James Grant’s path was blocked.
He stared almost despairingly at the person in front of him, his beloved.
After a long while, James Grant’s Adam’s apple moved slightly, and he asked with difficulty, "So, will you go back to Riversend?"
"Not for a while." Evelyn Clayton had gradually calmed down, speaking as if chatting with an old friend, "But afterwards, I can’t say for sure. After all, that’s the place where I was born and raised. But you know, family bonds have always been weak for me."
James nodded instinctively.
The office quickly fell silent again.
James Grant’s hands on his knees were tightly clenched, revealing his current nervousness and helplessness.
Evelyn noticed this, feeling an inexplicable discomfort.
Her eyes flickered as she observed James Grant unobtrusively.
Not seeing him for five years, James seemed to have matured a lot, although time hadn’t left much of a mark on his face, he was indeed quite different from before.
At least, he was no longer so upfront and sharp.
This seemed to be a good thing.
Suddenly, James Grant spoke again.
He lowered his eyelashes, not looking at Evelyn Clayton, his lips parted softly.
"I... really want to apologize to you." James Grant finally said, "What happened back then was my fault, I shouldn’t have, restricted your—"
He took a deep breath before having the courage to continue, "I shouldn’t have restricted your freedom."
After a long time, James raised his eyes and gazed at Evelyn. "Have you been well all these years?"
Evelyn’s brow moved slightly, she felt a bit dazed for a moment.
She had thought, given James Grant’s character, she would never hear such an apology in her lifetime.
But unexpectedly, James Grant just said it like that.
"I," Evelyn’s brow twitched slightly, "I’ve been doing well. Many things from back then, I’ve already let go."
Her voice gradually lowered, and as James listened, it felt like a knife in his heart.
This was what he feared most.
He feared most that Evelyn would say she had let go and moved on.
It seemed as if she had already left everything behind, while only he remained trapped in the nightmare of the past, never waking up.
But James was also relieved, relieved that Evelyn seemed truly untroubled by those past events.
Recalling that day, when he held Evelyn in his arms and carried her into the car, his hands stained with blood, seeing her on the brink of death, James felt that the nightmare never ceased, always haunting him.
"I know you blame me, for that child..."
James’s voice carried an almost imperceptible tremble.
Evelyn’s heart moved slightly, she looked at James calmly for a moment, suddenly asking, "What if I said that child is still alive?"
James was clearly taken aback.
After a long while, he met Evelyn’s gaze, falling into a kind of trance.
He softly asked, as if in a dream, "What did you say?"
"I said, if the child is still alive, and she very much wants to see you, would you be willing?" Evelyn asked word by word.
James could no longer suppress the tremor.
"Are you saying..." James’s throat was itchy and painful, he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
Evelyn didn’t torment him anymore and explained gently, "After I left Riversend, the Sinclair family saved me, the child is still here."
This news, like a miracle falling from the sky, left James utterly bewildered.
Not just because the child was still alive, but because Evelyn chose to let him know.
However, the cold water soon poured down.
"But James, don’t misunderstand. The reason I told you is because of the child, not because of anything else."