Chapter 68
Oh no!
The moment the thought crossed Evelyn's mind, Hannah's voice rang out.
"Matthew, you're a grown man now. How did you learn to run away from home?"
"I watched Sophia grow up, too. For something like this to happen to her, it's just terrible."
"The Brown family losing their child - it's truly pitiful."
"Evelyn, the dead are beyond grievances. Just let the past go."
In her previous life, Sophia had made her wish she were dead, Preston was literally angered to death, Timothy's car accident, and Hannah's brain hemorrhage...
But all of this, in the eyes of her closest relatives, had never happened.
Now that she was holding onto the Brown family's wrongdoing, she appeared cold-blooded instead.
Especially with Matthew there adding his voice.
Timothy and Hannah had invested countless efforts in Matthew, treating him as their own son. How could they really bear to let him leave?
This retreat-to-advance tactic of Matthew's really caught Evelyn off guard.
She suppressed the anger in her heart and went along with Hannah's words.
"Yes, quite pitiful. Sophia got into a car accident on the way to the police station."
"Because she was handcuffed in the car, she couldn't escape."
"The car exploded, and her body was burned beyond recognition. I guess that's her evil deeds coming back to haunt her."
"I won't hold it against her anymore."
Evelyn spoke unhurriedly, but her gaze on Matthew carried a hint of mockery.
His fists clenched - clearly, he couldn't sit still anymore.
"Sophia is already dead. Is it necessary for you to talk like this?"
"Am I wrong?"
Evelyn acted as if she'd been startled, shrinking to Hannah's side, her eyes instantly reddening.
"Last night, Sophia teamed up with Jeremy to set me up."
"That was Jeremy - how could she do that to me? I almost couldn't come back to see you."
About three years ago, Evelyn had sneaked out to a nightclub and caught Jeremy's attention.
The matter was eventually suppressed by Benjamin and the Thomas family working together, but Jeremy had made it clear that he was determined to have Evelyn.
For years, the Thomas family had been careful not to let Evelyn and Jeremy cross paths.
And yet Sophia had done such a thing. Hannah's expression changed.
"Yes, you almost couldn't come back. Sophia really can't come back now."
Matthew's voice wasn't loud, but carried obvious restraint. "Whether Sophia contacted Jeremy when he showed up at Miso & More yesterday is still uncertain, but the fact is that Sophia is dead!"
He emphasized the last few words heavily, his eyes bloodshot and red.
He seemed to think of something, raising his hand to cover his eyes. His voice dropped even lower, but the suppressed heavy breathing could still be heard.
"Mom, Sophia is gone. Many things can't be explained clearly anymore."
"Even if she did many wrong things, isn't paying with her life enough?"
"If it's not enough, can I make up for it with my life?"
Hannah's eyes widened suddenly. "What are you talking about? Matthew, don't scare Mom with such words."
"Mom, I'm not trying to scare you, but I have no choice."
Matthew, usually refined and scholarly, now slumped in his wheelchair as if all his strength had been drained.
"Evelyn won't let this go because she resents me. Once I'm gone, she'll let the Brown family go, right?"
Even though he wasn't Hannah's biological child, he was a child she had raised with her own hands. How could she bear to hear such hopeless words?
Especially with his legs broken - broken by Evelyn.
Hannah immediately said, "Evelyn, Sophia is gone. Don't pursue what happened between you anymore."
"I know you suffered a lot because of Matthew in the past."
"But you're siblings after all. You can't be so heartless."
After speaking, she personally wheeled Matthew back to his room, leaving Evelyn, her biological daughter, sitting alone on the sofa.
Evelyn narrowed her eyes at their retreating figures. She felt no resentment toward Hannah, only heartache that Hannah was too kind.
Sophia's death and Matthew's show of weakness were enough to make the gentle Hannah give up on baseless grudges.
But Evelyn, who had truly experienced those torments, wouldn't give up easily.
If Matthew wanted to protect the Brown family, she would make the Brown family destroy itself by his own hand.
That evening, Evelyn stayed at the Thomas Villa for dinner.
She watched Hannah and Timothy fuss over the dejected Matthew, feeling somewhat jealous.
"Mom, I want some beef too."
Seeing Hannah constantly serving food to Matthew, Evelyn couldn't help pouting.
"You're so grown up, can't you serve yourself if you want something?"
Hannah smiled and glared at Evelyn, but still served her some beef, adding with a laugh, "So grown up and still fussing over such small things."
"She's always fussed over such things. Otherwise, how would she have grown distant from Sophia?"
The sullen Matthew suddenly spoke up.
His face was very pale, his fingers gripping the fork tightly.
"You hated Sophia because I gave her a few extra dance dresses before, didn't you?"
"I was afraid you'd be jealous, so I kept my distance from her, but it still ended up like this."
The smile on Evelyn's face instantly vanished.
She looked up at Matthew. "So you're blaming her death on me? Did I force her to harm me and have the police arrest her?"
"I'm sorry."
He didn't confront her directly, but lowered his head in apology instead.
"Her death was too sudden. I'm really upset and took it out on you."
Putting down his fork, a very forced smile appeared on his face.
"I'm full."
"Evelyn rarely comes home for dinner. You should spend time with her."
After a slight nod, he wheeled himself back to his room.
Matthew, once spirited and confident, now only gave off an endless sense of desolation, as if all his vitality had been taken away by Sophia's departure.
Were Matthew's feelings for Sophia really that deep?
Evelyn wasn't sure, only frowning slightly.
"Evelyn."
Timothy, who hadn't said much, spoke up. "I don't want to interfere too much in you young people's affairs."
"But things have come to this. Whatever happened between you in the past, let it go."
"I haven't seen Matthew this dejected in many years. The last time was when his parents died in that car accident."
"Poor child."
Timothy had spoken up, showing they truly cared for Matthew.
For now, Evelyn had to shelve the idea of driving him away.
However, Matthew's recovery period would actually help her establish herself at the Thomas Group.
"I understand, Mom and Dad. The West City development project with Benjamin is also at a critical stage. I'll be quite busy."
Timothy's brow furrowed, his eyes showing some hesitation.
"Dad, is something wrong?" Evelyn asked directly.
He stared at Evelyn for a long moment before speaking heavily. "You always said you had no interest in the company and insisted we train Matthew as the successor."
"Do you regret it now?"
"Or do you really hate him that much?"
After a few seconds' pause, watching Evelyn calmly continue eating her beef, he sighed again.
"Matters of the heart can't be forced."
"Evelyn, let it go."