Chapter 383

The crisp autumn air carried the faint scent of fallen leaves as Evelyn Carter pressed herself deeper into the shadows of the park bench. Her fingers trembled against the rough fabric of her hospital gown, the chill seeping into her bones.

Footsteps crunched against the gravel path.

Her breath hitched.

Had Nathaniel Whitmore tracked her here already?

She squeezed her eyes shut, praying it wasn’t him. With Eleanor Whitmore still in the ICU, there was no one left to shield her.

"Evelyn?"

Her head snapped up.

Relief crashed over her like a tidal wave.

"Julian!"

Tears pricked her eyes as she lunged forward, gripping his sleeve. Thank God it wasn’t Nathaniel.

Julian Montgomery’s face paled as he took in her disheveled state. "What the hell happened? Why are you in a hospital gown?" His voice dropped, sharp with fury. "Who did this to you?"

If someone had laid a finger on his sister, he’d make them regret it.

Evelyn shook her head, her grip tightening. "Just get me out of here. Now."

She couldn’t explain. Not yet.

Julian didn’t argue. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and guided her toward his car.

Inside, Evelyn’s pulse still hadn’t settled. Her gaze darted to the rearview mirror, scanning for any sign of pursuit.

Nothing.

For now.

But she knew Nathaniel wouldn’t give up so easily.

Julian shot her a sideways glance. "Talk to me, Ev. What’s going on?"

She exhaled shakily, sinking into the leather seat. "Nathaniel knows about the baby."

His grip on the steering wheel tightened. "How?"

She recounted the confrontation with Jonathan Reeves and his mother, Judith—how she’d been shoved, how Nathaniel had overheard everything when he’d rushed to the hospital.

Julian’s jaw clenched. "That bastard. I warned you about him." His knuckles whitened. "Don’t worry. I’ll handle it."

Evelyn shook her head. "It’s not about Jonathan. It’s the babies."

Julian frowned. "Look, I get why you didn’t want Nathaniel to know, but it’s not the end of the world. With Andrew on your side, custody won’t be an issue."

She bit her lip.

If only it were that simple.

Nathaniel didn’t just want custody—he doubted the children were his. And if Julian found out, he’d confront Nathaniel head-on.

She couldn’t let that happen.

"I need to go back to Nord City," she blurted.

Julian studied her for a long moment before nodding. "Alright. I’ll talk to Alexander as soon as we get back. We’ll arrange everything."

His expression darkened. "But why the hell were you alone? You’re pregnant, Evelyn. Where’s Christopher? He should’ve been with you."

Evelyn swallowed hard.

She couldn’t tell him the truth.

Not yet.