Chapter 128

Unrequited love was often described as an internal battlefield. At this moment, Evelyn Carter understood that sentiment all too well.

Her entire being ached for Liam Blackwood, yet fear and conflict held her captive. She couldn't bring herself to meet his gaze directly, yet her eyes stole countless glances at him from the shadows.

She knew another woman held his heart, and the knowledge was a blade twisting in her chest. She despised it, resented it—yet she couldn’t bring herself to walk away.

She had longed for his return, yet when he finally stood before her, she feigned indifference, as if her carefully constructed calm could dull the pain of loving someone who didn’t love her back.

The moment Liam stepped into the living room, Victoria Dawson rushed forward, her voice bright with excitement. "Liam!"

Caught off guard, he found himself trapped in her embrace. She clung to him, her arms tight around his waist, irritating him instantly.

His brow furrowed as he reached behind himself, prying her fingers loose. But Victoria only tightened her grip. "I missed you so much," she murmured.

"Liam, why didn’t you tell us you were coming home today?" Eleanor Blackwood smiled warmly at him.

Liam greeted the gathered family politely, each one beaming at him with affection.

His gaze darkened when he didn’t immediately spot Evelyn among them. A quick sweep of the room revealed her in the dining area, seated at the table, her head bowed as she quietly sipped her soup.

She treated his return with the indifference of a stranger.

All she had to do was lift her eyes, just slightly, and she would see him. But she refused.

Disappointment coiled in his chest, sharpening his irritation. He pushed Victoria away, but she persisted, standing on her toes to loop her arms around his neck, pressing herself against him.

Ryan Sullivan, who had followed Liam inside, yanked her back forcefully. "Ms. Dawson, please keep your distance. General Blackwood is injured!"

The room erupted in concern. Voices overlapped as everyone bombarded him with questions—where was he hurt? How serious was it?

Evelyn’s spoon froze mid-air. Her heart clenched. Instinctively, she lifted her head to look at him—

Only to see Victoria tearfully patting his chest, her voice trembling with worry. "Liam, where does it hurt? Is it bad?"

The sight was too much. Evelyn quickly averted her gaze, her throat tight.

But the moment she looked away, Liam’s eyes found her. All he saw was cold detachment.

Was she truly so unaffected, even now?

Amid the chaos, Liam barely registered who was speaking to him. "I'm fine," he said curtly.

"Would you like to join us for dinner?" Eleanor asked.

Liam exhaled faintly. "No. I need to rest."

Victoria immediately latched onto his arm. "Let me help you upstairs."

"That won’t be necessary." He brushed her off coldly and strode past them toward the staircase.

As he left, Victoria glanced back at Evelyn, still silently stirring her soup, and Liam’s icy dismissal. A smirk curled her lips.

Things between them had reached a breaking point.

Her act—the feigned depression, the suicidal threats, the careful manipulation—had worked perfectly.

Ryan followed Liam upstairs, stepping into the study first. The moment they entered, both men froze.

Ryan gaped. The room was a disaster—books and papers strewn everywhere, open volumes scattered across the desk, pages marked with frantic notes. It looked like the workspace of someone cramming for an exam.

Liam slowly walked over, flipping through one of the books. Psychology?

His frown deepened as he scanned the shelves. Many of these weren’t his. His gaze caught on the titles:

Best Ways to Handle Toxic People

The Key to Overcoming Nasty People

Foundations of Psychology

A smirk tugged at his lips.

Ryan cleared his throat. "General Blackwood, should I clean this up?"

"No." Liam didn’t want to disrupt whatever she was working on. "Let’s go to the bedroom."

But when they entered his room, they were met with another surprise.

The space was immaculate—except for the bed, which was buried under a mountain of unopened books.

Ryan finally understood why Evelyn was so sharp. She studied relentlessly.

They retreated to the balcony, where Liam briefed Ryan on their next steps. As they spoke, the bedroom door burst open.

Evelyn rushed in, oblivious to their presence.

She moved like a child caught misbehaving—flustered, hurriedly gathering the books from the bed and stacking them neatly on the shelf. She wiped her brow, scanned the room, then snatched a stray book from the armchair and shoved it into place.

After smoothing the bedding, she bolted out as quickly as she’d come.

She never noticed the two men watching her from the balcony.

Ryan chuckled. "Mrs. Blackwood’s in a hurry. Probably off to clean the study next. She’s adorable."

Liam shot him a glare so cold Ryan immediately straightened. "Apologies, General. That was out of line."

Liam leaned back in his chair, brooding.

Ryan had called Evelyn adorable.

Why did that bother him so much?