Evelyn froze.

Her heart hammered against her ribs.

What could have happened to Amelia?

Before she could even form a thought, Rebecca delivered the news. "She's divorced. Her husband abandoned her, left her with nothing. Now she's a single mother, struggling to make ends meet. I bet she's only coming to the reunion to leech off someone."

The words struck Evelyn with physical force.

Amelia was divorced? And struggling?

A sharp pang of sympathy constricted her chest. After graduation, Amelia had moved abroad, and their contact had slowly faded. In Evelyn's imagination, Amelia had been living a perfect, happy life overseas. The reality was a brutal contradiction.

Rebecca was notoriously tactless, but she wasn't a liar. Not about something like this, and not in front of their former classmates.

Evelyn felt sick. She lost all interest in the buzzing group chat. The thought of everyone gossiping, picking apart Amelia's misfortune, was unbearable.

Rebecca, completely unaware of Evelyn's discomfort, typed another message with fake concern. "Just a heads-up, Evelyn. You should be careful. If Amelia latches onto you, you could end up in a real mess."

A wave of protective urgency washed over Evelyn. She couldn't just stand by. Not when it involved Amelia.

First, she needed to reconnect. She had to understand Amelia's current situation before she could offer any real help.

Her fingers moved quickly, sending a private message to Lucas. "Hi, do you have Amelia's current contact information? Could you please send it to me?"

Lucas replied almost instantly. He provided a phone number, followed by a warning. "Here's her new number. I've tried calling a few times, but she rarely picks up. She's probably swamped—juggling work and a child, plus she's caught in a nasty legal fight with her ex-husband."

Evelyn's heart ached. She thanked him and saved the number with a heavy feeling.

Her first instinct was to call Amelia immediately.

But she hesitated, her thumb hovering over the screen.

Memories of their university days flooded her mind. They had been so close. Amelia had always been fiercely independent, quiet but incredibly stubborn.

Evelyn knew. If Amelia hadn't asked for help, it was because she didn't want to.

The impulse to call Amelia directly made Evelyn hesitate.

Would Seraphina even welcome such an unexpected intrusion from her?

It felt presumptuous.

Perhaps it was better to wait.

To see her face-to-face at the reunion.

There, she could read the situation. Gauge Seraphina's true state of mind.

Evelyn bit her lower lip, lost in thought.

She placed her phone down carefully, a quiet resolve settling within her.

No matter what, she would stand by Seraphina.

That was non-negotiable.

For now, patience was key.

She would wait for the reunion.

The day of the college reunion came swiftly.

The venue was the elegant Oakwood Manor.

Evelyn wore the crimson dress Alexander had chosen for her.

Her makeup was minimal, just enough to accentuate her features, not mask them.

Stepping into the private room was like stepping into the past.

The air hummed with the voices of old acquaintances.

"Is that... Evelyn?" a former classmate exclaimed, the first to spot her.

The question acted like a spotlight.

All eyes turned toward the entrance.

A wave of admiration followed.

"My God, Evelyn! You look incredible!"

"See? I always said it! The right fashion makes all the difference. You were so understated in college, but now... you'd have been the undisputed campus queen!"

"Absolutely! Remember when you withdrew from the beauty pageant? Such a shame..."

Evelyn laughed, a soft, musical sound.

She playfully rolled her eyes, a faint blush coloring her cheeks.

"Your flattery is overwhelming," she demurred.