Chapter 4: The Father of My Child Is Victor

After the meal, Quentin inquired about Evelyn's plans, "We can reclaim the house, but it will take a couple of days. Do you have a place to stay until then?"

The question struck a chord with Evelyn's current predicament. Of course, without the house, she had nowhere to go. Her closest relative had been her grandmother, now deceased, and any distant family ties had long since been severed over the past twenty-five years. Friends? Evelyn’s social connections had dwindled to none since her illness struck shortly after starting at the film academy. The only constant had been her boyfriend, Lucas. The thought made Evelyn's brow furrow slightly: “I don't have accommodations, so I was planning to rent a place to stay until I can reclaim my house."

Quentin nodded, tentatively broaching the subject of finances—a delicate matter given their newfound relationship and her likely unfamiliarity with current economic standards, “Mother, do you have sufficient funds to cover your expenses?”

Evelyn hastened to assure him, “Money? I have some saved up. It should be enough for rent."

She was still reeling from being swindled out of a hundred and twenty by a taxi driver, but with eight hundred and eighty left, it should suffice for temporary housing and a bit of living expenses.

As the bill arrived, Evelyn insisted, "Let me take care of this meal. As the elder here, it's only right—"

Mid-sentence, she stopped dead. Her eyes widened as she scanned the bill. The amount was staggering; merely a meal yet so costly? Her eight hundred and eighty dollars were nowhere near enough!

Quentin pulled out a credit card, “Mother, I insist on paying.”

Grateful yet reeling from the restaurant's exorbitant pricing, Evelyn exited the establishment feeling as though she was floating.

Back in the luxury of the Rolls-Royce, she lamented the untrustworthiness of the times to Quentin, who seemed taken aback by her account of being overcharged.

Using his smartphone, Quentin showed her the current rental prices – astronomical figures Evelyn could scarcely comprehend. "So expensive?!", she gasped, her disbelief growing as Quentin explained the economic changes over the last twenty-five years.

Shocked by the financial reality, Evelyn finally grasped the normalcy of her expensive cab ride. Her eight hundred and eighty was meager by today's standards, barely enough for a night in a hotel.

Realizing her dire situation, she tentatively considered asking Quentin for a loan. Just as she was about to voice her plan, Quentin cut in, "You'll stay with me for now."

Despite her reluctance to impose, Evelyn conceded, "Okay, I'll stay with you temporarily, until I sort out my own place."

Upon arriving at Quentin's lavish villa, Evelyn was struck by the opulence and found herself asking, "Quentin, are you wealthy?"

"Fairly," he replied.

"Are you a company CEO?"

"Yes, of AK."

"Ak branches?", she inquired, surprised.

"The AK Group headquarters," Quentin clarified.

Evelyn's mind raced. AK? The Victor? Her son's father?

As Quentin confirmed that his father was indeed Victor, the same Victor who was a business legend from Evelyn's time, she nearly stumbled in shock. Her son was the offspring of the formidable Victor, a man she'd once admired from afar, never imagining their lives would intertwine in such an incredible way.

Now, faced with the reality of a world vastly changed, Evelyn's head spun: "Waking up to this, I..."

What had the world come to?