Chapter 131

Her heart had been shattered beyond repair, yet these people still insisted on twisting the knife deeper.

Evelyn turned sharply, her eyes blazing with fury as they locked onto Victoria. "Victoria Lancaster! Look what you've done to yourself! Alexander was supposed to be your fiancé, but you stole him using the most despicable tricks. And now? You used his phone to call Evelyn and spew those vile words just to wound her! Have you no shame left?"

The realization struck Evelyn like lightning. This entire suicide act had been orchestrated during that phone call when Alexander was burning with fever.

A bitter smile curled Evelyn's lips as she met Victoria's tear-filled gaze. "Keep spinning your lies, Victoria. Isn't this exactly what you want? For Alexander and me to divorce so you can finally take my place as Mrs. Blackwood? Well listen carefully - even if I breathe my last, I'll die as Alexander's lawful wife!"

The words barely left her mouth when Eleanor's palm connected with Evelyn's cheek.

"You heartless wretch!" Eleanor screamed, her voice trembling with rage. "A girl like you deserved to be abandoned by your parents! They probably died from the shame of having you as their daughter!"

Evelyn's vision blurred with unshed tears. Every fiber of her being wanted to scream out the years of pain and betrayal. Instead, she swallowed the bitterness. "You're right. I grew up without parents. Only my mentally ill grandfather raised me."

"He told me I wasn't abandoned. That they just... forgot about me in a moment of carelessness." Evelyn's voice cracked. "But now I know the truth. They didn't forget. They simply never loved me. How could they, when they can't even recognize their own daughter standing right before them—"

"Alexander, just forget about me! Stop caring about me forever!" Victoria's perfectly timed interruption sliced through Evelyn's words.

Evelyn looked up to see Victoria suddenly leap from the hospital bed, a gleaming fruit knife clutched in her hand, the picture of a desperate woman ready to end it all.

"Victoria!" Alexander's voice rang out, thick with concern, his eyes reflecting nothing but worry for the woman holding the blade.

Ice spread through Evelyn's veins. In all their years together, had the man she loved ever looked at her with such devotion? Never. Not once.

Yet here he was, utterly consumed by fear for this scheming woman. What spell had Victoria cast to make him so blind?

"Victoria, don't do this! I couldn't bear to lose you!" Eleanor sobbed, making a show of trying to restrain her daughter.

"Mom, I'm sorry!" Victoria wailed dramatically, her sorrowful gaze fixed on Alexander. "Alexander, remember your promises? You swore to protect me, cherish me, to make me your wife. But that day will never—"

Victoria's words triggered something primal in Evelyn. Those same sweet promises Alexander had whispered to her years ago now echoed hollowly in her memory. What she'd believed were sacred vows between them had been nothing but recycled lines he doled out to any woman who caught his fancy.

She'd been a fool to think herself special. Just another fish in Alexander Blackwood's well-stocked pond.

What a pathetic joke.

Through the haze of her anguish, Evelyn heard Victoria's final performance: "Mom, forgive me. Alexander, I love you. We'll marry in our next life! Evelyn, I surrender Alexander to you. No more fighting. From now on, you won't need to harass me, provoke me, or make those cruel calls. Take him! He's yours!"

"Victoria, no!" Eleanor lunged theatrically for the knife. "Alexander! Will you really let Victoria die before your eyes? Even now, will you still cling to your grandfather's wishes and refuse to divorce this witch?"

Each word was a dagger to Evelyn's heart. She'd truly believed Alexander would keep his promises, but his hesitation as he stared at Victoria told another story.

After an agonizing silence, Victoria shrieked, "Let me go, Mother!" and with a dramatic flourish, slashed her wrist. Blood sprayed across the hospital sheets.

The sight shattered Alexander's resolve. He rushed forward, capturing Victoria's bleeding wrist. "Stop this madness, Victoria! I promise you—I'll divorce Evelyn immediately. I'll make you my wife. Today."