Evelyn, Are You Insane?

Charlotte's eyes widened in sheer disbelief.

She reached out swiftly and smacked Evelyn's arm.

"Evelyn, have you completely lost your mind? What sane person marries a total stranger?"

Evelyn simply grinned, completely unfazed. "But he's incredibly handsome."

Charlotte's frown lessened slightly. "Well, I suppose that's something."

Her irritation faded, quickly replaced by fresh anger as she thought of Julian. "That Julian is utter trash. Why did it take you so long to dump that waste of space? And Evelyn, don't you dare get all weepy over him again."

Evelyn's eyes held a new resolve. She shook her head firmly. "Never. I'm a married woman now. I would never betray my husband."

Charlotte studied her curiously. She took a careful sip of her coffee. "So," she ventured, "who is this incredibly handsome husband?"

"Alexander Blackwood."

The name hit Charlotte like a physical blow. She choked, spraying coffee across the table in a spectacular mess.

Evelyn jumped up, a mix of concern and amusement on her face. She grabbed napkins to clean the spill. "Are you okay? Breathe! Drink slower."

Charlotte had been shocked by Evelyn's revelations all afternoon. Each one felt like a punch to the gut. She braced herself as another wave of disbelief crashed over her.

"Evelyn, you cannot mean Alexander Blackwood? The one disowned by the Blackwood family? The one confined to a wheelchair?" Charlotte's voice was sharp with disbelief and worry.

Evelyn met her gaze steadily. Her nod was firm. "Yes, that's him. He's never been with anyone before. And he is perfectly healthy."

"You are insane!" Charlotte's voice rose, her face flushing red. "You finally get free of Julian, and you chain yourself to a man who can't walk? And you claim he's healthy? Are you blind? The man uses a wheelchair!"

Evelyn flinched momentarily. Her reply, however, was calm. "I am fully aware of his situation."

Charlotte was fuming. She took a deep, steadying breath. Her tone became deadly serious. "Listen to me. Once you come to your senses and divorce him, I'm taking you directly to a psychiatrist. You need serious help."

Evelyn stood there, stunned into silence by Charlotte's harsh words.

"Evelyn, you must end this marriage with Alexander," Charlotte demanded, her voice leaving no room for argument.

Evelyn's jaw dropped. Shock and disbelief washed over her as Charlotte vehemently opposed the marriage. Just moments ago, Charlotte had been furious thinking Evelyn was with Julian. But this reaction was far more intense.

Yet Evelyn knew it all stemmed from Charlotte's deep concern for her.

"Charlotte, please listen," Evelyn implored, her voice earnest. "Alexander has been nothing but kind to me. Right now, I see absolutely no reason to leave him."

Charlotte massaged her temples, her expression pained. "Alexander is the forgotten son of the Blackwood family, Evelyn. He can't even protect himself from his own relatives. How can he possibly protect you?"

She sighed heavily, her frown deepening. "I hoped you'd have regained your sanity by now. But you're still just as naive."

Evelyn offered a weak, resigned smile. "And you're still just as blunt, Charlotte." She felt utterly lost on how to make Charlotte understand how wonderful Alexander truly was.

After a moment of silence, an idea sparked. She quickly reached inside her collar and carefully pulled out a gleaming gemstone necklace.

"Charlotte, just look at this," Evelyn insisted, her eyes bright as she displayed the necklace. "Alexander gave this to me as a token of his commitment."

Charlotte's initial surprise turned to sharp skepticism. She narrowed her eyes, studying the luxurious piece. "This necklace? It looks absurdly expensive. He just gave it to you? Just like that?"

Her suspicion grew. She leaned in closer for a better look. "Wait a minute. This looks familiar. Wasn't there news about a necklace like this recently? Isn't this the legendary piece rumored to be worth a billion?"