Chapter 53

"Hold on-he's actually Jasper Russell?" Cary exclaimed, completely stunned.

Before Cary could even grasp the situation, the Russell family's bodyguards coldly brushed him aside.Moments later, the car door shut decisively, and the vehicle swiftly departed.

Motionless, Cary stared after Evelina's retreating figure, a strange sense of loss gnawing at his chest.

An unsettling feeling washed over him, as though something incredibly precious had slipped through his fingers.

"Grandma-"

Cary stormed back into Gibson Mansion, his frustration bubbling as he approached Demi urgently."Have you known all along it was Evelina who restored my vision?"

Demi continued trimming her flowers, not even lifting her head. "You're only realizing this now?"

Cary stared. His grandmother had deliberately hidden it from him!

"Why keep me in the dark?" Cary asked, humiliation evident in his tone."Do you realize how embarrassing today was? You made me look foolish!"

"Oh, I've tried telling you countless times, but did you ever listen?" Demi accidentally clipped off a blooming flower, tossing her scissors aside with irritation.

Cary's righteous anger quickly diminished, replaced by defensiveness."When exactly did you mention it?I never heard anything."

"During every surgery you underwent, I explicitly or subtly told you-without Evelina, your sight wouldn't have returned," Demi retorted bitterly. "Yet,you never respected Evelina. Either you dismissed mny words or sided with your mother and sister in tormenting her."

With each passing sentence, Demi's disappointment deepened. "Evelina tolerated you all gracefully for three years. If I were her, your sight would still be gone. Cary, Evelina owes our family nothing-we owe her an apology."

Cary lapsed into troubled silence, unconvinced by his grandmother's sincerity.

Demi sighed deeply, frustration clear. "Let me reveal another truth-Margot returns tomorrow. Evelina intended only to teach her a small lesson, never truly harming her. Evelina's heart is gentle; she simply didn't want me worrying endlessly about my grandchildren."

Yet Cary remained skeptical. "Then why did she rip apart the forgiveness letter right in front of me?"

Demi bristled angrily. "It was merely an act! Evelina has never once broken her promise to me."

Earnestly, she continued, "Haven't you finally recognized Esme's true colors today? Without Evelina's protection, Esme would've brought down the entire Gibson family."

Cary tried weaklyto defend Esme. "Perhaps she had reasons-"

"What reasons?" Demi slammed the table in anger.1fyou still consider yourself my grandson, cut ties with Esme immediately and reconcile with Evelina."

For a brief second, Cary hesitated, his heart fluttering with uncertainty.

But then an image of Evelina and Jasper together flashed through his mind, unsettling him deeply.

The woman he'd once belittled had quickly found someone superior, openly parading their closeness. He didn't want a woman like that.

"She's just ambitious! She's not nearly as wonderful as you claim," Cary stubbornly said, deeply disappointing Demi.

Demi dismissed Cary with irritation, refusing even the courtesy of offering water.

Frustrated and unsettled, Cary aimlessly climbed into his car, driving off without any clear destination in mind.

His phone buzzed repeatedly-Esme's relentless calls-but he ignored each attempt to reach him.

Eventually, Cary shut off his phone entirely, refusing all further interruptions.

At the hospital, Esme panicked, abandoned by Elora after the beating, with Sebastian her sole remaining supporter.

"Sebastian, Cary won't answer. He always picked up immediately before. Is he leaving me for Evelina?" she cried in distress.

"He wouldn't dare!" Sebastian growled angrily."After what his family did, they're not getting off lightly!"

He quickly added, "If Cary backs out, sue his mother for assault and get her locked up."

But Esme, completely distraught, ignored his advice, sobbing uncontrollably. "Without Cary's protection now, I'll never survive the Russell family's wrath..."

"T'll deal with the Russell family for you," said a confident voice as a tall, captivating 'figure emerged suddenly.

"You?" Esme and Sebastian exclaimed simultaneously, their guard instantly raised. "Who exactly are you?"