Chapter 484

Alexander walked beside her, his lips curving into a nostalgic smile. "Yes. My wife and I wanted to revisit where it all began."

Evelyn shot him a frosty glare, which he ignored as he bent to help the elderly woman gather her scattered potatoes, lifting the woven basket with ease.

"You live nearby, don’t you? Let me carry these for you."

"Bless you, dear." The woman accepted their assistance, her wrinkled face lighting up as she gestured down the cobbled path.

Without hesitation, Alexander laced his fingers through Evelyn’s, his grip unyielding when she tried to pull away.

"What a devoted pair you are, braving the chilly shore just to stroll together." The woman glanced back, her eyes twinkling at their joined hands. "You’re fortunate to have such a doting husband. I still remember how he sprinted to the clinic when you twisted your ankle years ago—arrived breathless, panic written all over his face. Even then, I knew you two were meant to be."

Evelyn’s lips twisted into a sardonic smile as she met Alexander’s gaze.

"Appearances deceive, ma’am."

"Nonsense! This old eyes sees true affection when it’s staring right at her," the woman chided playfully. "All couples quarrel—why, I bickered with my late Henry daily. But after he passed? The silence nearly broke me."

Her voice softened, weighted with wisdom. "Life’s shorter than you think, child. Hold tight to what matters."

"Wise words," Alexander interjected, squeezing Evelyn’s hand. "I intend to cherish every moment with my wife."

The woman beamed approvingly before leading them to her cottage.

Evelyn seized the chance to wrench free, murmuring farewell, but the woman clucked her tongue. "Stay for lunch! It’s rare I have company."

Alexander accepted before Evelyn could refuse.

As the woman bustled about her kitchen, her voice carried over the clatter of pans. "My children are always busy in the city. Today feels like a blessing."

Thirty minutes later, a humble spread of rustic dishes adorned the table.

Alexander piled Evelyn’s plate with care, savoring each bite as if it were gourmet—because with her beside him, even simplicity tasted divine.

Afterward, Evelyn helped clear the dishes before stepping into the winter sunlight, its golden warmth belying the chill in her demeanor.

She turned on the shoreline, fixing Alexander with an arctic stare.

He trailed her like a shadow, his gaze unwavering, sunlight gilding his sharp features.

"You have six hours left, Alexander. State your demands." Her tone was clinical, a transaction—nothing more.

His smile was a blade wrapped in velvet. "Anything you wish to do, darling. So long as I’m with you."

A brittle laugh escaped her. "Funny. Where was this devotion when I waited night after night, praying you’d walk through our door? Now you’re desperate for my company?" Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Pathetic."

Alexander flinched as if struck. "You’re right. It is pathetic. But what choice do I have?"

His fingers dug into his palms. "I can’t undo the past. Can’t go back to when you first smiled at me and tell you how much you meant to me."

The light in his eyes guttered out.

Suddenly, he seized her shoulders.

"I don’t expect forgiveness, Evelyn. I don’t deserve it. But if hatred is all you’ll give me?" His thumbs brushed her collarbones, desperate. "Then let me live in your hell. At least there, I still exist to you."