Chapter 801: Are You Really Willing to Part with Him?

Chapter 801: Are You Really Willing to Part with Him?

After everything that had happened, there was no way Debra could stay in Mugden any longer.

But Edward still couldn't shake the worry on his face.

He left Riverside Villa and tried calling Eric on the way home, but no one picked up. In nearly twenty years of friendship, that had almost never happened — and it left him deeply unsettled.

That evening, Evelyn brought out the fancy desserts Peter had sent and shared them with Molly.

The room glowed with soft, warm light. Evelyn carried the desserts over and held them out to her, eyes curved with gentle affection.

"Molly, come on, try some. These arrived this morning — I've been dying to eat them but held off so we could have them together."

Molly was leaning against the headboard, her small face pale and thin in a way that was hard to look at. "Evelyn, you could've just eaten them without waiting for me."

Evelyn blinked. "Absolutely not — these were bought especially for you!"

"Who bought them for me?"

Evelyn paused. Molly was perceptive. She asked softly, "Was it... Peter?"

"Yes, your Peter bought them for you." Since Molly had already figured it out, there was no point hiding it — that would only make things more awkward.

"Peter came by?"

Thinking of Peter, Molly's damp eyes brightened just a little. She was the kind of person who meant everything she said. "He came all this way — why didn't you let him come in and sit for a bit?"

"Oh, you know him, he's always busy. Had to get back to the station to work on a case."

"Then... call him later for me, would you? Help me thank him." Molly's expression was completely sincere.

Evelyn smiled and nodded, though something inexplicably bitter crept into her chest.

She could tell Molly had no appetite at all — she'd barely touched her dinner, let alone dessert.

But the girl still made herself take one bite at a time, chewing, swallowing, a faint and delicate happiness showing in the soft pink corners of her eyes.

"It's so good, so sweet — come on, Evelyn, you eat too."

"I will."

Evelyn's throat tightened. She was gripping the dessert in her hand so hard it was losing its shape.

Molly had learned to manage other people's feelings. Learned not to let the people who loved her worry. When her grandfather visited during the day, she always ate heartily — only so he wouldn't be concerned.

And the more she did that, the more it hurt Evelyn. The more it ached.

Molly had grown up. The carefree, unburdened life she once had was gone for good.

Just then, Evelyn noticed the sapphire pendant necklace that never left Molly's neck was missing. She couldn't help but ask.

"Molly, where's that blue sapphire necklace you love so much? I don't see it."

Molly's hand froze around the dessert. Her long lashes, delicate as dragonfly wings, trembled. "I... gave it to Ellen. I asked her to return it to Eric."

Evelyn's heart clenched. She quickly took the girl's cold hand in hers. "Molly! You returned the necklace to Eric? Could you really bear to do that? Do you know what that means?"

"I know."

Molly's voice was so soft it was barely there, her clear eyes like shattered crystal. "It means... I'm letting Eric go."

"Molly, look at me."

Evelyn gripped her thin shoulders and stared hard into her dim eyes. "Are you sure this is what you want? Can you really bear to be apart from him? Don't do something you'll regret — miss the right person and you might never find them again."

"Evelyn, I thought it through carefully. This isn't an impulse."

Molly smiled with a quiet, settled peace and slowly closed her eyes. "Letting go is the best thing for Eric... and for me. Being together gave me memories I'll carry for the rest of my life — that's enough. The Eric I fell for was bright and full of life. I want him to be that person again. Being with me would only hold him back, drag him down..."

It felt to Evelyn as though something heavy had rolled straight over her heart.

---

Evelyn came back to her room with tears in her eyes. Edward was already there waiting.

"Evelyn, your eyes are so red — have you been crying?"

He crossed the room quickly and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her into him without hesitation, his voice impossibly gentle. "Who upset my wife? Tell me and I'll sort them out for you."

"With Mr. Wellington looking out for me, who would dare?" Evelyn pressed her forehead against his shoulder. The warmth radiating from him seeped into her, and slowly the tightness in her chest began to ease. "It's Molly."

Edward tensed immediately. "What happened to Molly?"

"She wants to break up with Eric."

"Why?" His breathing shifted.

"Everything that's happened hit her too hard. She's scared. She's exhausted. And she's convinced she's only been a burden to him."

Evelyn tilted her face up and looped her arms around his neck, exhaling a heavy sigh. "I understand how she feels. When you love someone that much, you start second-guessing everything. You can't just throw yourself in like you used to and enjoy it freely anymore."

"That explains it. I called Eric all day today and he never picked up. He must already know." Edward's jaw tightened slightly, his worry for his best friend settling in. Enemies closing in from the outside, and now the person he loves pulling away.

Today might be the darkest day of Eric's life.

"Even if Eric can get past his family's opposition — what about Molly's side? Her grandfather and your father are probably furious at the Clark family. There's no way they'd let Molly marry into that."

Evelyn's eyes held equal parts anger and helplessness. "Think about the reaction my own family had back then. And honestly, what happened to Molly is worse than what happened to me. This was the entire Clark Group conspiring against one young woman — treating her like a fool, playing her, humiliating her at every turn. What parent with any conscience would let their child walk back into that? And did Eric even manage to protect her? He didn't. Next time it could be something far worse. Who would gamble with their child's safety?"

"Eric is capable of protecting Molly. I think someone was working behind the scenes this time — feeding the Clark Group information, or directly helping them." Edward's brow furrowed. "Because honestly? I don't believe Jessica and Neil are smart enough to pull this off on their own."

"I think the same. Let's wait and see what Peter finds."

The words had barely left her mouth when Edward's phone buzzed.

He put it on speaker. "Bart, what is it?"

Bart's voice couldn't quite contain his excitement. "Mr. Wellington! I just heard from our guy — after you slapped Debra twice today, she was taken straight to the hospital. And you are not going to believe this."

"She's deaf."