Chapter 484

The steaming mug trembled slightly in Liam's grip. He wasn't just warming the milk - he was steadying his own racing pulse. Evelyn's unexpected arrival had shaken him to the core.

Evelyn settled onto the couch, unwinding her cashmere scarf with deliberate slowness. Her gloves joined the scarf on the armrest as her gaze swept across the familiar space.

Blackwood Manor remained unchanged - all clean lines and minimalist elegance. The military precision of the decor mirrored Liam's disciplined nature perfectly.

Liam approached with the steaming beverage, his knuckles whitening around the ceramic. Evelyn's chilled fingers brushed his as she accepted the offering. "Thank you," she murmured.

Her touch felt like ice against his skin. Despite her thick winter coat, she radiated coldness that went beyond temperature.

He took the opposing armchair, studying her with guarded intensity. Evelyn shifted under his scrutiny, raising the mug to her lips for a distracting sip.

Silence stretched between them, thick with unspoken words.

Evelyn's grip tightened around the mug as she met his steady gaze. "The entire capital's buzzing with rumors. Even Ryan knows. Why haven't you asked me about it?"

Bitterness coated Liam's tongue. "What exactly would you have me ask?" His voice came out rougher than intended.

Guilt made Evelyn's shoulders slump.

"The mother of my child should be the one telling me I'm going to be a father," Liam continued, watching her flinch.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

The apology stung his eyes, but he blinked the moisture away. "You kept this from me because you didn't want my involvement. Why should I force myself where I'm not wanted?"

"People are saying...the baby isn't yours." The words tasted like ash in her mouth.

"I never questioned that."

Warmth flooded Evelyn's chest, followed immediately by crushing guilt. Her heart ached for Liam even as anger simmered beneath her ribs. Why couldn't he see Victoria Hudson for what she was?

Even during her amnesia, she'd endured the exhausting dance between husband and admirer. The constant suspicion, the gnawing fear - it had nearly broken her.

The memories still burned fresh. Just thinking about that time made her chest constrict.

Another sip of milk steadied her nerves. "The baby's over six months along," she finally said. "My condition is why Solterra released me, not because I betrayed them."

Liam's hands curled into fists. "Are you denying me fatherhood?" His voice cracked.

"You already are the father."

"A title means nothing without your consent," he said bitterly.

Evelyn exhaled slowly. "Victoria miscalculated. She assumed four months because of how I'm carrying."

"Why mention her? She's irrelevant to this."

"She loves you desperately. I kept silent to protect our child from her obsession."

"Victoria would never harm a child." Liam's brow furrowed.

His defense snapped Evelyn back to reality, evaporating her guilt. She drew a measured breath. "Fine. I let paranoia cloud my judgment. I wronged her."

"You came to tell me the baby's mine but I have no rights, didn't you?" The pain in his voice was palpable.

Evelyn shook her head, her heart heavy. Though they spoke calmly, she saw the glimmer in his eyes. The man was shattered but holding himself together through sheer willpower.

"I planned to tell you after the birth," she admitted. Setting the mug down, she squared her shoulders. "Since the secret's out...let's get married, Liam."