After dinner, Marilyn pulled Evangeline aside, her voice dropping to a whisper. "You’ve been buying so many luxury handbags for your sister lately. Are you sure you still have enough money for yourself?"

Evangeline offered her mother a warm, reassuring smile. "I’m fine, Mom. My studio is turning a solid profit, and Dad still sends me a generous allowance. I’m doing just fine."

Marilyn sighed in relief, nodding. "Oh, good. Well, just let me know if you run low."

Marilyn felt a surge of pity. Her daughter had always been so soft-hearted toward her sister, always wanting the best for her. Even after such a scandalous betrayal, Evangeline hadn't made a scene. If only she had actually been in love with Jonah, this would be devastating. But as it stood, Evangeline seemed entirely unbothered, which was a mercy.

Across town, the scene was far less composed. Jonah was drowning his sorrows in a bottle of whiskey, the amber liquid burning his throat. It felt as if Evangeline had truly discarded their entire history. Her attitude toward him was polite, balanced, and utterly devoid of intimacy, as if she had never loved him at all. The thought clawed at his chest. How could he accept this? They were childhood sweethearts; they were destined to be together. He had never known the agony of true loss before, and he had no idea how to claw his way back. He gulped down another mouthful of liquor, his voice thick and slurred as he muttered, "Evangeline... Evangeline..."

Watching her son unravel, Angela was distraught. She had never seen Jonah fall apart like this. He’d never faced a real hurdle in his life until he stumbled into that mess with Cassidy—a mistake that had torched a perfect engagement.

Unable to bear the sight of her son’s despair, Angela swallowed her pride and dialed Evangeline’s number, requesting a meeting for the following morning.

The next day, Evangeline arrived at the upscale cafe they had agreed upon. Angela was already there, waiting.

"Mrs. Harrison, I’m so sorry I’m late," Evangeline said, offering a bright, effortless smile as she sat down across from her.

Seeing that the recent drama hadn’t touched Evangeline at all—that she could still address her with such sweet, easy familiarity—only made Angela regret the situation more. She liked the girl; she had always wanted her as a daughter-in-law.

"Not at all. I was the one who arrived early, dear."

"Mrs. Harrison," Evangeline cut straight to the point, her tone firm but polite. "If this is about Jonah, I think we can skip the conversation. You understand why, don't you?"

Angela’s expression tightened. She knew exactly what Evangeline was doing, but she had to try. "Evangeline, I know that anyone in your position would feel the same way. But you know I only want you as my daughter-in-law. Jonah… he truly realizes his mistake now!"

"I’ve always respected you, Mrs. Harrison. Even if Jonah and I can't be together, that doesn't change my feelings for you. We’ll still be family friends. But I know he didn't stumble into this blindly. And considering it was my sister… that’s a boundary that cannot be crossed." Evangeline held her gaze steadily.

Angela sighed, defeated. The finality in Evangeline’s voice was absolute. "I suppose that boy just doesn't have the luck to hold onto someone like you."

"Don't say that," Evangeline said, flashing a polite, empty smile that seemed to wish him well. "He’ll find someone better eventually."

*Let him suffer,* Angela thought, shifting her frustration toward her son. *He made a catastrophic mistake, and he deserves the grief.*

Meanwhile, at work, Cassidy was struck by a sudden wave of nausea. She frowned, confused. She didn't have a history of stomach issues. She figured she would have to swing by the urgent care clinic after work to get it checked out.

During her lunch break, she found herself at the clinic, explaining her symptoms to the doctor. She suspected it was just stress-induced gastritis. But the doctor’s next question stopped her cold: "When was your last period?"

Cassidy did the mental math. "It’s been… more than ten days late, I think."

"Have you been sexually active recently?"

Cassidy hesitated for a heartbeat. "...Yes."

"We need to consider the possibility of pregnancy. Let's run a blood test." The doctor scribbled a requisition form and handed it to her.

Cassidy’s mind went blank. She didn't even remember walking to the lab to get the blood drawn. Her heart hammered against her ribs—she was new to these things, and she had never imagined that a single lapse in caution could lead to this.

The two-hour wait for the results felt like an eternity. Cassidy watched the clock, her nerves frayed to the breaking point. The second the two-hour mark hit, she practically sprinted to the self-service kiosk to print the report. Her heart skipped a beat as she read the numbers.

She was pregnant.

Panic surged, but she forced it down, her mind racing. She stared at the paper, and then her expression smoothed out. With this child, Jonah would have no choice but to marry her. A small, cold smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

"Baby," she whispered, a hand coming to rest protectively over her stomach. "Just wait. Mom will make sure your father gives us the status we deserve."

The embryo was still fragile, and she knew she had to be careful. She wouldn't let anything happen to her golden ticket.