[Carter Mansion—Evelyn’s Room]
Evelyn sat on the edge of her bed with her fingers loosely curled around a pillow she didn’t rember grabbing.
Her mind kept replaying the morning like a broken reel.
eting with Brian Wright had been nice. He was decent, well-spoken and polite and had really tried to create conversation. He had smiled, asked questions, even complinted her dress in a respectful way but half the ti, Evelyn’s mind was far away.
She couldn’t help but constantly compare him to Alexander. From his smile to his handshake, she kept comparing everything.
And when the Brian had asked about her work, she had nodded blankly because all she could think was how Alexander would react when he learned about the eting.
She hadn’t told him about this arranged eting because she didn’t know how to and the guilt weighed on her chest like a stone.
Just then, a soft knock pulled her back.
"Evie?" lissa’s gentle voice drifted through the door.
Evelyn quickly wiped her face even though she wasn’t crying, she just felt overwheld.
"Co in," she said softly.
lissa stepped inside with that familiar worried smile mothers wore when they knew sothing was wrong even if you pretended otherwise.
She sat beside Evelyn, brushing a thumb across her cheek. "You didn’t like him."
Evelyn shook her head. "He wasn’t bad. He was actually very sweet but—" She sighed. "Mom, my heart wasn’t there. I couldn’t feel anything."
lissa’s eyes softened. "Because your heart is already with soone else."
Evelyn looked down at her hands. She didn’t answer but her silence spoke loudly.
lissa sighed and tucked a loose strand of hair behind Evelyn’s ear.
"My poor girl," she whispered. "All of this is too much, I can understand."
Evelyn’s throat tightened. "I don’t know what to do, Mom. Dad won’t listen and I haven’t even told Alexander about Brian yet. I didn’t know how."
lissa frowned gently. "Alexander is understanding. You should talk to him when the ti is right."
Evelyn nodded but her heart was restless.
Just then, footsteps echoed outside the hall and then there was a sharp knock.
Before either of them could answer, Gregory walked in.
He looked calr than how he had been since yesterday which was more worrying than when he was furious.
"Dad?" Evelyn rose imdiately. "What’s wrong?"
Gregory looked at her for a long mont like he was assessing her from the outside and inside at once.
Then he exhaled. "Tomorrow, another family is coming to see you."
Evelyn closed her eyes, defeated. "Of course they are." And then she scoffed. "It’s not like I have a choice."
lissa opened her mouth to scold Gregory but he lifted a hand.
"There is a way," he said, stepping forward.
Both won froze and looked at each other
lissa leaned forward sharply. "What do you an?"
Gregory’s gaze slid to Evelyn. "If you want all this to stop," he said quietly, "there is only one man I will approve without question."
Evelyn frowned. "Who?"
Gregory didn’t blink and answered almost imdiately. "Alexander Reid."
Evelyn’s breath caught. "W-What?"
lissa’s eyes widened. "Gregory, what are you—? You nearly threw the boy off our property and now you are suggesting his na for marriage?"
She could not understand what her husband was trying to do.
"Yes dear, I am suggesting his na," He then turned his entire focus to Evelyn. "If you agree to marry Alexander—" he said, "I will stop looking for suitors, imdiately."
Evelyn’s heart thundered.
"I—I can’t," she whispered, stepping back. "Dad, I like him but marriage? Now? It’s too soon. It’s too much."
She had barely told him that she liked him and they had been only on two dates if one considered the first one too. And now she was supposed to marry him?
Nothing made sense to her.
lissa stood, absolutely stunned.
"Gregory," she said sharply, "You were furious with Alexander two days ago. You said he was out of Evelyn’s life then why this sudden change?"
Gregory didn’t answer her but his eyes were locked on his daughter with a mix of pressure and sothing else she couldn’t na.
"I am giving you a choice," he said. "And I expect you to pick one soon. We don’t have ti to waste."
Evelyn felt her breath shorten. "Dad, this doesn’t feel like a choice."
Gregory’s face didn’t soften, not even a little.
lissa watched him with growing suspicion because this wasn’t love-driven and it was definitely not a fatherly fear.
Sothing was behind this, sothing he wasn’t saying and lissa knew her husband enough to see it.
But Gregory kept his voice steady, refusing to reveal much. "Either you marry Alexander or you marry soone of my choosing."
Evelyn felt her world tilt. She stared at him, betrayed and hurt.
"Why are you doing this to ?" she whispered. "Why now and why marriage? I am ready for marriage, dad."
Gregory swallowed but didn’t back down. "I am doing this because I am your father and I know what is best for you."
lissa finally snapped. "Or because soone twisted you into believing this is the only path."
Gregory shot her a warning look but didn’t deny it.
"Choice is yours and I will be waiting for an answer," he said before walking out."
Evelyn helplessly looked at her mother, not knowing what to do.
"I will talk to him." lissa gave her a reassuring look before following her husband.
....
[The Master Bedroom]
The mont Gregory closed the bedroom door behind him, lissa rounded on him and didn’t ease into the confrontation.
"Gregory Carter," she snapped, "what on earth was that?"
Gregory sighed, loosening his tie and refusing to look at her.
"Not now, lissa. I am tired." He tried to shrug her off but lissa wasn’t in a mood to back down.
"Oh, no," she fired back, stepping in front of him. "You don’t get to hide behind ’tired.’ You owe an explanation."
He closed his eyes but didn’t respond.
lissa took a deep breath, struggling to control the anger trembling through her voice.
"You were ready to tear Alexander’s head, you dragged our daughter away from him like she was doing sothing wrong and now suddenly you want her to marry him?"
Gregory’s jaw tightened.
lissa continued, trying her best to control her trembling voice. "Do you even hear how insane that sounds?"
He finally looked up but his expression hardened. "Evelyn will turn twenty-nine next month."
"So?" lissa shot back imdiately. "So what, Gregory? She is twenty-eight now, not eighty."
"It is the perfect age for marriage," he said firmly. "It always has been and she is at a stage where she needs stability."
.....
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