Chapter 104

The sharp edge of the diary scraped against Evelyn's unhealed facial wound, sending a jolt of searing pain through her nerves. Fresh blood welled up instantly, tracing a crimson path down her cheek.

Alexander didn't even glance her way. His muscular frame brushed past her shoulder with deliberate force, sending her slight figure crashing onto the hardwood floor beside the bed. The abandoned diary lay open before her, its pages displaying her own handwriting: "Alex, after all these years, I finally see you again—"

Evelyn's fingers trembled as they hovered over the incriminating words. A hollow laugh escaped her lips, morphing into uncontrollable sobs that shook her entire body. Hot tears streamed down her face, mingling with the blood from her wound.

The salty droplets traveled down her jawline, merging with a single drop of blood before splashing onto the diary page, blurring the affectionate nickname.

Alex.

That name belonged to someone who no longer existed in her heart.

The boy who'd promised eternal love under the golden sunlight had vanished completely from her soul.

———

The infection in Evelyn's facial wound demanded immediate medical attention. As she exited the treatment room, two nurses rushed past her in a flurry of panic.

"Mrs. Kingsley's surgery starts in twenty minutes, but we've exhausted our Rh-negative blood supply! If there's hemorrhaging during the appendectomy—"

"Appendectomies rarely cause major bleeding unless there's a complication," the younger nurse argued. "But look at Mrs. Kingsley—she's turning gray from pain! We can't delay any longer!"

Evelyn's steps faltered. She intercepted the nurses with urgency. "Excuse me—is this Mrs. Kingsley Eleanor Kingsley?"

The senior nurse eyed Evelyn suspiciously. "Yes? If you need assistance, the reception desk—"

Before she could finish, Evelyn was already sprinting toward the blood bank, where Victoria Lancaster's shrill voice pierced through the sterile hallway.

"What kind of third-rate hospital is this? First my son, now my mother! Are you deliberately sabotaging my family?"

Victoria's adoptive mother, Margaret Dawson, stood beside her, nodding vigorously. The accused nurse stood frozen, tears welling in her eyes under the verbal assault.

"Pray nothing goes wrong during Mother's surgery," Victoria sneered. "Or my fiancé will sue this place into oblivion!"

"But Ms. Lancaster, as Mrs. Kingsley's biological daughter, your blood—"

"Absolutely not!" Margaret interjected like a rabid dog. "Victoria's menstrual cycle hasn't ended! She can't possibly donate!"

The excuse struck Evelyn as eerily familiar—the same lie Victoria had used when Ethan needed blood transfusions weeks ago.

Some things never changed. Whether it was her own child or biological mother, Victoria's selfishness knew no bounds.

After the toxic duo departed, Evelyn approached the trembling nurse. "I'm Rh-negative. Test my blood compatibility immediately."

The nurse's tear-streaked face brightened with hope. Within minutes, Evelyn had donated another 500cc.

She lingered outside the operating theater, an inexplicable anxiety gnawing at her. Appendectomies were routine, yet her pulse refused to steady. Why did Eleanor Kingsley's wellbeing matter so much to her? This strange, magnetic pull defied all logic.

Just as she turned to inquire about the surgery's progress, Evelyn spotted Victoria and Margaret charging down the corridor—not toward her, but toward a distinguished gentleman striding past.

"Father! Thank heavens you're here!" Victoria cried, her entire demeanor shifting into that of a distressed daughter.