Chapter 145

[Third-Person’s POV]

Wendy Kington found it hard to believe that she had to do this very same jaunt to Alexander’s office, yet again. The last time she had made this same journey to the other side of the house was back when Alexander was struggling to grasp the idea of Michael being back in the picture.

How many more times was she going to have to step in to save her grandson’s marriage?

Why was it so difficult for Alexander to comprehend that Evelyn was truly the best thing that had ever happened to him?

Wendy knew from her very first meeting with Evelyn that she was the perfect match for him. Sure, Rena was beautiful—but the other girl didn’t hold many other prospects. Rena had proven herself to be a fortune hunter and a status seeker.

Had she just given Alexander the time, support, and encouragement he needed at the time, things may have actually worked out between them. No matter, Wendy was a strong believer that everything happened for a specific reason.

A large part of her believed in fate. But, sometimes, there were moments when even fate needed a little push in the proper direction to continue onward. And that was exactly what Wendy was doing.

So, there she was, making her way toward Alexander’s office once more with a deep scowl painted across her face. She was furious at her grandson’s behavior toward Evelyn and was determined to see it fixed.

Right as she reached the office, she threw open the door and marched on in. Alexander lifted his head up from his desk while Oliver silently excused himself. He knew better than to get in the middle of whatever was about to go down.

“Hello, Grandmother—”

She held up her hand and silenced him. “Save it,” she said.

Alexander briefly closed his eyes and tilted his head back into his chair. He knew what was coming. The lecture.

In truth, Alexander had been juggling a number of things all while thinking about his relationship with Evelyn. He’d meant to reach out to her at some point but lost track of time. A wave of guilt came over him when he’d glanced out the window to already find that the sun had set well beneath the horizon.

He really had meant to talk to her. Part of him wanted to let go of the past while the other half was still holding on to the pain of being deceived.

“Evelyn told me what happened at that dinner party,” Wendy noted.

He let out a humorless laugh and shook his head. “It was...Tense.”

Curling a brow, Wendy took a seat in one of the available chairs.

“You and I both know that entire evening was nothing but a setup.”

Alexander rubbed the sides of his head and let out a groan. “I know.”

“Then why the hell are you, once again, taking your emotions out on Evelyn when the one thing you should be doing is talking it out?”

“We did talk it out,” he said insistently.

Her tone was laced with skepticism. “Did you?”

“Yes! And I’ll tell you that I think I have a right to be feeling a bit pissed off at the fact that my own wife only married me under the sheer motive of obtaining money—”

“Money that went directly to helping her brother’s medical expenses,” she said pointedly.

Alexander let out a long breath. “I should have known this from the very beginning,” he claimed.

Wendy sat back in her chair and gave her grandson a puzzled look.

“Let’s not go throwing stones,” she told him. “You both used this arranged marriage to your own advantage. You seem to forget the fact that I know you very, very well, Alexander. I know that you’d frightened off the first two women that the Alpha King had tried to set you up with. For years you’d been telling me that you have no use for a wife, yet you agreed to go through the wedding when it happened. Why?”

Alexander felt as though he’d taken a backhand to the side of his face. An even deeper feeling of shame sank through him.

“I did it to keep the King off my back,” he said gruffly. “But I also agreed to go through with it because of how determined Evelyn was at the time.”

“Yes, and now you know why she was so determined. It wasn’t for her benefit, but her brother’s.What I’m trying to get at here is why are you punishing her when you’re just as at fault?”

“I’m angry because I feel like I've been used.”

Wendy shook her head. “If that’s the case, then Evelyn should feel the exact same way as you because essentially you used her too.”

“It’s different.”

The corner of her eye twitched. “Do you think what she had to go through was easy?” she asked. “A young girl, whose entire future was about to be taken from her by a man she had never met, was forced to make a choice. Either surrender her own life so that her own brother could have a future; or, keep her freedom but lose her brother in return.”

His brows furrowed in thought.

“Think about this, while you’re at it,” she prompted. “Who’s life ended up changing more drastically since this marriage started? Hers? Or yours?”

Alexander knew the answer to that question as well; however, he wasn’t about to give Wendy the satisfaction of saying it quite yet.

It was obvious that it had been Evelyn’s life that’d taken on the major change. She was the one who had to move into the manor. She was the one who essentially took on the roles and responsibilities as Luna. She was expected to act, speak, and appear in a certain manner when out in public.

Alexander took a moment to himself to think back to the earlier days of their marriage and marveled at how different Evelyn was compared to now.

Meanwhile, what kind of alteration had he undergone? Practically nothing.

“Evelyn’s,” he murmured.

“I know you can’t relate to this, Alexander. For Christ’s sake, you just sent your own Stepbrother to prison this past week. This about this...What if the roles had been reversed.”

“What do you mean?”

“What if it were me in Edward’s place and you were the one who was desperate for money to keep my treatments going? And the only way you were going to make it possible was if you were to marry Evelyn.”

His eyes widened in shock that she would even suggest such a thing. Unfortunately, she had a point. He would have done everything in his power to ensure that Wendy would get better. The woman was as close to a mother figure as he’d ever had. Of course, he would have done anything in his power to help her.

So, why on earth am I holding this against Evelyn?

“I have to fix this,” he said. “Now.”

Just as he got up from his desk, both Oliver and Nina came rushing into the office. They both wore an anxious look on their face, causing Alexander’s heart to drop.

“Wendy, I can’t get a hold of Evelyn,” Nina said.

Alexander felt as if he was struck up the side of the head. “Wait, you’re saying that Evelyn isn’t even in the house?”

Where the hell had she gone?

“Last we were told, Evelyn had left to confront Isabella.”

His mouth fell open. “She fucking did what?!”