Chapter 204

"Starting over is far easier said than done, Alexander."

"The scars you carved into my soul will never fade."

"Loving you belongs to the past."

"All that remains is hatred."

Just then, Eleanor approached with Victoria trailing behind her. "You seem cheerful, Grandfather. What were you discussing with this woman?"

"Woman?" Henry Blackwood's expression darkened. "This is Evelyn."

"She's not, Grandfather," Victoria interjected sweetly. "Evelyn died three years ago. This is Miss Vivian Prescott—she merely resembles her." She turned to Alexander with confidence. "Isn't that right, Alexander?"

She expected him to lean in, to whisper agreement. Instead, his face twisted in disgust.

Henry Blackwood's fury flared. "Nonsense! This is Evelyn!"

"She truly isn't, Old Master!" Margaret Blackwood joined them, casting a wary glance at Alexander before speaking. "Think about it—would we allow Evelyn Sinclair back into this house?"

"Exactly!" Eleanor chimed in, sneering at Vivian. "If this were really Evelyn, we would've thrown her out already. That shameless woman died three years ago!"

The color drained from Henry's face, his spirit visibly dimming.

Vivian turned to Alexander, concern flickering in her eyes.

Alexander's expression turned glacial. "Are you all finished?"

"Don't be angry, Alexander." Victoria clutched his arm, her voice honeyed. "Mother and Mrs. Blackwood are right. She isn't Evelyn. Grandfather needs to accept the truth eventually."

She gave Vivian a pointed look. "You shouldn't pretend to be Evelyn just to humor him, Miss Prescott. Lies will only hurt him more when they unravel."

"Besides," she added with a smirk, "do you really want to be associated with someone like Evelyn? A woman who threw herself at men and even kidnapped my and Alexander's son?"

Vivian surveyed the room, then smiled faintly. "Oh? Was she truly that terrible?"

"Absolutely!" Victoria declared, her voice rising. "She was desperate, manipulative, and cruel. Do you really want to be her double?"

"Enough!" Henry slammed his cane against the floor. "Evelyn would never do such things!"

Victoria sighed dramatically. "It's the truth, Grandfather. Alexander knows it too." She turned to him. "You saw it yourself, didn't you?"

Alexander's expression darkened, bile rising in his throat at the memories.

He had realized too late that every "sin" Evelyn supposedly committed might have been a lie.

Perhaps everything he'd witnessed was staged.

Victoria tugged at his sleeve, pouting when he ignored her. "Why aren't you saying anything, Alexander? Unless... you actually want Miss Prescott to replace Evelyn?" Her voice dripped with false concern. "But what will people think of her, pretending to be such a vile woman?"

Crash!

A wine glass shattered across the floor.

"Sir, are you alright?"

"A ghost! It's a ghost!"

All eyes snapped toward the commotion—a server helping a man who had stumbled.

Victoria barely glanced over until she recognized the man.

Dominic Fletcher.

And the "ghost" he was pointing at?

Vivian Prescott.