Chapter 39

The tension in the room was palpable as Evelyn Carter clutched the medical report in her trembling hands. The sterile hospital lights cast harsh shadows across Liam Blackwood's chiseled features as he stood motionless by the window.

Outside, the storm mirrored the turmoil in Evelyn's heart. Rain lashed against the glass like thousands of tiny needles.

"I don't understand," Evelyn whispered, her voice barely audible over the howling wind. The document confirmed what she'd feared most - the memory loss wasn't accidental.

Liam turned slowly, his military posture rigid. "We've been over this. The car crash-"

"Was no accident," Evelyn interrupted, her green eyes flashing with rare defiance. She thrust the papers toward him. "These test results prove it."

A muscle twitched in Liam's jaw. The man who commanded armies now stood unnervingly still.

Victoria Dawson chose that moment to sweep into the room, her designer heels clicking against the linoleum. "Really, Evelyn? More conspiracy theories?" Her saccharine smile didn't reach her cold blue eyes.

Evelyn's grip tightened on the papers. "Stay out of this, Victoria."

Liam finally moved, placing himself between the two women. "That's enough."

The heart monitor attached to Donovan Blackwood's unconscious form beeped steadily in the background, a grim reminder of why they were all there.

Ryan Sullivan burst through the door, his uniform damp from the storm. "Sir, we've got a situation at Wright Manor."

Evelyn's breath caught. Her ancestral home held more secrets than anyone realized.

Liam's phone buzzed with an encrypted message. His expression darkened as he read it. "It's Julian. He's made his move."

The pieces suddenly clicked into place for Evelyn. Her uncle's sudden interest in her recovery, the mysterious break-ins at her studio, the coded messages she'd found in her old sketchbooks.

"I have to go back," Evelyn said with sudden certainty.

Victoria scoffed. "To that crumbling estate? Don't be ridiculous."

Liam's gaze locked with Evelyn's. In that moment, an unspoken understanding passed between them. He nodded once. "We'll leave in twenty minutes."

As Ryan hurried out to prepare the vehicles, Evelyn glanced at the unconscious Donovan. Her fingers brushed against the silver locket around her neck - the one containing the only photo of her real parents.

The storm outside intensified, rattling the windows. Somewhere in the distance, thunder rolled like approaching footsteps.

Evelyn didn't know what awaited them at Wright Manor. But one thing was certain - the answers to her past, and the key to Donovan's poisoning, lay hidden within those walls.

And Julian Whitmore would stop at nothing to get there first.

Ryan arrived outside Evelyn's apartment building precisely at 5:00 pm. His eyebrows lifted in surprise when she emerged.

She wasn't wearing the designer gown Liam had selected for her. Instead, a simple sky-blue sundress hugged her frame. The only adornment was a matching ribbon pulling her chestnut hair into a casual ponytail.

The minimal makeup accentuating Evelyn's features, combined with the understated elegance of her outfit, gave her an ethereal, girl-next-door charm.

"Mrs. Blackwood, you..." Ryan's voice trailed off as he caught himself. Something in her guarded expression warned against commenting on her appearance.

Evelyn offered a tight-lipped smile before sliding into silence, her mood visibly subdued.

Noticing her empty hands, Ryan chose his words carefully. "Did you forget anything inside?"

"No," came her clipped reply.

With a quiet nod, Ryan held open the car door. The drive to Blackwood Manor passed in weighted silence.

Dozens of security personnel lined the estate's perimeter. A parade of luxury vehicles streamed through wrought-iron gates, each depositing glittering guests at the grand entrance.

The head butler greeted arrivals while Blackwood family members circulated inside. By the time they arrived, twilight had surrendered to velvet darkness.

Blackwood Manor blazed with light, the hum of conversation and laughter spilling from every window.

The guest list comprised Aldenria's elite - politicians, business magnates, and society royalty. None noticed Evelyn's arrival, nor cared to acknowledge her presence.

The ballroom pulsed with energy. Crystal glasses clinked in endless toasts to Margaret. A pianist's melody floated above the din.

Evelyn claimed an isolated corner table, nursing a water with lemon. She'd deliver her obligatory birthday wishes, then escape this gilded cage.

"Well, well. The charity case actually showed up."

The venomous voice made Evelyn's shoulders tense. She turned to face Victoria Dawson, resplendent in couture and diamonds that made Evelyn's simple dress look like a hand-me-down.

Evelyn returned her attention to the pianist, letting the music drown out Victoria's presence.

"Did you raid a homeless shelter for that tragic outfit? Even the catering staff dresses better."

Evelyn's fingers tightened around her glass. "Some people's ugliness shines through, no matter how much they spend covering it up."

Victoria's flawless complexion mottled with rage. "You little-"

"Victoria, darling!" Eleanor Blackwood's cultured voice interrupted as she glided over. Instantly, Victoria's expression sweetened. "Eleanor! Just catching up with Evelyn."

Eleanor's polite mask faltered momentarily when she noticed Evelyn's attire, but quickly recovered. Evelyn stood immediately. "Good evening, Eleanor."

"Evelyn." Eleanor's nod held restrained warmth. Though she disapproved of how Evelyn had trapped Liam into marriage, she maintained impeccable manners. "Do help yourself to the buffet. Margaret will make her entrance shortly."

"Thank you," Evelyn murmured.

Eleanor's demeanor transformed as she turned to Victoria. "Cassandra and Penelope are looking for you, dear. They've found something you simply must see."