to the Carter Mansion in the middle of the night because a part of him still believed what he saw wasn’t the truth.

But her prolonged silence to his question made him believe that she also wasn’t sure what she would have done.

And that uncertainty cut deeper than a rejection ever could.

He had come hoping she would say ’No, of course not’, hoping she would take one step toward him instead of away.

But instead, she stood there, quiet and wide-eyed and it felt like watching something he had wanted for years slip through his fingers again.

And just like that her silence became his answer , her hesitation became his wound and it was enough to make him turn away before she could see the disappointment settling in his eyes.

Her breath hitched. "You’re misunderstanding—"

"No," he said firmly but there was no anger, just resignation. "You owe me nothing, you never did." He swallowed hard, "If you want him and if you still feel something for him, I will respect that."

Her heart cracked

"Alexander—" she whispered, her voice trembling but he shook his head gently.

"I saw the way you looked at him today," he said quietly. "The concern, the softness and maybe you didn’t mean anything by it but it reminded me of a night years ago when I watched him take you away."

He let out a breath, rough and uneven. "I am not going to stand in the way again if that’s what you want.".

"I meant every word I said on that terrace," he continued. "But I am not here to trap you between old wounds and new feelings. Your silence today was hesitation and I understand."

A faint, pained smile tugged at his mouth."You deserve to choose freely," he murmured. "Even if the choice isn’t me."

Evelyn’s throat tightened so hard she could barely breathe. "I didn’t— I wasn’t—" she tried to speak but the words tangled inside her because his assumption had struck deeper than she expected.

He exhaled slowly, as if trying to steady himself.

"It’s all right," he said softly. "Really."

But it wasn’t. They both knew it wasn’t, especially not from the way his fingers curled beside him.

"I shouldn’t have come," he said. "This was a mistake."

He then turned to leave but Evelyn grabbed his wrist instinctively.

And he froze but he also didn’t turn back.

He couldn’t face her right now. He was too vulnerable at the moment.

Alexander didn’t say anything but she could feel the wall slamming back up around him, brick by brick.

"I thought for the first time in years that I had a chance." he whispered without looking at her. "But maybe it wasn’t meant to be."

Her grip loosened.

He finally pulled his hand free gently but decisively.

"I won’t bother you again."

"Alexander—" Her voice broke as tears streamed down her cheeks. She wanted to chase him but her legs felt glued to the ground.

Her stomach twisted as she saw him walk down the step and get into his car.

And just like that, for the first time they had been together since the scandal, he didn’t look back.

Soon his car disappeared down the street and Evelyn stood frozen on the porch with her breath trembling, chest aching and tears trailing down her cheeks..

Alexander had walked away believing she didn’t choose him.

And worst of all, she hadn’t done anything to stop him.

.....