Chapter 155: A party for Evelyn
The day of the party...
The banquet hall had been decorated lavishly. Warm lights bathed the room with a golden glow. Elegant floral arrangements adorned every table.
Friends, business associates, and relatives filled the hall, all gathered to celebrate Evelyn’s recovery.
"You regained your eyesight," one of the guests said warmly. "Thank goodness. When we heard about your accident, we were so shocked."
"Then you fell into a coma," another woman chimed in. "We thought you might never wake up."
Evelyn smiled politely.
"Please, don’t say such things," Vivian interrupted as she approached them. "That’s bad luck."
Everyone turned toward her.
Vivian smiled at Evelyn. "Today is a day of celebration. Let’s not ruin the mood by talking about unpleasant things."
Hearing her, the women immediately apologized.
"I didn’t mean to upset you," the first woman said. She glanced at the others as if silently asking them to support her. "I only said it because I was worried about you."
"Yes, we didn’t mean to hurt you," another woman added. "Please forgive us if we offended you."
"It’s alright," Evelyn said calmly. "You only said the truth. Why would I be upset?"
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
"I heard Dr. Ian Whitmore assisted with your surgery," Vivian said casually. "That’s surprising. It seems he isn’t as cold-hearted as you thought."
Evelyn looked up at her. The smile on her face froze.
A flicker of anticipation rose in her chest.
She wanted to believe Vivian’s words. More than anything, she wanted to know whether Ian had finally developed even the slightest feeling for her.
"By the way, where is he?" Vivian asked. "Is he coming? You invited him, didn’t you?"
Evelyn’s expression fell.
She had invited him. She had secretly hoped he would come—not for her, perhaps, but for Leo. Yet there was still no sign of him.
’He must be busy again,’ she told herself. ’He won’t come.’
Seeing her silence, Vivian’s lips curved subtly. A strange sense of satisfaction filled her.
She had never gotten the man she loved. She couldn’t see others being happy. Evelyn should remain just as miserable, without the love she wanted.
"Oh, Eve... Don’t be upset," Vivian said sympathetically. "He has become the department head at the hospital. He must be busy. Perhaps he is in surgery."
She glanced at the women around them. "Saving lives is his priority."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Evelyn’s fingers tightened around the sides of her gown.
For some reason, their words made her feel as though she were the unreasonable one, as though everyone understood Ian except her.
She forced a smile. "I’m not upset."
It was a lie. She had wanted him to come. Not seeing him had left a hollow ache in her chest. But she refused to let anyone see her disappointment.
"Yes, he is a busy man," she continued, forcing her voice to remain calm. "If he manages to take some time out, he will come. Even if he doesn’t, it’s alright."
She looked around at the women. "Excuse me. I’ll go check on my son. Enjoy yourselves."
She turned and walked away.
The moment her back was turned to them, the smile disappeared from her face. Her patience finally snapped.
’He hasn’t changed at all. I specifically told him to come for Leo, yet he still wouldn’t come. He simply doesn’t care.’
At first, she had been disappointed. But the longer she thought about it, the more irritation and hurt built inside her.
She picked up a glass of wine from a passing waitress and emptied it in one gulp.
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for coming tonight." Elias’s voice boomed through the speakers, drawing everyone’s attention.
Heads turned toward the stage.
Elias stood on the dais in an immaculate black suit, looking every bit the commanding heir of the Rowan family. Beside him stood Elena in a stunning red gown.
"Today, we are here to celebrate my twin sister, Evelyn," Elias continued. "As you all know, she was involved in a serious accident a few months ago. She fell into a coma, and when she finally woke up, she had lost her eyesight."
The hall fell silent.
"But today, I’m happy to tell you that she has made a complete recovery."
A thunderous round of applause erupted throughout the hall.
Evelyn’s eyes shimmered with emotion. The ache in her heart was still there. But as she looked around at Elias and Elena, she realized she wasn’t alone.
She had a family who loved her, a son who adored her, a brother who had never abandoned her, and Elena, who had risked her own life to protect Leo.
The warmth slowly chased away the bitterness in her heart.
