Chapter 30

Evelyn's hands shook with barely contained fury. She turned to Liam, her knuckles white from clenching. "She's lying, isn't she, Liam?"

Liam's shoulders slumped in defeat. "She's Victoria, Grandma."

Margaret's face crumpled. Tears welled in her eyes as she grasped Evelyn's hand with trembling fingers. "Sweetheart, tell me they're joking. You're my granddaughter."

Evelyn's heart ached. She'd known this moment would come, but the pain still took her breath away.

She'd accepted Margaret's affection unknowingly, never realizing she'd been mistaken for someone else.

Now the truth was out, she couldn't keep pretending. She didn't deserve to remain as Liam's wife.

The thought of losing Margaret's love felt like a knife twisting in her chest, but she forced herself to continue. "Grandmother, I thought you called me Chubs because of my round face. I never knew you meant someone else."

Tears streamed down Margaret's wrinkled cheeks. "I didn't mistake you, child! You are Chubs! Don't you remember? You were plump as a child. Liam gave you that nickname."

Her voice broke. "You were his whole world. He adored you, but you were too young to understand why."

"When you left for boarding school and stopped writing, Liam was inconsolable. He waited years for you. Begged me to arrange your marriage when you returned. Said he couldn't live without you."

"I fought so hard to bring you two together. And now you're telling me I got it wrong?" Margaret's frail body shook with sobs.

Evelyn's vision blurred. The pain in her chest burned hotter than ever. Their love story was beautiful - the kind of devotion she'd never experience, because she wasn't Victoria.

Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I'm so sorry, Grandmother. I truly didn't know. I kept telling you my name was Evelyn, not Victoria."

"I don't care about names!" Margaret cried. "You're still my Chubs! Maybe you're thinner now, more beautiful, but I know your heart. You lived with me for three years. I can't be wrong."

Victoria panicked, fumbling for her phone. "Grandmother, you're confused. Look, I have proof - photos with my parents abroad. And my uncle Julian, you know him. We took pictures every year until... until the accident."

Her voice cracked. "I stayed with Uncle Julian for two years after that. Only returned recently. He can confirm everything. I even visited you once, but you didn't recognize me."