Chapter 57

“Damn, Lucas, your reflexes failed me. That could’ve been bad,” Mason exhaled, shaking his head as the tension settled. All eyes turned to Tiffany. She had also been near the grill. Tiffany, always poised, offered a reassuring reply. “I’m fine. Nothing’s wrong.”

The one who had actually caused the commotion—Sophia—shed a few tears, gripping Tiffany’s hands like she was on the verge of collapse. “I swear I didn’t mean to! That scared the hell out of me, Tiffany. I’m so sorry!”

Tiffany parted her lips slightly. “I’m okay, really.”

Evelyn’s eyebrows curled slightly. She then understood that Lucas hadn’t jumped in to protect Tiffany because he thought she was in danger. It had been about Tiffany. The only reason he had reacted so fast—recklessly—was that it was only ever about her.

Lucas—always composed, always unreadable—had lost his cool for one person. And it wasn’t for Evelyn.

Jason, who had been keeping an eye on Evelyn, seemed to check her over for injuries before finally relaxing back into his seat.

Fiona’s voice, laced with concern, asked, “Evelyn, are you sure you’re okay? Let me see.”

Evelyn shook her head.

Sebastian’s expression shifted subtly. He glanced at Lucas, who was still shielding Tiffany, and asked, “Mr. Grant, did you not see that Evelyn almost got burned too?”

Evelyn had been the closest to the grill. Tiffany had never really been in danger. Only then did Lucas finally shift his gaze toward Evelyn. His tone was calm and indifferent as he responded, “Oh? I didn’t notice.”

Evelyn’s chest tightened, and her breath hitched. Lucas didn’t even have a second to spare for her. Even his voice was cold, showing no concern for whether she was hurt or not. The only person he truly cared about was Tiffany.

Sebastian was at a loss for words. For the first time, he truly understood what Evelyn had been through these past three years. Lucas had never cared about her. His disregard for her was…

The campsite was lively, with over twenty people gathered in separate groups. Yet, Evelyn suddenly felt exhausted. Wrapping herself in a cashmere shawl, she walked back to her tent and sat outside. The view there was breathtaking—the air was crisp and unpolluted, and the night sky stretched out above her, vast and brilliant with stars. She let herself enjoy the silence, embracing the solitude.

Whatever Lucas and the others were talking about now, she had no interest in keeping up with. Throughout the evening, Fiona stopped by several times, bringing Evelyn a hand warmer and a thermos flask filled with hot water. Fiona was sweet and thoughtful despite her age. She said, “If you need anything, just call. I’m in the tent right next to yours. Don’t worry about bothering me.”

For the first time that night, Evelyn’s mood lightened. She said, “Okay.”

A little later, Jason arrived. Evelyn noticed him approaching and wasn’t planning to say anything, but the silence felt awkward. She finally asked, “So, you don’t feel like hanging out with them?” Jason wasn’t sure how he had even ended up in Evelyn’s tent. He hesitated for a second before saying, “It’s going to get colder tonight. Stay warm.”

Evelyn simply replied, “Okay.” She found his behavior a little strange lately. Jason had never bothered talking to her before; he had always carried an air of disdain and disinterest toward her, but he seemed different now. Noticing the awkward silence between them, Jason hesitated before suddenly asking, “I saw your Instagram post about being in the hospital a while back. Are you feeling better now?” Evelyn froze for a moment. It had been almost a month since she went to the hospital.

Back then, she had hoped Lucas would go with her, but he never showed up. He broke his promise. He didn’t care about the post on her Instagram either. Or perhaps…

And now, the first person to ask about her health wasn’t Lucas but his friend.

“I’m fine. Thanks for asking,” Evelyn’s expression remained calm.

Absentmindedly, her fingers brushed against her flat stomach. But deep down, her emotions were anything but steady. The specialists had been clear—her condition was complicated. The chances of recovery weren’t high. And she would lose her ability to have children. No matter how much she tried to ignore it, she couldn’t. Perhaps, he never saw it.