"Evelyn, please come up."
Evelyn smiled and walked toward the stage.
Elena stepped forward and reached for her hands. "You look beautiful."
"And you look gorgeous," Evelyn replied with a smile.
Elias handed the microphone to her. "Say something."
Evelyn hesitated. Then she took the microphone.
She looked around the hall, her eyes slowly filling with tears.
"Thank you," she began softly. "Thank you all for coming here today and celebrating this moment with me."
Her hands trembled slightly as she faced the hall full of guests. "A few months ago, I wasn’t sure whether I would ever stand in a room like this again."
She paused, swallowing the lump in her throat. "For a long time, I was afraid. I wondered if this was what my life would be like forever."
Her fingers tightened around the microphone. "But I was never truly alone."
She looked toward Elias. "My brother stayed beside me through everything. When I had no idea what would happen to me, he searched for the best doctors, arranged the best treatment, and never once allowed me to lose hope."
Her eyes turned watery. "Elias, I don’t know how I could have survived those days without you."
Elias smiled warmly.
Then Evelyn turned toward Elena. "And then there is Elena."
Her voice softened. "She took care of my son when I couldn’t. She became the person Leo could depend on when I was lying in that hospital bed."
Her eyes filled with tears. "And when those men came to kidnap Leo, she didn’t think about her own safety. She fought them. She was injured protecting him."
Evelyn wiped away a tear. "I don’t know how I could ever repay you for that."
Elena’s eyes grew moist.
Evelyn took a deep breath. "There is one more person I want to thank."
Her heart clenched. For a moment, she couldn’t bring herself to say his name. Even after everything that had happened between them, his name still carried a strange weight in her heart.
She forced herself to smile. "Ian Whitmore."
The crowd became quiet.
"He spent countless hours studying my condition and helping the doctors understand what had caused my temporary blindness. He assisted with my surgery."
She paused. "If it weren’t for him, I might not be standing here today."
She lowered the microphone slightly. There were so many things she wanted to say.
’Thank you, Ian. Thank you for finally showing me that you cared, even if it was too late.’
But she kept those words locked inside her heart.
Elias stepped forward and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
"Don’t cry."
He gently took the microphone from her before handing her a file.
"And since today is a day of celebration, I have another surprise for you."
Evelyn blinked. "For me? What is it?"
"Open it."
She eagerly opened the file. The moment she saw the documents inside, her eyes widened.
"What?"
It was the ownership deed for a two-story commercial building in one of the city’s most prestigious districts.
Elias smiled. "I bought you a new store for your jewelry business."
Evelyn stared at the documents in disbelief.
"You can move your office there," he said. "It’s yours."
Tears immediately gathered in her eyes. "Thank you," she whispered, breaking into a wide smile. "I’ll move my office there."
Elena stepped forward and hugged her. "Congratulations."
"Thank you."
Amid the crowd, Ian watched the scene quietly. A faint smile touched his lips. His eyes shimmered with complicated emotions.
He was genuinely relieved to see Evelyn happy. But beneath that happiness was an ache he couldn’t ignore.
’She doesn’t need me anymore.’ His heart felt heavy. ’It’s okay. She deserves to be happy. If she can be happy without me, I won’t disturb her life again.’
"Daddy!" Leo’s cheerful voice pulled him out of his thoughts.
Ian looked down.
Leo was standing in front of him, grinning brightly.
Ian’s expression softened instantly. He crouched down and pulled his son into his arms.
The moment he held Leo, the emptiness in his chest seemed to disappear.
"Daddy, come and congratulate Mommy," Leo said excitedly.
Ian glanced toward the stage.
Evelyn was smiling. It was a bright, genuine smile he hadn’t seen on her face in a long time.
For a moment, he wanted to walk toward her. But he stopped himself.
What if his presence ruined her happiness? What if she didn’t want him there?
"I brought some toys for you," he said instead. "How about you go and see them first?"
Leo’s eyes immediately lit up. "Yes. I want to see the toys."
"They are inside my car. Come with me."
Ian lifted him into his arms and carried him out of the hall.