?Chapter 741:


    Still, they’d held their tongues. They had no interest in interfering. The choice had been left entirely to Eva. After all, neither Eva nor Wanda was truly a Campbell in their eyes. Whatever tangled mess the two women created was none of their concern.


    Even so, their detachment hadn’t stopped them from privately ridiculing Cole’s taste in women.


    As Eva’s car disappeared from sight, Milton let out another sigh.


    Arthur shook his head, a bitterugh escaping him. “Jarrett and I hit it off the moment we met—like we were cut from the same cloth,” he said, his tone unexpectedly fond. “If Eva hadn’t ruined everything, he and I might’ve be lifelong friends. I even had the honor of meeting Cole’s mother once.”


    Milton’s expression shifted, curiosity sparking in his eyes. “I’ve heard she was a lot like my mother,” he said. “Beautiful, but never one to chase the spotlight. Quietly elegant. The kind of woman who found joy in her family, not the world’s praise.”


    Arthur nodded, the memory softening his usual sharp edge. “Yes, in that way, very much like your mother. A woman of substance.” He paused, then sighed. “Jarrett and his wife were remarkable people—brilliant, poised, exceptional in every way. It’s hard to believe their son had such questionable taste.”


    Just because Cole had proposed to Wanda, Arthur—who had once admired Cole’s intelligence and potential—now regarded him as aplete disappointment.


    Eva, of course, was oblivious to Arthur and Milton’s conversation. She was already speeding down the road, heading straight for the Evans family estate.


    Rarely did Eva find herself anywhere near the Evans family home. Years of estrangement meant she could count her visits on one hand—and each time, Ruben had greeted her with little more than icy contempt. Had Arthur not frightened her half to death, the idea of returning here wouldn’t have crossed her mind for a second.


    Late-night shadows filled the house, and only a few servants lingered downstairs, the butler among them.


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    Eyes wide with shock, the butler recognized Eva instantly. “What brings you here at this hour?”


    “I need to speak with Cole. Is he at home?” Eva wasted no time.


    A gesture pointed her toward the staircase. “He’s in the study, workingte. Shall I inform him you’re here?”


    Already striding past the butler, Eva waved off the offer. “That won’t be necessary. I’ll go up myself.”


    Before long, she reached Cole’s door and gave it a firm knock.


    “Come in.” Cole’s voice floated out from inside, smooth and full of pull, like it knew how to catch anyone who heard it.


    Swinging the door open, Eva stepped into the light-filled study and softly shut the door behind her.<fn5715> ?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???????s, ????s? ??s?? fin?novel</fn5715>


    Cole, surrounded by paperwork at his desk, paused and looked up—surprise flickering in his eyes. “Eva? What brings you here?”


    Without hesitation, she crossed the room and took a seat opposite him. Words failed her for a heartbeat. Instead, she watched him closely, seeing the sharp lines of her nephew’s face in themplight.


    Only an hour earlier, panic had driven her all the way here, desperate to seek his help. Now, sitting so close, anxiety crept over her in waves. They had never shared an easy bond. Distance and old grudges had always stood between them.


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