Chapter 475

Alexander Kensington noticed the gravity in Harrison's expression and the hesitation in his voice. Something was clearly wrong.

He glanced at Evelyn Carter and Sebastian Winslow before rising from the table. Moving a few steps away, he lowered his voice. "What is it?"

Harrison whispered urgently, his words making Alexander's expression darken. Without meaning to, Alexander's gaze flickered toward Evelyn.

That single look was enough to make Evelyn's stomach drop. She didn’t need him to say a word—she already knew something terrible had happened.

"Understood." Alexander gave a curt nod before returning to the dining table, leaving Harrison standing stiffly in place.

Evelyn looked up at him, her fork hovering midair. Across from her, Sebastian remained blissfully unaware, too engrossed in devouring the meal Alexander had prepared. The man had the palate of a food critic, yet none of the social awareness.

Alexander’s eyes lingered on Sebastian for a brief moment before settling on Evelyn. His voice was steady, but the weight behind it was unmistakable.

"There was a fire at Willowbrook Apartments earlier."

Evelyn blinked. "Okay." She waited for him to continue, but then realization struck.

Willowbrook Apartments? That name—

"Isn’t that… where Bella lives?" Her voice wavered as the memory surfaced. She had dropped Isabella Thornton off there twice before. The complex was just a short distance from their office.

Alexander confirmed it with a nod.

Evelyn shot to her feet, her chair scraping against the floor. "Then Bella—"

"The entire building was engulfed. Most residents were taken to Mercy General. We’re still gathering details."

Harrison had received the news first and immediately relayed it to him.

"I need to go there!" Evelyn gasped, already turning toward the door, but Alexander caught her wrist.

"The firefighters and paramedics are handling it. They’re professionals. Rushing there won’t help—you’ll only get in the way. Stay calm. Harrison’s tracking updates. The moment we hear about Bella, we’ll know."

His reasoning was sound, but logic did little to ease the panic clawing at Evelyn’s chest.

In all her years at DR Holdings, Isabella had been her only true friend. The woman had defended her against Dominic Reeves’ cruelty, stayed late working on projects with her, and treated her like family.

How could she not panic?

Yet Alexander’s words grounded her. She glanced down at her loungewear—hardly appropriate for a crisis scene. Swallowing hard, she forced a nod.

"Fine. I’ll change quickly. If there’s any news—any—we go immediately." Her voice trembled despite her effort to steady it.

"Don’t worry. I’m right here." Alexander squeezed her hand, his grip firm.

Evelyn hurried upstairs, her pulse erratic. Behind her, Alexander exhaled quietly before turning back to the table—where Sebastian sat frozen, spoon halfway to his mouth.

The man finally set it down. "Uh… you were talking about that rundown complex at Willowbrook? The one that caught fire?"

"Yes."

"That place is a hazard. The wiring’s ancient, and the city’s been meaning to tear it down for years. Not surprised it went up in flames, but…" He trailed off, studying Alexander’s face. "Your wife looked terrified. She doesn’t have family there, does she?"

Sebastian knew the area well. Only two kinds of people lived there—longtime residents scraping by or out-of-town tenants with nowhere better to go.

If Evelyn had ties to a place like that… well, it explained a few things.

Alexander’s silence was answer enough.