Chapter 30

Evelyn's response was glacial. "Mother, you're being irrational. Maybe you should take some time alone to collect yourself. I need space to think."

Without waiting for a reply, she turned on her heel and retreated to her bedroom.

Grace watched her leave, her expression heavy with remorse.

Once inside, Evelyn collapsed onto the plush armchair, exhaling sharply. Memories of Grace's stories about her doomed romance with Victor Sterling resurfaced—how his aristocratic family had scorned her humble origins, how Diana Prescott of the illustrious Prescott family had set her sights on Victor at a gala, and how his parents had forced him to abandon Grace for a more "suitable" match.

Grace had stayed anyway, clinging to the shadows of Victor's life, convinced Diana was the true villain who had stolen her happiness.

Evelyn had never understood her mother's choices. The bitterness, the refusal to move on—it all felt like self-inflicted torment. But Grace was still her mother, and Evelyn had long accepted that some wounds never truly healed.

Her phone buzzed, snapping her out of her thoughts.

She glanced at the screen, her lips thinning when she saw the caller ID.

With a reluctant swipe, she answered. "Yes?"

"Evelyn, darling! You’ve been back for days—when are you finally coming to the hospital?" The smooth, persuasive voice belonged to Sebastian Holloway, deputy director of Grandview General.

Irritation flickered in her chest. "Why the rush? I just returned. Don’t I deserve time to adjust? It’s not like the Cardiac Surgery Department is collapsing without me."

Sebastian chuckled. "We have surgeons, but none like you."

Evelyn pinched the bridge of her nose. Truthfully, she hadn’t planned on working at a hospital at all. But Sebastian had pulled strings for her overseas, and now she owed him.

"Fine," she relented. "I’ll come the day after tomorrow. Happy?"

"Ecstatic," he said smoothly. "I’ll personally introduce you to the team."

"No," she cut in. "No grand welcomes. Just point me to my office and let me work."

Sebastian sighed but conceded. "As you wish."