Chapter 56 Happy to See You
Compared to everyone else’s calm, Yvonne’s nervousness stood out.
She realized it too, so she quickly tried to make excuses.
:་།
Finished
Yvonne muttered something about wedding gifts-like gold bars-that could only be locked away, saying it might make people think Evelyn wasn’t being valued.
Evelyn shook her head and argued, “Mom, value isn’t measured by wedding gifts. You’re worrying too much.”
To keep up appearances, Zaid nodded in agreement. “Exactly. “I’ll be the first to step in if anyone has the nerve to treat Evelyn badly when she gets married someday.”
Hearing that, Evelyn only gave a faint smile. With memories of her past life, she knew those words didn’t mean much.
Yvonne was left with nothing to say.
If she pushed further, her real intentions might be exposed.
The truth was, she wanted Evelyn to buy bracelets and necklaces instead of gold bars. Jewelry could be kept at home, and later on, Yvonne might quietly take a piece or two.
That way, she could make up for some of her losses.
But now her plan was ruined, and her chance disappeared completely.
Furious yet helpless, she had no choice but to watch as all the money was spent on gold bars and coins.
When it came time to pay, Zaid acted cheerful and generous. The staff’s eyes lit up, clearly impressed, probably thinking he must be a wealthy man who adored his daughter.
Zaid seemed happy to live in that kind of daydream.
Afterward, they went to the bank to put the gold into safe storage. The account was registered under Evelyn’s name.
That meant no one except Evelyn could ever access it.
Yvonne’s little fantasy was crushed for good.
With no benefit to gain, she didn’t even bother to stay for lunch. She made an excuse about urgent work and left early.
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Chapter 56 Happy to See You
That left three generations-Bill, Evelyn, and Zaid-to share lunch together.
Finished
Afterward, Zaid caught a cab back home, while Evelyn accompanied Bill to the pharmacy to buy some regular medicine. Then the guard gave him a ride back.
On the way to the drugstore, Bill held her hand tightly. With a sigh, he said, “Evelyn, I almost wish you were still a little girl.”
A child’s world has no schemes, no betrayal-just simple happiness each day.
Now Evelyn was sharp, clever, and always one step ahead.
But who knows the pain and hardship she had endured?
The scars she carried, seen and unseen, were countless.
As her grandfather, his heart ached for her.
Evelyn was touched but answered sincerely, “Everyone has to grow up, Grandpa. When I was little, you protected me. Now that I’m older, it’s my turn to protect you. Protection goes both ways, and so does love.”
She had decided this time-anyone who truly cared for her, she would never let go.
Bill’s voice grew heavy. “But you must have suffered so much over the last few years.”
Great growth always comes with great pain.
Evelyn’s nose stung, and for a moment, she nearly burst into tears.
Everyone else thought she had suddenly toughened up, but only her grandfather knew the truth-she must have gone through so much pain to become like this.
But none of that mattered anymore.
The past was gone. What mattered was how she lived now.
“I’m fine, really. Don’t worry. After all, I’m the granddaughter of the once-famous Commander Schmidt. If I can’t handle something this small, then what good am I?”
Her words made Bill laugh out loud.
He didn’t ask another question.
As long as Evelyn could stand on her own and knew what she wanted, that was enough for him.
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Chapter 56 Happy to See You
“Come on,” Bill said, “we’ve reached the drugstore. Walk with me while I pick up some
medicine.”
Finished
Because Brookhaven Quarters was so far from downtown, he usually treated small illnesses himself with medicine he kept at home.
Every three months, he came into the city to stock up, just in case.
Evelyn knew exactly what he needed. She rattled off the list to the staff in one breath, then sat down at a table to wait.
Some of the medicine had to be brought in from the storeroom, which would take a while.
She was getting restless when a light tapping came at the nearby window.
Evelyn turned her head and saw a grinning face pressed against the glass.
Her heart sank instantly.
Worried that Bill might notice and start asking questions, she quickly said, “Grandpa, a friend of mine is outside. I’ll just talk for a minute and come right back.”
Bill chuckled and waved his hand. “Go ahead. No rush. They’ll need some time to get the medicine ready anyway. It’s good for you to spend time with kids your age. Being alone all the time isn’t healthy.”
Evelyn hurried outside, grabbed Austin-who was waving at her like crazy—and yanked him into the alley beside the store.
This guy. He just wouldn’t leave me alone.
For Austin, just seeing Evelyn was enough to brighten his day. “Lace,” he said with a grin, “don’t you think this is fate? I was just thinking about you, and here you are.”
“No,” Evelyn shot back coldly. “This is bad luck,”
Austin clutched his chest dramatically, as if she had wounded him. “Don’t be like that. After all, I was your first-be a little nicer, huh?”
Evelyn’s face darkened. Seeing she was about to explode, Austin quickly backpedaled. “Okay, okay, my fault. I’m just happy to see you, that’s all.”
Evelyn didn’t miss her chance to cut him down. “Well, I’m not. I feel miserable.”
Clearly, they weren’t going to agree on this subject, so Austin switched gears.
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Chapter 56 Happy to See You
“So, who were you just with inside? Your grandpa?”
“Looks like you’re not completely clueless,” Evelyn replied.
Austin puffed up proudly. “Of course. You two really do look alike. You’ve got the same. sharpness in your eyes. Honestly, that’s part of the reason I like you.”
Finished
“If you keep spouting nonsense, you won’t have much of a future to look forward to,” Evelyn warned, her voice icy.
When Evelyn was truly mad at him, Austin instinctively covered his fragile spot, then gave an awkward laugh. “Alright, no more jokes. Since we ran into each other like this, how about dinner together tonight?”
“Forget it.” Evelyn rejected him on the spot. “I’m eating at home. And running into you was pure coincidence. The only reason I even came out here was to make sure you wouldn’t blabber nonsense to my grandpa. I’m leaving. You’d better not follow.”
With that, she turned on her heel and walked away.
What she didn’t see was how quickly Austin’s expression changed once her back was turned. His bright eyes dimmed with a heaviness he couldn’t hide.
Meeting Evelyn had been the highlight of his day. But the moment she left, the weight of his troubles came rushing back.
He tilted his head up, staring at the sky that was far too blue for how he felt inside. With a long sigh, he shoved his hands in his pockets and slowly made his way out the other end of the alley.
Tomorrow, he thought bitterly, I’d have to go back to the estate.
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