Chapter 74: His other family.
When the jet landed, it was already the next morning. Elias went straight to the hospital.
The moment he rushed into the room, his gaze landed on the frail woman sitting on the hospital bed.
A grin broke through his lips. His eyes reddened.
"Eve-Evelyn..."
Evelyn sat up. Her eyelashes trembled at the sound of his voice. "Elias?" She stretched her hands, her fingers shaking slightly. "Is that you?"
The smile on Elias’s face vanished right away. A terrible realization struck him.
She wasn’t looking at him. Her unfocused eyes stared into empty space.
Panic seized his chest.
Elias rushed forward and clasped her hands. "What’s wrong with your eyes? Can’t you see me?"
Evelyn’s lips trembled. She could barely utter a word. "When I woke up, I..."
The words caught in her throat.
Pain twisted inside him. Elias pulled her into his embrace, his expression twisting into sorrow.
After that accident, she had been in a coma for months. When he received the news that she had finally awakened, he had been overjoyed. And now, she couldn’t see.
He felt as if someone was tearing him apart.
Years ago, he had watched his parents die before his eyes. Even now, he had not found their killers. Now, he couldn’t protect his sister either.
He felt utterly helpless.
"But don’t worry. The doctor said my condition can be treated." Evelyn mustered a smile.
Elias stared at her.
She had always been like this, strong and resilient.
No matter how difficult life became, she never stopped smiling. She never lost hope.
"One surgery is all I need," Evelyn continued. "Then I’ll regain my vision."
"I’ll find the best doctors in the world for you," Elias promised.
"I know." The smile on her face faded slowly. Fatigue crept into her features. "I am tired of being here. Take me home."
Elias nodded. "I will."
A faint smile appeared on his lips. "Grandpa misses you."
At the mention of her grandfather, tears welled up in her eyes. "How is he?"
"He is doing well," Elias smiled. "Right now, he is busy preparing for his birthday celebration."
"His birthday?" Evelyn exclaimed. But that excitement vanished instantly. Sorrow clouded her face. "I should have been the one arranging everything. And now, I am like this."
She lowered her head. "He’ll be upset when he finds out I can’t see."
"You woke up. That’s all that matters. Your blindness is only temporary. You will recover soon."
"Yes, yes. I know." Her smile returned. "I can’t wait to see Grandpa again."
"This time, I’ll introduce you to someone important at this party."
Evelyn groaned dramatically. "Are you trying to play matchmaker again? Save your effort. I’m not getting married a second time. You should worry about yourself instead. You are almost thirty. It’s time for you to get married."
"I am already married," he revealed.
Evelyn gasped, pleasantly surprised. "Really? When did that miracle happen? Who is that lucky girl? Is it Vivian?"
Question after question rolled out of her tongue, her excitement unmistakable.
Unfortunately, she couldn’t see the frown that crept up his brow.
"Eve?" Elias muttered. "Do you seriously think I’ll marry Vivian?"
Evelyn paused. She had always known Vivian liked Elias. The two families had even hoped they would eventually get together. Naturally, she assumed they had married under family pressure.
But hearing his annoyed tone, she realized it was not the case.
"So it wasn’t Vivian?
"No..."
"Then who is it?"
"The one I’ve been looking for."
Something sparked inside her brain. She instantly remembered an old incident.
"Wait." She narrowed her eyes, as if she were trying to look at his face. "You found that girl from school?"
Elias grinned, then clicked his tongue. "Tsk. Grandpa found her."
Evelyn groaned impatiently. "Stop speaking in riddles, okay? Tell me everything clearly."
Chuckling, Elias explained how their grandfather had first met Elena.
"Grandpa talked about her constantly," he said. "Eventually, he told me to marry her. At first, I planned to meet her and turn her down politely. But when I saw her, I changed my mind."
A warmth entered his eyes. "She was the girl I always wanted to be with."
Nostalgia crossed his face. "Five years ago, when I returned to my hometown, I looked for her. But I discovered she already had someone she loved. I thought I was late. So, I never bothered her."
The corner of his lips curled upward. "But recently, I found out she broke up with that man. He was cheating on her. And I didn’t want to miss the chance again. I immediately accepted Grandpa’s proposal and married her."
For a brief moment, Evelyn thought about her own failed marriage. The suffocating feeling surfaced in her chest. But she dismissed that thought immediately and pulled a smile over her face.
"Is she good to you?"
"She is adorable, kind, and caring." Elias couldn’t stop talking about Elena. The more he talked, the happier he appeared.
"You will love her."
Evelyn squeezed his hand. "As long as you are happy, that’s all I care about."
Elias looked around the room. "By the way, where is Leo? He called me so excitedly, and now, he is nowhere to be found."
"He was right here," replied Evelyn. "The housekeeper took him out for breakfast. They should be back soon."
Just as she finished speaking, the door clicked open.
Elias turned and saw Leo coming in with the housekeeper.
Leo froze at the doorstep the moment he saw Elias. His gray eyes sparkled with joy.
"Uncle! You are here." He ran forward.
Elias scooped him up into his arms and lifted Leo off his feet, grinning.
Leo giggled. He wrapped his tiny arms around his neck. "I missed you."
"I missed you, too." He sat down beside Evelyn, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, Leo still in his lap. "I missed both of you. And we are going home together to celebrate Grandpa’s birthday."
Evelyn let out a sigh in relief. A shadow crossed her face.
She had not told him the full truth. The chance of recovering her vision was slim. Even after the surgery, there was no guarantee that her eyes would be cured.
She didn’t know if she would ever be able to see her son’s face again. But she was relieved that she still had her brother, who would take care of her and Leo.
Leaning against his shoulder, she finally allowed herself to relax.
Unaware of them, a man stood outside the room.
Through the glass panel, he secretly snapped several photographs. A sly smile appeared on his face.
"So he already has a family."
He immediately sent the pictures to a familiar number.
Tessa had just arrived at the office and was preparing for her meeting with Ryan Brook.
Her phone vibrated on the table. She frowned slightly as she picked up the phone and checked the message.
Her expression stiffened momentarily before a grin surfaced on her lips.
"Elena’s new husband already has a child," she murmured, a twisted sense of excitement coursing through her veins. "This is going to be interesting."
She leaned back in her chair. Arrogance filled her expression.
"Elena, you proudly announced your marriage to the world. You enjoyed your victory too soon. You turned Noah against me."
She held up the phone and stared at the photograph.
"And now, I want to see what happens when you discover the true face of the man you are relying on."
A vile smile appeared. "Let’s see if your marriage survives this."