Chapter 463

The clock struck 2:00 am, casting an eerie glow from the second-floor window of Blackwood Manor.

Evelyn perched on the edge of the bed, studying Liam's intoxicated form with quiet intensity.

Even in drunken slumber, his chiseled features remained striking - those piercing eyes now closed, the strong jawline softened only slightly by alcohol.

She'd begged Benjamin to get him drunk, knowing this might be her last chance before returning to Solterra tomorrow.

A cold dread settled in Evelyn's stomach as she contemplated her dangerous mission. Would she even survive to see him again?

The thought of becoming strangers with Liam terrified her more than any battlefield.

Tears spilled silently down her cheeks as she reached out to trace his jawline.

Three hours she'd sat here, memorizing every contour of his face.

Yet now that the moment had come, hesitation gripped her.

What if she did conceive his child and never returned?

Would he despise her forever?

Brushing away tears, she leaned close to whisper, "Liam, wake up for me?"

When he stirred slightly at her breath against his ear, she pressed her lips to his in desperation.

Liam's eyelids fluttered open, revealing hazy green eyes that struggled to focus. His arms instinctively pulled her closer, returning the kiss with sleepy passion.

Evelyn climbed atop him, their bodies molding together as the kiss deepened.

To Liam's alcohol-fogged mind, this felt like another torturous dream of the woman he loved. Yet the warmth of her skin felt too real to be imagined.

With sudden clarity, he flipped their positions, pinning her beneath him. "How did you get here?" he rasped, voice thick with sleep and liquor.

Evelyn's heart shattered at the question. Another failure.

"Nate," her voice broke, "I leave tomorrow. Is there truly no future for us?"

A bitter smile twisted his lips, eyes glistening. "Cassandra, how pathetic is this? Repeatedly seducing a man you don't love, then speaking of futures? Your future has nothing to do with love, does it?"

As sobriety returned to Liam's gaze, Evelyn's panic grew. "Don't you love me anymore?" she pleaded.

His voice turned glacial. "I'm not some lapdog content with scraps. I want real love, not whatever this is while your heart belongs elsewhere."

Tears choked her as she whispered, "But I do love you, Liam. Truly."

His body tensed momentarily before he scoffed. "So low you'd sink to trap me with a child? Do you think your lies still fool me?"

"What must I do to prove myself?" she cried.

"Stay in Aldenria. Marry me. Build a life here. Promise never to betray me. Can you?" His challenge hung between them.

Evelyn's silence answered for her.

Liam recoiled as if burned, retreating to the foot of the bed. He pressed palms to his temples, silent tears betraying his anguish.

In that moment, Evelyn felt herself unraveling. No matter how she tried, Liam always resisted.

Was it strength of will...or simply that he no longer wanted her?