Chapter 493

Evelyn let out a soft laugh at Rosalind's mention of "second marriage." After exchanging a few more words, their phone call came to an end.

She leaned closer to Liam, her breath warm against his ear. "Do you really like holding my hands that much?"

Liam turned his head, his lips brushing her cheek as he murmured, "More than you can imagine."

Evelyn pulled her hands away with a playful huff. "They're just ordinary hands. You have a perfectly good pair yourself."

"Yours are different," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.

Suddenly, he cradled her face and captured her lips. When she gasped in surprise, he took advantage to deepen the kiss. Panic flared through her as she pushed against his chest, creating the barest inch of separation.

"Liam, you—"

"Don't move," he commanded, his voice leaving no room for argument.

She froze instantly. In one smooth motion, he lifted her onto his lap, one arm securing her waist while his other hand tangled in her hair. The kiss that followed was desperate, hungry—as if he was making up for every moment they'd spent apart.

His mouth moved with fierce passion, yet his hands remained restrained, carefully avoiding any inappropriate contact. Evelyn could feel the tension in his muscles, the deliberate control he exerted over himself.

She'd noticed this about Liam before—his incredible self-restraint. There had been times she'd wondered if he might be... incapable. Her pregnancy had proven otherwise. The man was more than capable—and frighteningly determined.

Throughout her pregnancy, Liam had been the picture of restraint. They shared a bedroom but slept in separate beds. His idea of a honeymoon was simply being together—reading side by side, taking leisurely walks while holding hands, or sitting in comfortable silence as they watched the sunset.

He'd taken over all the cooking, meticulously planning nutritious meals while banning anything remotely unhealthy. He'd delegated his military duties to his subordinates, silenced his phone, and ignored all but the most urgent matters. To Liam, nothing in the world mattered more than Evelyn and their unborn child.

The winter morning sunlight filtered through the bare branches outside, casting dancing patterns across the living room floor. One particularly bright beam illuminated Evelyn's face as she reclined by the window, basking in the peaceful morning.

The tranquility shattered when the front door burst open with a crash. Evelyn turned sharply to see Victoria Hudson standing in the doorway, her chest heaving with exertion, her expression twisted in fury.

Victoria's wild eyes locked onto Evelyn. "Cassandra? What are you doing here? Where's Liam?"

Evelyn rose slowly from the chair, her protective instincts flaring as she assessed the threat. Despite being Liam's legal wife, she couldn't shake the feeling of being an intruder in this moment.

With one hand instinctively covering her stomach, Evelyn edged closer to the window. "He's... making breakfast in the kitchen."

Victoria let out a derisive snort. "You have the Supreme Commander of Aldenria's armed forces making you breakfast? Are you insane? Do you have any idea how valuable his time is? You—"

Evelyn swallowed hard, her pulse quickening as Victoria took an aggressive step forward. Just as she was about to respond, Liam appeared in the doorway, a plate of food in hand.

His voice cut through the tension like a blade. "I'm making breakfast for my wife. It's the most natural thing in the world. Why should my military rank have anything to do with it?"