EVELYN

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Writer's POV

Mariam had barely risen from her seat when she heard the heavy thud of footsteps outside Evelyn’s door. She turned, startled, just as Mr. James appeared in the doorway, his broad frame blocking the light from the hallway. His face was flushed with anger, his tie slightly loosened, and his sharp eyes bore into her like daggers.

“Mariam,” he barked, his voice low and biting, “where is Evelyn?”

Mariam’s heart sank, but she kept her composure. “She’s sleeping, sir,” she replied softly, trying to shield him from the truth.

“Sleeping?” he repeated, his tone dripping with disdain. “The party ended an hour ago, and you’re telling me my daughter is upstairs, sleeping? Is that what you call it when she disrespects an important guest and makes a fool of me in my own house?”

Mariam flinched at his words, gripping the edge of her apron to steady her shaking hands. “Sir, I’m sure Evelyn meant no harm. She wasn’t feeling well—”

“She wasn’t feeling well?” He cut her off, his voice rising. “She wasn’t feeling well enough to greet Mr. Langston properly? That man left without a word, and you expect me to believe it wasn’t her insolence that drove him away?”

As he moved to step past her, Mariam’s instincts kicked in. She placed herself between him and the door, her hands raised in a silent plea.

“Please, Mr. James,” she begged, her voice trembling. “She’s not well. Let her rest tonight.”

He glared at her, his jaw tightening. “Mariam, I’ve tolerated your meddling out of respect for your years of service. Don’t test my patience now. Step aside.”

Mariam swallowed hard, her heart racing. She could see the storm brewing in his eyes, the fierce determination to confront his daughter. But she couldn’t let him see Evelyn—not like this.

“Mr. James,” she said, her voice firmer now, “please trust me. She needs time.”

But her words fell on deaf ears. He brushed past her, pushing the door open with such force it banged against the wall.

“Evelyn!” he called, his voice echoing through the room. But what he saw stopped him in his tracks.

There she was, lying still on her bed, her face pale as a ghost, her lips cracked and swollen. Bruises marred her delicate skin, the faint outlines of handprints visible on her wrists and neck. Her once-bright hair was disheveled, and her expression was eerily serene in her unconscious state, as though she had retreated far away from the horrors of the night.

James’s fists clenched at his sides, his chest heaving with each labored breath. He turned slowly, his gaze locking onto Mariam, who stood frozen in the doorway.

“What happened to my princess?” he thundered, his voice breaking with rage and despair.

Mariam’s lips quivered, tears spilling down her cheeks. “Sir... I... I found her like this.”

“You found her like this?” he repeated, his voice rising. He closed the distance between them in two swift strides, his eyes burning with fury. “Who did this to her? Who dared lay a hand on my daughter?”

Mariam shook her head, unable to meet his gaze. “I don’t know, sir. I swear I don’t know.”

James’s hands trembled as he ran them through his hair, his composure crumbling.

For a moment, the room was silent except for Evelyn’s shallow breathing and the sound of Mariam’s quiet sobs. Then James straightened, his expression hardening.

“Mariam,” he said coldly, “you will tell me everything you know. Every detail.”

“I don’t know anything,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

“Then find out,” he snapped, his voice sharp as a blade. “Because I will not rest until I know who did this. And when I find them, God help them.”

He turned back to Evelyn, his hand hovering over her forehead, hesitant to touch her fragile form. His shoulders slumped, and for the first time, Mariam saw the fire in his eyes dim, replaced by a deep, gnawing sorrow.

“Mariam...”
he said again, this time softer, like his voice was breaking.

Mariam’s chest tightened,
She opened her mouth to respond, but no words came.

Turning back to his daughter,

“I’m so sorry, my princess.”

he muttered. Unable to say anything else