Her husband got into a car accident while on a romantic getaway with his mistress—Evelyn Parker, the legal wife, was the one handling the case.

When she first saw the patient records, she was still convincing herself it was just a coincidence—a couple with the same names.

But the moment she reached the room and heard the voices inside, her heart sank like a stone.

“Aunt Clara, this family photo looks so good. I want to hang it up at home.”

Clara Dawson chuckled weakly. “Sweetheart, you’re such a good boy.”

Then came Alexander Brooks’ low voice. “Simon, don’t make too much noise. Your aunt needs to rest.”

Evelyn kept her gaze low. The chart said both her husband and son had just minor injuries, while Clara had a fractured wrist—she needed to stay in the hospital.

The intern had told her, “Mr. Brooks and the little one didn’t need to be admitted, but since Miss Dawson had to stay, he got two extra beds in a VIP suite to stay and keep her company.”

Then the intern added with a sigh, “Mr. Brooks is really devoted. Rumor has it the actress was his first love. He waited six years for her. It’s like some tearjerking romance drama.”

Evelyn had smiled bitterly at that. Her and Alexander’s marriage had always been in the shadows—no ring, no ceremony. For six years, she’d cooked and cleaned like a housemaid for the father and son.

And in the end? All she got was a line about some man who “waited six years for his first love.”

Leaning against the wall, she listened to the voices still drifting out from the room.

“Auntie Clara, you’re the best. Mom just makes me do homework all the time, but you take me out for burgers. I wish you were my mom.”

Clara smiled softly. “Oh, don’t say that, sweetheart. Alexander, say something.”

Alex’s voice was calm and unreadable. “He’s just a kid. I can stop what he says, not what he feels.”

That sentence, with all its double meanings, suddenly made everything click for Evelyn.

She took several deep breaths, and by the time she pushed the door open, she had already accepted the loss—of a husband, and a son.

As soon as the door swung open, the first thing she saw was Simon standing by the bed, tightly holding onto a family photo.

Clara was next to her husband, holding her son like it was the most natural thing in the world.

They looked like the real family—like she was the outsider.

“Evelyn,”

Alexander’s face went cold instantly, his expression frosty. “Why are you here?”

Even Simon instinctively moved, stepping between her and the sickbed, trying to shield Clara with his small body.

“Mom, what are you doing?”

The father and son both looked at her like she didn’t belong—like she was the villain wrecking their perfect little moment.

It felt like her chest had been ripped open. Every breath tasted like blood.

She finally understood how painful it could be to cut off love and family after so many years.

“I’m your attending doctor,”

She forced the words out, burying everything she was feeling just to keep it together.

But Alex clearly wasn’t about to let go of his suspicion. His voice was detached, not the slightest bit warm.

“I’ll get another doctor assigned.”

Then, as if remembering something else, he frowned and added,

“Don’t make a scene. I was just worried you’d be too busy to go home and cook for Simon.”

Since Evelyn had been promoted to an attending physician, surgeries had piled up and overnights became normal.

Sometimes she’d come home late, and Clara would already be there with takeout, greasy and salty but still their favorite.

Simon even said, “Mom, your food tastes worse than dog food.”

She’d just come out of a grueling surgery that day—over ten hours—and lost the patient in the end. Her nerves were already hanging by a thread. Hearing that pushed her over the edge, and of course, she’d lost it.That day, Clara Dawson cried like her heart was breaking. “It’s all my fault. I knew Evelyn was busy, so I brought food over. I didn’t mean for her to misunderstand... I’m so sorry.”

And the result? Her husband and son snapped at her, then took Clara out to clear their heads.

Evelyn Parker’s heart froze over little by little. Her voice was calm, almost distant. “Okay. Submit the request soon—otherwise, I’ll have to write the discharge orders.”

Her calm demeanor caught Alexander Brooks off guard, a flash of confusion crossing his face. For a moment, he even felt a bit anxious.

Simon Brooks, still too young to grasp the storm brewing between the adults, just hugged the family photo closer to his chest.

“Mom, you can’t take my picture down! I wanna hang it up at home!”

Clara jumped in quickly. “Evelyn, don’t get the wrong idea. It was taken at the amusement park—probably by a random staff member.”

Hearing that, Simon clutched the picture tighter, as if someone might snatch it away.

Evelyn’s face had gone pale, but her tone stayed steady. “Alright.”

“If you don’t let me hang it, then I’ll—”

Simon didn’t get to finish. Suddenly hearing Evelyn’s voice, he froze, his little face full of confusion.

Then he broke into a thrilled smile. “You have to promise you won’t change your mind!”

She gave a small nod. “I won’t. Promise.”

Alexander’s expression shifted slightly as if something clicked in his mind. He opened his mouth to speak, only to see her glance down at her watch.

“My shift’s ending. Please get the doctor change request done soon.”

She paused, looked at him, and asked, “You coming home tonight? I need to talk to you.”

He’d meant to say yes, but her calm attitude made him second-guess. There had to be something up. “Depends.”

Evelyn didn’t react, just nodded lightly. “I’ll wait till ten.”

And with that, she turned and walked out.

Behind her, Alexander said in an indifferent tone, “Driver’s in the parking lot. He can take you back.”

“It’s fine. I’ve got my e-scooter.”

As she shut the door, Clara’s voice—completely lacking in remorse—still rang out.

“This is all my fault. She must’ve misunderstood something. Alexander, go talk to her.”

“Don’t bother. She’ll be over it by tomorrow.”

A bitter smile tugged at Evelyn’s lips. Yeah, over the years, she’d never stayed mad for more than three hours.

But this time, it wasn’t just anger. She’d made up her mind.

Back at home, she packed up her things. She’d married Alexander only to ward off bad luck. From the moment he recovered his sight, she’d been ready to leave.

If it hadn’t been for a careless moment at the family home, Simon wouldn’t even exist.

After she got pregnant, Alexander seemed to let her in, and for a while, there was tenderness—enough to make her believe he’d really opened up.

Now she was wide awake. Only remorse remained.

She left the divorce papers on the dining table. At ten that night, she wheeled her suitcase out the door.

When Alexander and Simon got back around 1 a.m., they looked exhausted. They went straight to their rooms and crashed.

In the dark, Alexander didn’t even notice someone was missing from the bed.

The next morning, he rubbed his temples and headed downstairs, hearing the sound of cooking from the kitchen. His lips curled into a faint smile.

As always, Evelyn knew how to calm herself down. She’d probably even made him breakfast.

After freshening up, he glanced at the dishes on the dining table and called out toward the kitchen, “Make another plate. I’ll take some to Clara.”

“Huh? Mr. Brooks, you didn’t say you’d need an extra serving,” Mrs. King peeked out from the kitchen, wiping her hands. “I already cleaned the pans.”