Chapter 350

Evelyn stood frozen, her vision swimming with unshed tears. A crushing weight pressed against her chest as the realization struck her.

Liam had known everything from the beginning.

Finding her had been Harrison Pierce's direct order, yet he'd played along with her charade, pretending not to recognize her true identity.

With a choked sob, Evelyn threw herself against Liam's chest, burying her face in the crisp fabric of his uniform. Her fingers clutched desperately at his waist.

"I'm so sorry, Liam."

She felt his strong arms encircle her as he rested his chin atop her head. His voice came out rough with emotion. "Tell me this isn't because your feelings have changed. Tell me you had no choice."

Evelyn's body shook with violent sobs that stole her breath. No words could form past the lump in her throat. Time lost meaning as she melted into his embrace, drawing comfort from his familiar cedar scent.

For the first time, she understood what true belonging felt like. The safety of his arms became her entire world, and the thought of leaving them sent panic coursing through her veins.

"General Blackwood, we're running out of time." Ryan Sullivan's urgent voice shattered the moment.

Before Evelyn could react, Liam had already stepped back. He turned away without a word or backward glance. Though his posture remained rigid with military precision, she caught the glimmer of moisture in his steel-gray eyes.

The car ride back to Wright Manor passed in a haze. Evelyn leaned against the window, her swollen eyes burning. She kept them shut tight, willing the world to disappear.

Rosalind Baskins, ever perceptive, maintained a respectful silence throughout the journey.

Upon arrival, Evelyn immediately noticed the shift in atmosphere. Winston and the household staff moved with new deference, their eyes filled with awe and curiosity.

Word of her true identity had clearly spread through the manor like wildfire.

While most of the household had accepted her as a Wright, Margaret Hoffis remained locked in her chambers, refusing all meals and visitors for an entire day.

When Margaret finally emerged, she maintained her icy distance, avoiding Evelyn at every turn. The rejection cut deeper than Evelyn cared to admit. She couldn't comprehend her grandmother's continued attachment to the imposter.

At lunch the next day, Evelyn pushed food around her plate while Archibald studied her with kind eyes.

"Something troubling you, my dear?"

Evelyn sighed, resting her chin in her palm. "Grandfather, it's been three days. Why won't Grandmother even look at me?"

Archibald's smile held centuries of wisdom. "Shall I arrange a DNA test to convince her?"

"No, that's not necessary."

"But she—"

"Knows the truth," Archibald interrupted gently. "She simply refuses to acknowledge it."

Evelyn set down her fork with a clatter. "I don't understand."

Dabbing his mouth with a linen napkin, Archibald leaned back. "The depth of her love for you makes the deception unbearable. Accepting you means admitting she was fooled by an imposter."

"That doesn't make sense," Evelyn protested.

"You've always been the rational one, my dear. Your grandmother... she operates from the heart. Sometimes to the point of irrationality."

"I never treated her poorly," Evelyn said defensively.

Archibald chuckled. "Not intentionally, perhaps. But you were always impatient with her emotional displays."

Evelyn opened her mouth to argue but stopped. Fragmented memories surfaced—of an insistent grandmother bearing trays of sweets, only to be dismissed with an absentminded wave.

"Your grandmother would bring you treats while you studied," Archibald continued. "You'd shoo her away, claiming she disrupted your concentration."

His expression turned wistful. "Eventually, you even posted a sign: 'Grandmother—Do Not Disturb.'"

The revelation struck Evelyn like a physical blow. She'd been so focused on her work, so determined to prove herself, that she'd pushed away the very people who loved her most.