Chapter4
959 Words
EVELYN POV
Mrs. Bubbly laughed so hard that Evelyn became even more confused.
"You really do not know who Alais is ?" Mrs Bubbly asked again, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes.
Evelyn slowly shook her head.
"I'm sorry but should I know about him ?"
Mrs. Bubbly looked at her with shock written all over.
"Oh dear... you've been living under a rock."
Before Evelyn could ask another question she heard footsteps coming from the hallway.
The atmosphere instantly changed and she felt her body become tensed.
Every maid standing nearby straightened their backs while some lowered their heads respectfully.
Mrs. Bubbly immediately stopped smiling.
"Alais is awake."
Evelyn frowned.
“You call him Alais?”
She slowly turned around,”Yes I do he is basically my son”
A tall man dressed in a black shirt and gray trousers walked into the kitchen. His hands rested inside his pockets as he moved with confidence.
His expression was unreadable.
Cold.
Sharp.
Powerful.
The moment his eyes landed on Evelyn, time seemed to freeze.
He had imagined this moment for years but nothing could have prepared him for seeing her standing in his house and looking at him.
She looked more tired and had reduced compared to how he remembered.
She looked broken.
Torn.
Fragile.
Her once beautiful big brown eyes were swollen from crying.
She had no makeup.
No jewelry.
No expensive designer dress.
Yet she was still the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.
Alias clenched his jaw.
“Control yourself”
He had waited years.
He could wait a little longer.
Mrs. Bubbly cleared her throat.
"Alais.. she's awake."
Alias nodded once.
"You may leave."
Within seconds everyone disappeared from the kitchen.
Now only the two of them remained.
Silence.
Neither of them spoke.
Evelyn studied the stranger before her.
He looked familiar somehow...
She just couldn't remember where she had seen him.
Finally...
"You brought me here?"
Alias nodded.
"Yes."
"Why?"
"You collapsed."
"I asked why."
His expression remained calm.
"You would've died if I had left you there."
Evelyn folded her arms.
"I don't even know you."
"No."
"You changed my clothes?"
"No."
"My housekeeper did."
She released a small breath she didn't realize she had been holding.
"Who are you?"
Alias walked closer.
"My name is Alias Grand."
She stared.
"I'm supposed to know that?"
For the first time in years...
Alias almost smiled.
"No."
He pulled out a chair.
"Sit."
"I'd rather stand."
"I wasn't asking."
His commanding tone irritated her immediately.
"I'm not your employee."
Alias looked at her for a few seconds before sighing.
"I’m sorry."
That surprised her.
She slowly sat.
Mrs. Bubbly returned with breakfast.
Fresh pancakes.
Eggs.
Fruit.
Coffee.
Orange juice.
The aroma alone made Evelyn's stomach growl.
Embarrassing.
Alias pretended not to notice.
"Eat."
"I'm not hungry."
Her stomach betrayed her again.
Mrs. Bubbly chuckled.
Alias pushed the plate toward her.
"Your stomach disagrees."
For the first time in almost twenty-four hours...
Evelyn smiled.
It was tiny.
Barely noticeable.
But Alias noticed.
And it felt like winning the lottery.
She cautiously picked up a fork.
The first bite almost made her cry.
She hadn't realized how hungry she was.
Alias quietly watched her eat.
She looked exhausted.
Broken.
Yet she still thanked Mrs. Bubbly after every serving.
She's still kind... after everything.
His heart ached.
When she finished eating, she looked at him.
"Thank you."
"You don't owe me thanks."
"I do."
Silence settled again.
Finally she spoke.
"How long have I been here?"
"Since yesterday."
"My phone?"
Alias placed it on the table.
"It was dead."
She grabbed it immediately.
Dozens of missed calls.
Thousands of notifications.
News articles.
Pictures.
Videos.
Lucas kissing May.
Lucas proposing.
Comments calling her pathetic.
Gold digger.
Failure.
Disgraced fiancée.
She quickly switched the phone off.
Tears rolled down her cheeks again.
"I've become a joke."
Alias's fists tightened beneath the table.
"They're the joke."
She laughed bitterly.
"My father disowned me."
"I know."
"My company is gone."
"I know."
"I have nowhere to go."
"I know."
She looked at him suspiciously.
"How do you know so much about me?"
Alias realized he'd said too much.
"I... investigated after I found you."
It wasn't entirely a lie.
She nodded slowly.
"I'll leave after today."
"No."
She blinked.
"What?"
"You'll stay here."
"I can't."
"You can."
"I don't accept charity."
"This isn't charity."
"Then what is it?"
Alias looked directly into her eyes.
"I have a proposal."
Alais POV
Dan stood outside the dining room, watching through the slightly open door.
He sighed.
"So it begins..."
He had watched Alias spend years secretly following Evelyn's achievements from a distance.
He knew every scholarship she'd won,every company she'd built, every award she'd received, every birthday,every heartbreak.
Everything.
Alias never interfered.
Until now.
Dan walked into the office.
"You finally met her."
Alias didn't answer.
"You still plan on telling her?"
"No."
"You think she'll agree to the contract?"
Alias looked out the window.
"She doesn't have another choice."
Dan frowned.
"That's manipulation."
"It's survival."
"For who?"
Alias remained silent.
Dan sighed.
"You love her."
"I do."
"Then don't make the same mistake you made with Sarah."
The room instantly became cold.
Alias's face hardened.
"Leave."
"Alias—"
"I said leave."
Dan walked out.
He knew mentioning Sarah always reopened the wound.
Alias closed his eyes.
He wasn't trying to control Evelyn.
He genuinely wanted to protect her.
But he also knew...
A fake marriage would place her under his name.
No one would dare touch her again.
Not Lucas.
Not May.
Not even the Jandre family.
Whether she hated him or not...
He intended to keep her safe.
Even if it meant becoming the villain in her story.
- Writer
