Macy had always been the one cooking at the house. 

Soren wasn’t sure if Evangeline could even make a meal. 

He’d half expected some kind of culinary disaster, but to his surprise, the food actually tasted pretty good. 

As for the sense of familiarity that crept in as he ate, he didn’t dwell on it. He figured he was just starving, and his taste buds were playing tricks on him. 

A sudden knock at the door broke the quiet. 

Soren got up and opened it, finding Gregory at the threshold, his hair damp with 

sweat. 

“Sorry, Mr. Fawkes. There was an accident on the expressway–two cars crashed. I’ve been stuck in traffic for ages,” Gregory stammered, clearly nervous. 

He braced himself for Soren’s temper. 

To his amazement, Soren’s reaction was subdued. He simply extended a hand. “My clothes.” 

He was too drained from Evangeline’s earlier antics to get angry. 

After changing into fresh clothes, Soren found himself drifting toward the bedroom, almost on autopilot. 

He pushed the door open and saw Evangeline still asleep, lying on her side. Her delicate brows were furrowed, as though she was trapped in a restless dream. 

AH <? I ? 

A moment later, she started mumbling something, her words barely audible. 

“What was that?” Soren leaned in, trying to catch what she was saying. 

He moved to her bedside, and finally heard it clearly. 

“Alison.” 

“Alison…” 

The name hung in the air. 

The mood inside the house was tense. 

The lavish dinner laid out on the table had long gone cold. 

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Helena sat stiffly on the sofa, her expression icy. As another call went unanswered, the phone’s dull ring echoing in the silence, she finally lost her composure and hurled her phone to the floor in frustration. 

Macy rushed over, picked it up, and quietly set it back beside Helena, then stepped away without a word. 

She didn’t dare say anything, terrified that the wrong sentence might set Helena off–and that she’d end up paying for it. 

But, as fate would have it, just as Macy was about to make her retreat, Helena’s voice cut through the silence, cold and sharp. 

“Macy, do you remember why I brought you here in the first place?” 

Macy’s voice shook. “You asked me to look after the young master…and Mrs. Fawkes.” 

Helena gave a mirthless laugh. “Glad you remember. Yet both of them have been gone all night, and you let outsiders waltz into the house. What exactly do you think you’re being paid for?” 

She glanced pointedly toward Poppy, who was sitting nearby. 

Macy felt a jolt of confusion. 

Outsider? 

www. 

Wasn’t Poppy about to become Mrs. Fawkes? How could she be considered an 

outsider? 

But she didn’t dare voice the question. It was obvious Helena had some kind of grievance with Poppy. 

Yet, from what Macy had seen these last few days, Soren and Poppy got along well. At least, compared to before, when Evangeline was still around and Soren barely came home. Since Poppy moved in, Soren was home almost every night. 

Today was the exception. 

It just so happened that Helena had shown up on this particular day. 

Macy felt caught in the middle. 

She shot a pleading look at Poppy. 

Poppy noticed Macy’s distress. She understood that when Helena scolded Macy, her real target was herself. 

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She’d expected as much. She knew a single thoughtful gift wasn’t going to win Helena over. 

But a few years back, with Helena’s iron–willed temperament, she would have been thrown out the door without a second thought. So Poppy knew that, despite the cold front, Helena wasn’t entirely opposed to her. 

She lowered her eyes, set a cup of freshly brewed tea in front of Helena, and said gently, “Please, Helena, don’t be upset. None of this is Macy’s fault.” 

“It was Evangeline who decided not to come back. Soren’s always hated the dark, and I was worried he wouldn’t sleep well, so I stayed here to keep him company.” 

Helena barely glanced at her, a bitter smile on her lips. “Was it really about making sure he slept well, or were you just worried you’d lose your place? Some people know exactly what they’re doing.” 

The words stung. 

Poppy faltered for only a moment, then offered a rueful smile. “There’s no fooling you. I’ll admit it–I do want another chance with Soren. I still love him. The reason I left back then was pure stubbornness. All these years, I’ve never been able to let him go.” 

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