When Evelyn arrived at the Julian household, Eleanor wasn’t surprised. She had been certain that even without a proper escort, the girl would come crawling to their door on her own.

What she hadn’t expected was that Evelyn would arrive with Adrian. What business did those two have together?

Arthur’s eyes lit up at the sight of Adrian, Evelyn momentarily forgotten. He quickly gestured for Eleanor to fetch their finest tea.

Evelyn understood their eagerness to please. It wasn’t just Adrian’s position—it was the weight of their own guilt toward him.

Watching them fawn over Adrian, even if it wasn't directed at her, gave Evelyn a sharp, quiet satisfaction.

Adrian cut straight to the point. “What happened with Julian today?”

Julian had already called home, offering an explanation for his absence.

Arthur paused, his gaze sliding thoughtfully toward Evelyn. Had she gone running to Adrian? Was he here to defend her honor? It was the only reason he could imagine for the two of them arriving together.

“Evelyn,” Arthur began, choosing his words carefully, “Julian called earlier. He was at the hospital all day. It wasn’t his intention to miss the ceremony.”

He deliberately omitted why Julian was at the hospital. Admitting the truth would place the blame squarely on his son.

Evelyn’s eyes widened in feigned concern. “He was in an accident? Was it so serious he couldn’t attend his own wedding? Is he… dying?”

Eleanor bristled. “How dare you speak of your husband that way!”

Arthur, who had only one son, stiffened at the remark.

“He’s not my husband,” Evelyn corrected gently. “The wedding didn’t happen.”

“Then why are you here?” Eleanor’s voice dripped with scorn.

“To end the engagement.”

A flicker of surprise crossed Eleanor’s face, but it was quickly replaced by certainty. This was a ploy—a desperate attempt to gain the upper hand.

“You’ve already signed the marriage certificate. How exactly do you propose to ‘end’ it?”

Evelyn allowed herself a cold inner smile. By all rights, the certificate should have been finalized days before the wedding. But Seraphina had a knack for creating distractions, and in the end, they’d never gotten around to it.

“We never filed the paperwork,” Evelyn said, relief coloring her tone. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here.”

Eleanor’s face went rigid. “You never registered?”

“No.”

Arthur’s patience thinned. “Does your family know you’re here?”

“It’s a matter of personal choice. My father may only be a workshop supervisor, but he follows policy. He supports my decision.”

Arthur studied her, his gaze sharp. “So this is your own doing? You’ve decided to break it off?”

Evelyn’s smile was sweet, but her eyes held a glacial light. “My parents don’t object. They’re only concerned about the damage to my reputation. After today, everyone will say I was abandoned. So I’ve come for compensation.”

She let the word hang in the air before continuing. “Of course, if it were to get out that Julian missed our wedding because he was… otherwise occupied with another woman… well, that wouldn’t reflect well on him either, would it?”

A threat, delicately veiled. Arthur’s eyes narrowed. “What kind of compensation?”

“Five years of my youth. My reputation. Emotional distress. Call it five thousand dollars.”

Eleanor stared as if Evelyn had brandished a knife. Had she asked for a thousand, Eleanor might have believed she was sincere. But five thousand? This was a bluff—a test to see if they would call it.

“Fine,” Eleanor said abruptly, a cold smile touching her lips. She would force the girl to face her own game.

Arthur’s expression darkened, but Adrian spoke first, his voice quiet yet final. “Humiliating a woman on her wedding day is no small thing. A weaker person might have been driven to despair. Consider it a price for her dignity—and her silence.”

Arthur forced a laugh, though his eyes remained on Evelyn. “Let’s not be dramatic. These two have shared years of affection. One misunderstanding shouldn’t erase all of that. Julian deserves a chance to make things right.”

Evelyn lowered her gaze, her voice tinged with sorrow. “All those years together, yet he chose someone else’s side when it mattered. If they’re so inseparable, then as an old friend, I should step aside.”

Arthur stiffened. So she knew exactly where Julian was. Her earlier comment about an accident had been pure malice.

“Seraphina is your friend as well,” he said, his tone cooling. “She has a heart condition. Julian was at the hospital looking after her—for your sake as much as his.”

The unspoken warning hung between them: Know your place.

“On his wedding day?” Evelyn’s voice remained steady. “Even if Seraphina was ill, once she was at the hospital, couldn’t he have called her family? And if he couldn’t reach them, did he have to stay all day—all night? Is he her doctor? Her medicine? Or perhaps… he simply couldn’t bear to leave her.”

She stood, her posture formal, and bowed deeply. “Please, Mr. Arthur. Allow me to keep what little dignity I have left.”

The sharp click of Adrian’s teacup against its saucer cut through the silence.

“Poor judgment,” Adrian said flatly. “A lack of character.”

Arthur’s face flushed. With Evelyn alone, he could have silenced her with his authority. But Adrian’s stance was clear—he would not let this pass.

“If the amount is an issue,” Adrian added mildly, “I’m sure Grandfather would be willing to contribute.”

The pressure was unmistakable.

Gritting his teeth, Arthur gestured for Eleanor to fetch the money.

Evelyn accepted it, then made one more request—a signed statement confirming the five thousand dollars as compensation for damages to her reputation.

Arthur watched her for a long moment before putting pen to paper.

The moment the door closed, Eleanor erupted. “The nerve of that little tramp! Who does she think she is, demanding five thousand dollars?”

“This is your son’s doing,” Arthur snapped.

The money itself didn’t trouble him. He knew Ward coveted the deputy director position. In time, every cent—and more—would find its way back.

What infuriated him was Evelyn’s pettiness. Her lack of vision. Even if Julian was at fault, a woman of grace would have swallowed her pride, looked to the future. All of this—the money, the property—would one day belong to her anyway. Instead, she’d chosen to make a scene, to involve Adrian, to extort and shame them.

She was small-minded. Unworthy.

Outside, Adrian handed Evelyn a thick envelope.

She looked at him, puzzled.

“Julian is my cousin. His behavior shames us all. Consider this an apology from our family.”

Evelyn’s eyes flickered. Adrian and Julian’s family were hardly close. This gesture wasn’t about family loyalty—it was about the buttons in her hair.

“Take it,” he said, pressing it into her hand.