Chapter 2

Early the next morning, the jewelry appraiser knocked on the door.

After Evelyn handed over the items, she turned and saw Aidan standing behind her.

His face darkened. "Did you sell everything I bought you?"

Evelyn's eyelashes trembled. Of course she sold them-they were what he owed her. "No, I sent them for maintenance."

Aidan sighed in relief and reached out to pat her head. "You scared me. I thought you didn't like my gifts."

Evelyn subtly dodged his touch. It was her father's memorial day, and in three years, Aidan had never joined her to pay respects.

She once thought he resented her father, but now she knew he was likely afraid to face him.

"Aidan, today is the third anniversary of my dad's passing. Will you come with me to visit his grave?" She stared into his eyes, searching for any trace of remorse. If he felt even a hint of guilt, he would go to her father's grave, kneel, and apologize.

Aidan sensed something different about Evelyn today. She had never made such a request before. Seeing the grief in her eyes, he found himself unable to refuse. "Okay, I'll go with you."

Jonny was buried near a small river in the suburbs, the same place where Evelyn first met Aidan.

Back then, Aidan and his classmates were sketching in the suburbs when he slipped into the rain-swollen river. Jonny and Evelyn passed by and saved him.

To show gratitude, the Harrisons hired Jonny as their driver and arranged for Evelyn to attend Aidan's school, covering all her tuition.

That was when Evelyn fell for Aidan.

She gazed out the window, filled with regret. If she could choose again, she would have stopped her father from saving Aidan. But life offered no do-overs.

Aidan, recalling the past, grew solemn. Evelyn spoke softly. "Aidan, how did you fall into the river that year?"

A smile crept onto his lips. "My classmate insisted I catch a frog for him. I lost my balance and fell in. Luckily..."

He stopped abruptly, glancing at Evelyn. Her eyes were red, her lips curled in faint disdain. "So you still remember."

Aidan's heart skipped a beat, realizing he was supposed to be amnesiac and shouldn't recall such details. "My classmates mentioned it at a reunion. How would I remember that?"

His eyes darted nervously, avoiding Evelyn's gaze.

Bitterness rose in her throat. If he remembered her father's kindness back then, he wouldn't have let him die.

A sudden phone ring broke the silence.

Perhaps the car was too quiet, or Aidan's phone was too loud, but Evelyn heard Dayna's excited voice on the other end. "Aidan, I came back early! I'm at the airport. Can you pick me up?"

A fond smile spread across Aidan's gloomy face. "Sure, wait for me."

Evelyn watched his expression shift, her heart twisting like a knife.

Aidan hung up and noticed her staring. He spoke awkwardly. "Sorry, sweetheart, there's an urgent company matter. I have to head back."

Evelyn's disappointment stung, but she nodded with a bitter smile. Of course, a dead man couldn't compare to his fiancée.

"We're close to the cemetery. I'll have the driver drop you off, and you can walk the rest of the way. I'll make you something delicious tonight, okay?" Aidan kissed her cheek and had her get out of the car.

Evelyn furiously wiped the spot he kissed until her cheek burned with pain, then stopped.

A few steps later, a bolt of lightning cracked, followed by a torrential downpour. Aidan's car vanished into the rain.

Covered in mud, Evelyn knelt before her father's grave.

She hugged the tombstone, her heart heavy with grief, yet no tears fell. "Dad, I'm leaving. I may not visit often, but trust me, I'll make Aidan kneel before you and confess."

On her way back, Claire called the city's top law firm. "I need your best team to help me fight a case. Name your price."