Chapter 216

The one who had sought out Dominic must have been Victoria.

Evelyn knew this with absolute certainty, but she doubted Alexander had the same clarity.

He had always been blindly devoted to Victoria.

His repeated indulgence of her actions had caused Evelyn immeasurable pain in the past.

Yet if he truly intended to protect Victoria, why go through the trouble of asking Evelyn to play her former self to extract the truth from Dominic?

Evelyn expected Alexander to leave immediately, but instead, he followed her all the way to her apartment door.

"May I come in for a while?" Alexander's voice was soft, almost hesitant.

It was late at night. Evelyn wanted to refuse, but her gaze lingered on his bleeding hand. She sighed and opened the door. "Fine. Come in."

She told herself it wasn't pity—just curiosity about what he might reveal.

Evelyn fetched the first aid kit. Alexander sat motionless on the sofa, his expression unreadable.

His hands rested limply in his lap as he sank deeper into the cushions. A shadow of melancholy darkened his features, making him look utterly defeated.

Without a word, Evelyn took out the antiseptic wipes and carefully cleaned the wound on his knuckles before wrapping it in gauze.

"I never believed in her."

The sudden statement caught Evelyn off guard.

Her fingers stilled briefly before she resumed her task, her voice calm. "Mr. Blackwood, who exactly are you referring to?"

Alexander let out a low, bitter chuckle, as if speaking to himself. "I never imagined she'd go this far. All this time, I trusted her completely."

Evelyn understood—his first words had been about her, the woman she used to be. Now, he was talking about Victoria.

Oh, Alexander, you have no idea. What you've uncovered is barely a fraction of Victoria's deceit.

She met his gaze evenly. "Are you saying you already knew the truth about your ex-wife's involvement in your son's kidnapping? You just didn't want to accept it, did you?"

Alexander stiffened at her question.

His striking eyes clouded over, studying her with an intensity that made her pulse quicken. The silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken emotions.

After a long pause, he lifted his hand, his fingertips brushing lightly against her cheek. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard.

"I'm sorry."

The words were rough, barely audible, but they struck Evelyn like a physical blow.

Her carefully maintained composure faltered. For a fleeting moment, she thought she saw something raw and vulnerable in his eyes.

Then, without warning, he pulled her into his arms, holding her so tightly she could barely breathe. His warmth enveloped her, his breath hot against her ear.

"I'm sorry," he repeated, his voice breaking.

Evelyn's hands hung at her sides, frozen. Her heart pounded erratically.

Was this apology for her—the woman she was now? Or for the woman she had once been?

The sharp click of the door unlocking shattered the moment.

Evelyn jerked back to reality, pushing Alexander away as the door swung open.

"You should leave, Mr. Blackwood," she said coolly. "My fiancé is here."