Chapter 322: Not a Single One Is Worry-Free

After I finished speaking, I looked up at Alice deliberately. "Oh, and when you donate, make sure to say it's from Mr. Johnson. Joy shared is joy doubled. Mr. Johnson has plenty of money—I'm sure he'd be happy to do this good deed."

Alice's fingers clenched tightly as she glared at Amelia and me, eyes filled with resentment and fury.

Finally, she stormed out of my house, slamming the door with a bang so hard the picture frame by the entrance rattled.

Amelia spat lightly at the closed door. "Serves her right!"

I told the attendants to leave their items and go.

After they left, Amelia asked, "You're picking out jewelry and gowns—are you really going to agree to Michael's terms? What about William?"

I told her what William had instructed me to do.

"He told you to go along with Michael? Agree to him?" Amelia looked utterly confused. "That doesn't sound right. William's not the type to give up easily. Is he holding back some secret move he didn't mention?"

I shook my head. "He didn't say much, but I'm willing to trust him."

Amelia suddenly slapped her thigh, eyes lighting up, voice turning excited. "Wait! I've got it! He's planning to crash the wedding, isn't he? Or make you run away at the altar! Picture it—William shows up in a white suit, storms in, grabs your hand right in front of everyone, and sweeps you away. Oh my God, that would be so romantic!"

My lips twitched. "Have you been reading too many romance novels? William and I haven't even divorced Michael yet. William wouldn't do something that impulsive."

The excitement drained from Amelia's face instantly, replaced by heavy melancholy.

She stared at me and sighed. "Then I really can't think of what else William could do."

Thinking of the worst-case scenario, the warmth drained from my eyes. I said slowly, word by word, "If Michael insists on going down this path, I'll rot in this mess with him. At least that way, Phoenix and William can walk away clean. Especially Phoenix—she's been so good to me. I just want her to live out her remaining years in peace."

The living room air still hung heavy with Amelia's indignation on my behalf when the doorbell suddenly rang.

My first thought was that Alice had come back.

Probably couldn't take being humiliated earlier and found some excuse to come back and make trouble.

Amelia moved faster than me, rolling up her sleeves as she headed for the door, already braced for battle.

But the moment she pulled the door open, the words on her lips died.

I looked up—my parents stood in the doorway, both their faces darker than the last.

I hurried over. "Mom, Dad, what are you doing here? Why didn't you call first?"

Harper didn't answer right away. Instead, she rushed inside, voice heavy with worry. "Give us the truth—what exactly are you planning to do? I see those entertainment news stories every day, wall-to-wall coverage about you two getting back together. I don't know if it's true or false. I kept thinking you wouldn't be that foolish, but now it's looking more and more real!"

Mason followed behind, expression grave as frost.

He let out a heavy sigh, voice thick with concern. "Evelyn, if Michael's forcing you, you have to tell us. I refuse to believe forced marriages still happen in this day and age!"

"Exactly!" Amelia immediately chimed in. "Evelyn's just too softhearted. Michael's got her cornered, or she would've cut ties with him long ago!"

My heart tightened. I was about to stop her, but she'd already spilled everything—how I'd been maneuvering around Michael.

For the Brown family. To keep Michael from smearing William's name. That's why I hadn't dared make a clean break yet.

After hearing it all, Harper's brow furrowed even tighter.

Like an ant on a hot pan, she said urgently, "Evelyn, listen to your mother—break things off with William! As long as you stop associating with the Brown family, Michael won't have anything to threaten you with! How long have you even known William? Is it worth falling back into Michael's wolf den for them? Listen to me—cut ties with them completely, and with Michael too! If he won't divorce you, move back home. We'll go scorched earth! Let those two families fight it out—what does it have to do with us?"

"Foolish!" Mason suddenly barked, voice full of disapproval. "Is this how you teach our children? Andrew gives up at the drop of a hat, completely irresponsible—that's your doing!"

"What did I say wrong?" Harper's eyes immediately reddened as she turned to argue with Mason. "Since Evelyn married Michael, has she had a single peaceful day? She finally decided to escape that hell, and now she's supposed to suffer for some stranger named William who came out of nowhere? Why should our daughter bear all the pain?"

"Shortsighted!" Mason said gravely. "You want Evelyn to cut ties with the Brown family, but have you forgotten how much they've helped her? Phoenix, William, and Kimball. When Evelyn's mother passed away, William and Phoenix came immediately without a word, working tirelessly to help!"

"And last time when Evelyn was kidnapped and sold to Myanmar, it was William who saved her!" Amelia added quietly from the side. Only after speaking did she realize she'd blurted it out. She snuck a glance at me.

My heart dropped. I quickly tried to signal her, but it was too late.

Harper and Mason's attention instantly locked onto Amelia's statement. Harper's face went pale. She immediately pressed, "What did you say? Evelyn was kidnapped? Sold to Myanmar? When did this happen! Why didn't you tell us anything!"

Mason's face turned even darker. He looked at me. "Do you still consider us your parents? Something this serious, and you hid it from us? You were in such danger and didn't say a single word?"

I quickly explained, "By the time I could tell you, I'd already been rescued. I was fine, so I didn't want to worry you. And it happened a while ago—everything's been handled."

Amelia hurried to smooth things over. "Right, right, it was a close call, but really, we owe it all to William's help. Otherwise..."

Mason and Harper didn't respond. Both fell silent, faces still grim.

After a long moment, Mason finally spoke slowly, voice heavy with worry. "So you're planning to waste the rest of your life dragging this out with Michael?"

I looked at their furrowed brows and smiled gently, tone resolute. "Of course not. This is just a temporary measure."

Amelia quickly helped reassure them. "Evelyn just said William already has a plan. He absolutely won't let Michael go through with this wedding! Don't worry!"

Harper and Mason exchanged glances, worry barely diminished on their faces—clearly still half-convinced at best.

Especially Harper. She sighed, eyes reddening, voice full of helplessness. "How can I not worry? Two children, and neither gives me peace! My son refuses to get married or date, and my daughter married the wrong man!"