Chapter 160

The phone line fell into an eerie silence.

Emily Anderson's voice trembled with tears. "Evelyn, I—"

"Meet me at the café across from your tutoring center," Evelyn Carter cut her off. "Peter is getting the car."

"Okay, I'll be right there."

When Emily arrived, her school uniform collar was still unbuttoned.

Evelyn's gaze lingered on her sister's exposed neck.

"Zip it up."

Emily fumbled with her clothes, her ears turning red. "Evelyn!"

"Minors need to learn self-protection."

Peter Harrison's car pulled up by the curb.

In the rearview mirror, a white Cayenne maintained a steady distance behind them.

"That car behind us..." Peter frowned.

Emily whirled around. "Isn't that Alex—"

"Stay seated." Evelyn fastened her seatbelt. "We'll talk at home."

Footsteps echoed through the stairwell of the old apartment building.

Emily hesitated by the second-floor window, biting her lip.

Evelyn marched upstairs. As her key turned in the lock, their father's furious roar erupted. "You dare come home now?!"

"Fine, I'll leave!" Emily slammed the door behind her.

Their mother wrung her hands. "Andrew, have you lost your mind? She's taking college entrance exams soon!"

"Look at how she behaves!" Their father jabbed a finger at Evelyn. "Why can't she be more like her sister?"

Evelyn stood by the window.

The Cayenne's headlights glowed below.

"I'll find her."

Dead leaves scraped against her ankles in the night wind.

A car door thudded shut behind her.

"Evelyn."

She quickened her pace, but a burning hand closed around her wrist.

"Let go!"

Alexander Hamilton's palm radiated heat. "You're going the wrong way."

"Not your concern."

"Your sister ran east."

Evelyn wrenched free. "Alexander, don't you have anything better to do? Is Hamilton Group collapsing? Doesn't Annabelle need you?"

The streetlamp stretched his shadow long across the pavement.

"I just—"

"Stay away from my family." She turned on her heel.

His voice followed her. "The road ahead is under construction."

Evelyn halted.

Moonlight revealed dark circles beneath Alexander's eyes.

"There's a side gate at the construction site," he said softly. "I'll show you."