Chapter 16 - The Uninvited Guest
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The morning sun brought no warmth to Evelyn as she paced the length of her living room, waiting for Marcus to arrive with a private security detail. She hadn't slept a single minute. The knowledge that Vanessa was out of prison and actively funding Arthur Sterling was a nightmare she thought had ended six years ago.
Noah came down the stairs, his crutches moving with practiced ease. He noticed his mother's pale face and the frantic energy radiating from her.
"Mom? What's going on? You look like you've seen a ghost," Noah asked, pausing at the bottom of the stairs.
Before Evelyn could answer, Rosa, the long-time house manager who now oversaw the foundation's domestic staff, burst through the front door. Rosa was completely out of breath, her eyes wide with sheer terror.
"Miss Evelyn! Mr. Noah!" Rosa gasped, clutching her chest. "She is here. I saw her with my own eyes!"
"Who is here, Rosa? Slow down," Noah said, moving forward to support the older woman.
"Vanessa!" Rosa cried out, tears welling in her eyes. "She is walking through the public gardens near the fountain. She is wearing a large hat and sunglasses, but I would recognize that cruel walk anywhere. She was staring right at your father's statue."
Evelyn’s protective instincts exploded into action.
"Noah, stay in the house. Lock the doors," Evelyn ordered, moving swiftly toward the coat rack.
"I'm not hiding, Mom!" Noah argued, gripping his crutches tightly. "This is our property. If she's here, I'm going with you to throw her out."
"No!" Evelyn snapped, harsher than she intended. She softened her voice, placing a trembling hand on his cheek. "Please, Noah. You don't know this woman. She is venomous. Let me handle this. I will not let her near you."
Reluctantly, Noah nodded, though his jaw was clenched with frustration.
Evelyn stepped out of the house and walked briskly toward the central park. The morning was quiet, with only a few early-bird patients entering the therapy clinics in the distance. As Evelyn approached the central fountain, she saw the silhouette of a woman standing completely still in front of Daniel’s bronze statue.
"You have a lot of nerve showing your face on this property," Evelyn called out, her voice echoing over the splashing water of the fountain.
May you like
The woman turned around slowly. She pulled off her designer sunglasses. Prison had aged Vanessa; the polished, flawless glass girl was gone, replaced by a hardened, bitter woman with sharp, hollow cheekbones and cold, dead eyes.
"Hello, Evelyn," Vanessa smirked. "I see you've kept the place looking terribly sentimental."
