Chapter 167
"Grandpa, did you miss us?" Daisy grinned, her bright eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Every single day," Mr. Goldmann Sr. replied, tapping her nose affectionately. His gaze softened as he looked at the three children before him, warmth radiating from his expression.
For Caleb, it was his first time stepping into the grand estate. His eyes widened as he took in the opulent surroundings. "Grandpa, your house is amazing!"
Mr. Goldmann Sr. chuckled deeply. "This is your home now too, my boy."
A maid escorted Evelyn to her room—a spacious, elegantly decorated space with floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked a breathtaking view. Beyond the glass, a serene man-made pond shimmered under the sunlight, framed by lush woods.
Her phone buzzed. Richard's name flashed on the screen.
She hesitated before answering, stepping closer to the window. "Dad?"
"Evelyn, I was going through some of your mother's belongings recently. I thought you might want to have them. Come by whenever you're free."
Mom’s things?
She had always assumed he'd discarded everything after her passing.
Evelyn pressed her lips together, her voice tight. "Okay."
The call ended, and she clutched the phone to her chest, lost in thought. When she turned to leave, she froze.
Nathan stood in the courtyard below, engaged in conversation with a woman.
Who was that?
The woman—short-haired, confident—laughed at something he said, and to Evelyn's surprise, Nathan actually smiled back.
Unlike his usual cold demeanor, he looked... relaxed.
A sharp pang twisted in her chest.
She shouldn’t have believed him when he said there was no one else.
The woman suddenly looked up, spotting Evelyn in the window. She waved cheerfully.
Panicked, Evelyn ducked away before Nathan could follow her gaze.
But he had already seen her.
His lips thinned.
"Mr. Goldmann Sr. wasn’t kidding—you really did bring your lover home!" The woman grinned, nudging Nathan playfully.
"Chloe Lawson," Nathan warned.
Oliver rushed over, pulling his sister back. "Don’t push your luck. If Evelyn gets mad, I’m not saving you."
Chloe rolled her eyes. "Relax, it’s just how we are in the military. No big deal."
Oliver groaned. His sister had spent too much time surrounded by men—she had no sense of boundaries. If she ever got married, her poor husband would probably just become another one of her "buddies."
But Evelyn wasn’t like that.
When they turned back, Nathan was already gone.
Evelyn wandered downstairs, pausing outside the study. Inside, the children’s laughter echoed as Mr. Goldmann Sr. entertained them with a story.
Her heart ached.
They loved the Goldmanns. And Mr. Goldmann Sr. adored them.
If she left after the year was up... it would break their hearts.
But staying meant accepting Nathan—and after what she just saw, could she really trust him?
Lost in thought, she turned—and collided with a solid chest.
Nathan.
Dressed in a simple knitted sweater, he still managed to look effortlessly striking.
No wonder women flocked to him everywhere.
"You saw?" he asked, his voice low.
"Saw what?" she countered, then realized what he meant.
Did he know she’d seen him with that woman?