Chapter 475

Evelyn gasped, her breath catching in her throat. She lifted her gaze to meet the man standing before her. His features were sharp, his face clean-shaven, and his piercing blue eyes held an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine.

He carried himself with the same regal air as Edmund, though he appeared to be around the same age.

Dressed in a tailored dark gray pinstripe suit, he wore a peacock blue silk tie secured with an elegant serpent-shaped tie clip.

The man crouched down, extending a hand to help her up. His fingers were warm against hers as he steadied her. He studied her face for a long moment before a slow, knowing smile curved his lips.

"You really are her daughter," he murmured. "The resemblance is uncanny."

Evelyn frowned. "Who are you?"

His smile faded slightly. "Did Edmund never mention me?" He guided her back to the bed, his movements deliberate. When she didn’t answer, he exhaled. "I suppose he wouldn’t have."

He pulled a chair closer and sat, crossing one leg over the other. Resting his hands on his knee, he regarded her with an unreadable expression. "These days, I go by Henry. Edmund is one of my most trusted men in Metropolis. I assigned him to protect your mother."

His gaze flickered to the Ouroboros ring still glinting on her finger. He pointed at it. "Edmund gave you that, didn’t he? And I assume he’s the one who trained you in self-defense?"

Evelyn’s fingers instinctively curled around the ring.

Uncle Edmund works for this man? If he ordered him to protect Mom… then that means—

Her breath hitched. "You’re Sebastian?"

The name slipped out before she could stop it.

The realization struck her like lightning. The man before her was Sebastian—the legendary researcher who had vanished from the medical world over a decade ago.

He hadn’t disappeared. He had simply reinvented himself—as the leader of Metropolis.

He didn’t confirm or deny it, but Evelyn knew.

Now that she recognized him, she understood why her mother had never truly moved on, even after marrying Richard. Sebastian had been her first love, the one who had left an indelible mark on her heart.

He must have been devastatingly handsome in his youth. Even now, time had been kind to him. The years had only deepened his presence, transforming him into a man of quiet authority and undeniable charm.

He was around the same age as her father, yet he carried himself with a vitality Richard had long lost.

The thought of her father made her stomach twist. "My father… and Chloe—"

"I’m sorry."

Sebastian’s voice was low, laced with regret. "We tried to save them, but we were too late. Someone wanted all of you dead. If we hadn’t arrived when we did, you wouldn’t be here now."

His eyes darkened as he continued. "We managed to save you, but… your baby… we did everything we could."

Evelyn sat frozen, the words carving into her like a blade.

Her father and Chloe had been swallowed by the flames. And now, she had failed to protect her own child.

A sob tore from her throat. Her shoulders shook violently as grief crashed over her in relentless waves.

She was alone.

Sebastian reached into his pocket, producing a silk handkerchief. He gently wiped her tears away. "Come with me to Morwich," he said softly. "From this moment on, I will care for you as if you were my own."

One week later…

Nathan sat slumped in his chair, his expression grim. Every time his phone buzzed, his heart lurched with hope—only to plummet when he saw the caller wasn’t the one he was waiting for.

When Oliver’s name flashed across the screen, he answered with a terse, "What?"

Oliver’s voice was heavy. "Mr. Goldmann, we’ve searched every hospital in Bassburgh. There’s still no sign of Ms. Vanderbilt."

Nathan said nothing. He ended the call and let the phone slip from his fingers.