Chapter 3 A Curse

Eventually, the Palmer family made the decision to let Kathryn come back.

Not long after, Kathryn caught wind of the backlash-the choice had sparked a serious confrontation between Rhett and his current wife, Rebecca Palmer.

Later that same day, Kathryn completed her initial blood donation for Anna.

Because Anna had lost a dangerous amount of blood, several more transfusions were scheduled for the upcoming days.

To ensure convenience and comfort, the hospital arranged for Kathryn to stay in one of their VIP suites.

Out of nowhere, her phone vibrated.

She reached for it and glanced at the screen. A message from her friend, Lindsay Simpson, had just arrived.

"The Knight family's heir, Evan Knight, is searching the entire city. He's looking for a woman, around twenty, with medical knowledge and a black crescent tattoo on her collarbone."

With a light-hearted tone, Kathryn replied, "That's odd. Sounds like me."

Lindsay's response came almost instantly. "I'm not kidding! What if he's actually looking for you?"

"That's impossible. I've never even met the guy."

"Are you absolutely certain you didn't tick him off somehow? Try to remember."

Kathryn rolled her eyes at the screen, amused and annoyed by Lindsay's imagination.

"I haven't even been back in Wrille for long. It's probably just some weird coincidence. Don't stress," Kathryn responded.

Lindsay didn't send anything after that.

Their exchange ended without further discussion.

Still feeling a strange sense of unease, Kathryn opened her internet browser and ran a quick search.

As soon as she typed in Evan's name, the screen showed a single, bold line: "Evan Knight, twenty-eight years old."

That was all the information provided.

Kathryn sat staring at the screen, her expression unreadable.

Why so much secrecy?

Driven by curiosity, she retrieved her tablet from her suitcase, inserted a USB stick, and began typing commands rapidly as lines of code streamed across the screen.

Before long, the cascading lines of code vanished, replaced by a stark, black-and-white messaging interface.

"Hey, help me look into someone."

"Who is it?"

Without delay, Kathryn replied, "Evan Knight."

"Understood. Give me three days."

Receiving that confirmation, Kathryn closed the window and powered off her tablet.

At the same moment, Lakeside Villa, nestled in one of Wrille's most elite neighborhoods, shone brightly from every corner.

"Any updates?"

Evan stood tall by the large bedroom window.

Despite the bandages and bruises, his commanding presence had not dulled in the slightest.

A cigarette rested loosely between his fingers, its tip flickering softly in the dim light.

Standing nearby, Kayce Wilson kept his gaze lowered. "Nothing so far, sir."

Evan's eyes narrowed, and he pressed the cigarette into the ashtray before speaking with quiet authority. "Keep looking."

"Understood."

Kayce reached into the inside pocket of his coat and produced a gold-stamped envelope, offering it with both hands.

"There's something else you should see."

Evan's gaze shifted to the envelope, and a shadow of confusion crossed his face. "Who sent it?"

"It's from the Palmer family. They're hosting a banquet to welcome Rhett's illegitimate daughter back home, and Mr. Andrew Palmer specifically asked for your presence."

"Asked, or demanded?" Evan asked, one corner of his mouth lifting in a cold, amused smile.

Kayce paused briefly before asking, "Would you like me to send a refusal?"

These sorts of invitations were usually tossed aside without a second thought.

If Andrew, the head of the Palmer family, hadn't personally insisted, Kayce wouldn't have gone to the trouble of handing over the invitation face-to-face.

Evan reached for the envelope, his gaze darkening with curiosity.

Whoever this illegitimate daughter was, she must have made quite the impression. For the Palmer family to pull this level of effort, she had to be something else.

He abruptly changed his mind. "No. Tell Andrew... I'll attend."

On the day of the banquet, the skies were clear, with sunlight stretching across the city.

Kathryn left the hospital and steered her car toward the mountainous outskirts.

The path was steep and twisted, yet she drove with the confidence of someone who knew every bend.

Eventually, she arrived at a secluded, unnamed grave-her mother's resting place. No marker stood there, only a lumpy patch of earth hidden beneath layers of untamed weeds.

Without the countless visits she'd made over the years, even she might have missed it.

Kathryn lowered herself onto the ground and began pulling the grass away with care.

Each motion was slow and deliberate, as though she feared disturbing the silence of the grave.

After some time, she bowed deeply and rested her forehead against the chilled soil. She remained completely motionless.

It wouldn't be long now. Her mother was finally close to receiving the justice she had been denied.

Eventually, Kathryn rose to her feet and turned away, not once glancing back.

The banquet was scheduled for later in the day. Once back at her hotel, she changed into a formal dress and called in a makeup artist to handle her appearance.

By the time the preparations were complete, the sky had already begun to darken.

She was slightly behind schedule. Her phone screen was filled with missed calls-over twenty from Rhett.

Still, Kathryn moved at her own pace. After heading downstairs to retrieve something, she made final arrangements and got ready to leave.

Meanwhile, at the Palmer family's estate, the guests waited expectantly for the mysterious "long-lost daughter" to finally show.

Minutes dragged by, yet the person of honor remained absent. The sound of hushed voices began to stir throughout the venue.

Rebecca, more displeased than anyone else, wore her frustration openly.

She never did bother concealing how she felt and said, "The second I saw the date, I knew she had bad intentions. Of all days, she went and picked her mother's death anniversary. She's doing this to stir the pot, no question about it!"

Her face twisted into a scowl, and her tone cut like glass. "Isn't it suspicious? Right after Anna's car crash, the whole city ran dry of Rh-negative blood. And just like that, she showed up? That girl's a curse. As long as she's here, peace won't stand a chance in this house."

Each word landed with biting precision.

Rhett sat silent, his head lowered. A vein throbbed visibly at his temple.

At that moment, a disturbance broke out at the entrance.