Chapter 250

Evelyn's conscience weighed heavily on her after the engagement incident, making it impossible to refuse Jonathan's offer.

But as she stepped outside, her breath caught at the sight of a familiar Volkswagen parked nearby.

"Alexander?" she murmured in surprise.

The car screeched to a stop, and Julian stepped out, striding toward her with urgency. "Evelyn, are you alright?"

"Julian?"

For a brief moment, Evelyn had thought it was Alexander—only to realize it was her third brother instead.

Her response came out stilted. "Julian, I'm fine."

"Your phone's been off all day! We were worried sick!"

Guilt twisted in her chest. "It broke accidentally, and I haven't had time to fix it."

Jonathan chimed in smoothly, "Evelyn was tied up at the engagement venue. We just got back to the studio."

Julian's brow furrowed. "Evelyn, did you actually make it to the ceremony? When did you arrive?"

"I got there early. It ended hours ago. Why, Julian?"

Julian shot Jonathan a wary glance before shifting gears. "Never mind. Evelyn, I'm taking you home. Get in the car."

He avoided elaborating in front of Jonathan, not wanting to risk revealing anything.

Evelyn turned to Jonathan. "Julian's here, so you don't need to worry about me. You should rest."

"Alright. Take care."

Jonathan let the opportunity slip—but he wasn't concerned. There would be plenty more chances.

Sinking into the passenger seat, Evelyn exhaled heavily. "Today has been exhausting."

"Evelyn, what happened to your face?"

While driving, Julian quickly typed a message in the family group chat: Found Evelyn. Bringing her home now.

Setting his phone down, the tension in his shoulders eased slightly.

The Montgomery brothers had scoured the city searching for her.

Security footage had shown a confrontation between Evelyn, Walter, and Beverly, drawing a crowd before she boarded a bus—vanishing afterward.

Evelyn touched her cheek lightly. "This morning, my adoptive parents ambushed me at the neighborhood entrance."

"When they realized they weren't eligible for relocation compensation, they lost it—demanded money."

"I refused. Things got heated, but I held my ground."

Though Julian had already seen the footage, hearing her recount it so casually unsettled him. "Evelyn, you're pregnant. Did you forget?"

"I know I messed up. I was just... too angry to think straight. But I kept my promise, didn't I?"

At a red light, Julian turned to her, voice thick with concern. "I'm not scolding you. I'm just worried."

He understood—her past had shaped her into someone fiercely independent, reluctant to rely on others.

Even now, with her brothers in her life, she still hesitated to lean on them fully.

When trouble struck, she faced it alone.

Evelyn stuck out her tongue playfully. "I know. So, Julian... help me pick a new phone?"

He drove toward the largest electronics store, intent on getting her the latest model.

But as they entered, Evelyn froze.

A familiar figure stood across the store.

For a second, she wondered if her eyes were playing tricks on her.