Chapter 185

"Thank you, Big Brother. You saved Amelia again." Amelia blinked up at Alexander with her innocent doe eyes. "Mommy's here now, so you can put me down."

Alexander studied the little girl in his arms, an uncharacteristic softness crossing his usually stern features. "Your name is Amelia?"

"Yes..." She nodded obediently before scrunching her nose in thought. "But only Mommy calls me that. Daddy uses my full name."

Daddy.

The word struck Alexander like a physical blow.

Harsh. Foreign.

He thought of Ethan. In three years, his son had rarely called him "Dad."

His heartbeat grew erratic for reasons he couldn't explain.

Gently setting Amelia down, he watched her dash to Evelyn's side. "Mommy! That mean lady tried to hit me but she fell down instead. This nice man saved me!"

Amelia recounted the incident with dramatic seriousness, making Evelyn smile despite the tension.

"Mr. Blackwood," Evelyn said coolly, "while I appreciate your help, I'd prefer if you kept your distance going forward. We wouldn't want your precious fiancée getting the wrong idea. I can handle myself, but if my daughter gets hurt..." Her grip tightened around Amelia. "There will be consequences."

Turning her sharp gaze to Victoria, Evelyn added, "I'll have the broken window appraised and send the bill directly to Blackwood Enterprises' accounting department. Don't forget to pay, Miss Lancaster."

"What?" Victoria's eyes widened, but Evelyn had already turned away.

"Vivian Prescott, you—"

"Haven't you caused enough trouble already?" Alexander's icy voice cut through the air.

Victoria turned to him, confusion and panic flashing across her face. When he strode away without a backward glance, she scrambled after him barefoot.

"Alexander! Wait! You're misunderstanding everything!"

She called after him desperately, but he didn't slow his pace.

Spotting a shard of glass in her path, Victoria steadied herself—then deliberately stepped on it.

"Ahhh!" She collapsed dramatically. "Alexander, it hurts so much!"

He stopped. Turned. Saw her sprawled on the pavement, blood welling from her right foot.

The sight transported him instantly to that rainy night years ago—carrying a wounded girl on his back through the storm. Her whispered promise in his ear: "Lex, I want to stay with you forever."

He'd vowed then to always protect her.

But now...

Now he wasn't sure when that promise had become a chain around his neck.

Perhaps the moment he realized his heart belonged to Evelyn...

"Alexander! There's so much blood!" Victoria's theatrical wailing snapped him back to the present.

With visible reluctance, he approached—still haunted by memories.

Evelyn paused at the doorway, watching the scene unfold: Victoria bleeding on the pavement, clutching Alexander's hand dramatically.

"Alexander, what did I do wrong? Why are you so cold to me now? Have you forgotten your promise? You swore you'd always take care of me!"

Evelyn's stomach turned. She was about to leave when Victoria's next words froze her in place:

"Don't you see? I hurt my foot just like that night years ago. Remember how scared I was? How you carried me for miles? You promised to protect me forever—have you really forgotten?"