Chapter 4

I turned and started upstairs. Seeing Julian act so subservient was almost painful to watch.

“Miss White, are you feeling better?” The woman’s soft, gentle voice floated up from below.

I stopped, glancing back reluctantly. “Much better.”

Before she could say more, Julian cut in. “She’s fine. Just a bump.”

I let out a cold laugh. “Julian, you didn’t even bother visiting me in the hospital. How exactly do you know I’m fine?”

His expression darkened. “Evelyn, stop making a fuss.”

“Making a fuss?” I laughed again, the bitterness seeping through. “I’m simply stating facts. Since when does that count as making a fuss? Or is it that in your eyes, any time I speak up for myself, it’s just me being dramatic?”

Disgust swelled in my chest, peaking at that moment.

I was certain now that over the past seven lost years, I must have been driven to rage countless times by Julian’s complete indifference and dismissive comments like “fussing,” “acting up,” or “being childish.”

No wonder I couldn’t keep my emotions in check. No wonder I broke down.

The woman below suddenly raised her head, looking at me with soft, apologetic eyes, and gave a polite bow.

I frowned. “What are you doing?”

She lowered her gaze again, her voice barely audible, tinged with feigned sorrow. “Miss White, I came to apologize. I know you must have seen my messages with Julian and misunderstood something.”

Her eyes glistened as she looked up again, tears pooling at the corners, making her appear heartbreakingly fragile.

That helpless, pitiable look could have made anyone’s heart ache.

I was just about to throw out a sharp retort when someone burst into the room, charging at me.

“You horrible woman, Evelyn!” the intruder shouted, shoving me hard. “If you want to jump and end your life, that’s on you! What does it have to do with Chloe? Why are you forcing her to apologize to you?”

The sudden push sent me stumbling backward.

Pain exploded in my lower back as I hit the ground, and my heels throbbed with an unbearable ache, as though they no longer belonged to me.

I heard my own voice, sharp and incredulous, "She’s Chloe Clarke?!"

For the first time, I turned my full attention to the woman everyone had been whispering about.

Chloe stepped forward as if to help me, but I caught an unmistakable flicker of smug satisfaction in her eyes.

I hadn’t imagined it.

Her voice was soft and apologetic. "Miss White, I’m so sorry. Are you hurt? Please don’t blame Pierse; he’s just a kid."

Pierse?

Only then did I glance at the boy who had shoved me so violently moments ago.

Pierse Moore.

I didn’t even need an introduction. His face carried enough of Julian’s features to make the connection obvious.

He was Julian’s younger brother.

Pierse glared at me with barely restrained rage, his wolfish eyes seething with the kind of hatred that said he wouldn’t hesitate to tear me apart if it meant protecting Chloe.

Clutching the banister for support, I painstakingly pulled myself upright, my body protesting with every movement.

Pierse immediately stepped in front of Chloe, shielding her with a stance that practically screamed, “Try anything, and you’ll have to go through me.”

I ignored him. Without a word, I began ascending the stairs, each step slow and deliberate.

The silence that followed was deafening.

Julian was likely bracing himself for me to unleash one of my infamous tirades—tears, shouting, and accusations flying in every direction. Chloe was probably waiting for me to point a finger at her and rain curses down on her head while she played the innocent victim.

And Pierse? He seemed prepared for me to throw a tantrum, dragging him into the fray with harsh words and wild, dramatic gestures.

They were all expecting a storm to break.

But it didn’t.

I reached the top of the stairs, and with a resounding thud, I slammed the door to my room shut behind me.

…

I had forgotten Julian, but I hadn’t forgotten Pierse.

After all, Pierse had been a classmate of my cousin, Ronnie Yates.

Before the age of eighteen, from what I could recall, Pierse used to call me "Eve" with the kind of warmth that felt genuine.

Back then, Pierse was just a frail, small boy with poor health. He’d been sent to one of the luxury retreats owned by the White family. I happened to spend a summer there with my grandmother and met him sitting alone in the garden.

"Hey there, little one. All by yourself?"

I remembered bringing him piles of snacks as I greeted him with a cheerful wave.

At first, Pierse was wary of me. But once he learned I was Ronnie’s cousin, the three of us quickly became inseparable that summer.

It was a happy time, one of those fleeting summers that passed too fast.

I had truly believed that Pierse saw me as his older sister. But the guarded, hostile look in his eyes earlier had been so unfamiliar, so distant.

His shove hadn’t been particularly hard, but somehow, it hurt more than it should have.

The same shy, lonely boy who once clung to me had just pushed her to the ground.

I caught a glimpse of my reflection and realized something was off.

Touching my face, I felt the wetness of tears streaming down.

I wiped them away slowly, methodically.

Damn it. Julian hadn’t made me cry, but somehow that little brat Pierse had.

I couldn’t stay in this house for another day.

Calming myself, I dried my tears and started packing my things.

…

Downstairs, in the small sitting room where I couldn’t see them, Chloe wore an apologetic expression.

“Julian, did I come at a bad time? Miss White seemed really upset just now. Maybe you should go and talk to her?”

Julian’s voice was low and indifferent. “Ignore her. She’s always like this. Give it some time, and she’ll calm down.”

A flicker of irritation crossed his face.

Pierse, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke up. “Chloe, maybe you shouldn’t come here alone anymore. Evelyn, she…”

He intended to say, “That crazy woman might hurt you,” but for some reason, the words stuck in his throat as he recalled the look Evelyn had given him before going upstairs—crushed, utterly disappointed.

Pierse shook his head, trying to rid himself of the unsettling memory.

Why did Evelyn seem so different from before?

All he’d wanted was to stop her from doing something insane and hurting Chloe. He hadn’t meant to shove her so hard. So why did she look at him like that?

He hadn’t done anything wrong!

With that thought firmly planted, Pierse steeled himself and blurted out, “Julian, why don’t you take Chloe back? I’ll stay here and keep an eye on that crazy woman.”

Chloe sighed, looking guilty. “Pierse, it’s so unfair to you. You’re so young, and yet you have to put up with her scolding. If there’s a chance, could you apologize to Miss White for me? We can’t let this misunderstanding deepen any further.”

Pierse’s eyes lit up with admiration. “Chloe, you’ve done nothing wrong. It’s all that crazy woman’s fault, trying to pin everything on you. Don’t worry, I’ll protect you, and so will my brother.”

A satisfied glimmer flickered in Chloe’s eyes as she gently patted Pierse’s head. “Thank you, Pierse. Take care. I’ll be leaving now.”

She turned to Julian, her voice soft and tender. “Julian, you don’t have to see me out. I can manage on my own. The hotel may be a bit out of the way, but I’ll be fine.”

Her gaze shifted upstairs, looking concerned. “Julian, you should go talk to Miss White. If she hadn’t redirected the White family’s funds to help you, your company wouldn’t have gotten through that crisis so easily. It’s only natural for her to act spoiled now. You should cut her some slack.”

Julian’s expression darkened immediately. “The White family’s funds weren’t what saved the company. Without my efforts and those of my team, no amount of money would have helped.

“And don’t bring this up again. If Evelyn thinks she can use that to make me grovel for the rest of my life, she’s dreaming.”

With that, he grabbed his car keys and wrapped an arm around Chloe. “Let’s go. It’s not safe for a woman to walk alone at night. I’ll take you back.”

Pierse chimed in supportively, “Chloe, it’s late. You should head back quickly.”