Chapter 142

"Those two old fossils in the Roland family actually chose Isabella! They must be blind!"

The words stabbed into Evelyn's chest like a knife.

Her fingers clenched until her knuckles turned white.

"Don't say that. They're still our elders."

Dylan Orlando stomped his foot in frustration. "I can't swallow this injustice!"

His gaze softened as he looked at Evelyn. "Evelyn, the Rolands don't deserve your suffering."

Sophia Roland hastily grabbed her daughter's hand. "Sweetheart, it wasn't like that... It was Eugene—"

"It's all my fault!" Isabella suddenly threw herself off the hospital bed, kneeling before Evelyn.

Tears streamed down her face. "Blame me, little sister. I stole your place..."

Edward Roland quickly helped her up. "Isabella, don't do this. It's not your fault."

Dylan sneered. "Stop pretending! If it weren't for you—"

"Enough!" Evelyn's sharp voice cut through the room.

Alexander Roland frowned. "Sir, mind your manners."

"Manners? You dare lecture me about manners?" Dylan laughed bitterly, his anger boiling over.

Tension crackled between them. When Dylan took a swing, Evelyn stepped between them.

"Stop it."

Her gaze shifted to her parents, her voice barely audible.

Twenty years of love couldn't compete with blood ties.

Isabella hid behind her father, a triumphant smirk playing on her lips.

Sophia sobbed uncontrollably. "Evelyn..."

"I want to move out for a while," Evelyn said abruptly.

Isabella immediately interjected. "Little sister, you can't leave over something so trivial—"

"Trivial?" Evelyn's calm eyes locked onto hers. "You never raised me for a single day."

She turned toward the door. "I need time."

Her mother's weeping followed her, but she didn't look back.

In that moment, she finally understood—blood might be thicker than water, but time together ran deeper.