Chapter 437

The chill deepened with each passing day until the first snowflakes began dancing through the night sky. Snow was a rare visitor in Veridian City—when it did appear, it barely dusted the tree branches before melting away, never given the chance to accumulate.

But as Evelyn Carter and Alexander Kensington traveled toward Elmsworth, the landscape transformed before their eyes. What had been mere icy drizzle in Veridian became proper snowfall the farther north they went. No longer just frozen droplets, but proper feathery flakes that blanketed everything in sight. By the time they reached the Hawthorne estate, the snowdrifts along the roadside reached past their ankles.

"Veridian and Elmsworth aren't that far apart geographically," Evelyn mused, stepping out of the car and catching a snowflake on her glove. "Yet the weather difference is astonishing." The snow clung to her hair and shoulders, refusing to melt immediately. It had been years since she'd seen proper snowfall, and despite everything, she felt her spirits lift at the sight.

Alexander draped a cashmere shawl around her shoulders and pressed a steaming mug of cocoa into her hands. The car's thermos kept drinks piping hot during their journey, and though it couldn't compare to homemade, the rich chocolate aroma provided comfort against the winter chill. "That's the house ahead," he said gently. "It's been quite some time since your last visit, hasn't it?"

Evelyn took a slow sip, letting the warmth spread through her. "Six or seven years, at least," she admitted. She hadn't returned since leaving for university—too busy with studies, then research projects, then fieldwork. Always another reason to stay away.

Her grandfather, Reginald Hawthorne, was too proud to ever ask her back. "If she doesn't want to come home, let her stay gone!" she could practically hear him growl. In her memories, there was little affection—just endless drills, lessons, and tests. Even at home, there were no lazy mornings or carefree days. A full night's sleep had been a rare luxury.

After her mother's death, Evelyn had convinced herself that any familial bond had died with her. As a child, she might have craved that connection, but adulthood brought different priorities—freedom above all else. Even solitude was preferable to the suffocating expectations of the Hawthorne name.

The final fracture came when she began dating Dominic Reeves. Her grandfather, who'd shown no interest in her life for years, suddenly erupted in outrage at her relationship with an "ordinary" man. His disapproval only strengthened her resolve, and she'd severed ties completely.

"Evelyn?" Alexander's voice pulled her from her thoughts. His storm-gray eyes held quiet concern. "You were miles away."

She forced a smile. "Just remembering."

"If this is too difficult, we can turn back," he offered for what must have been the tenth time that day.

She shook her head firmly. "No. It's time." However painful, she couldn't avoid this forever. Now that she and Alexander were serious, her family deserved to know—whether they cared or not.

Alexander disposed of her empty mug before taking her hand firmly in his. The silent support steadied her. Whatever awaited in that house, she wouldn't face it alone.

The Hawthorne estate loomed ahead, its gabled roofs frosted white, as they made their way up the snow-covered drive.