Evelyn's gaze softened as she looked at Jason. “If I cared even a little about Lycheeville, I wouldn’t have stayed away for three years. Can’t you see that I genuinely want to build a life with you?”

Jason’s expression remained stoic as he released her wrist. “Stop deceiving yourself.”

“I’m not deceiving myself.” Her eyes were filled with sincerity, casting aside all calculations she had against Jason. “Let’s focus, prepare for pregnancy, and have a baby sooner rather than later.”

“You’re the one vying for Mrs. Stark’s position. Regardless of whether I focus or not, preparing for pregnancy and having a child are your responsibilities,” Jason shot back, his tone unapologetic.

“You didn’t hear a single word I said.” The fire ignited in Evelyn’s chest fizzled out, her voice trembling as she murmured, “You only have Cecilia in your heart; I’m just a dispensable Mrs. Stark.”

“Being more clear-headed can save you a lot of worries,” Jason replied before stepping out and entering the elevator across the hall.

Evelyn slammed the door shut with force, taking a deep breath. Just moments ago, fueled by emotion, she had bared her heart to Jason, only to have it trampled once more.

Her phone rang; it was Grace, someone she rarely contacted. She steeled herself before answering.

“Mother.”

“Are you running around with a pregnant belly because Jason can’t afford to take care of you, or are you just too restless to stay in Riverton?” Grace’s sharp words pierced Evelyn’s ears.

“I just ran into Jason, and he said you were upstairs. I found an old Chinese medicine doctor yesterday and made some herbal medicine for you to protect the fetus. Come down and get it; I won’t be coming up,” Grace continued.

Evelyn inhaled sharply, reluctantly replying, “Okay.”

On the first basement level of 9Bliss Garden, a brand-new black Cullinan was parked in Jason’s designated spot. The window was halfway open, and Grace sat in the backseat, leisurely admiring her freshly done nails.

The housekeeper, Windy, approached Evelyn, carrying a large paper bag. “Ma'am, this is the herbal medicine Ms. White bought for you. Keep it refrigerated and take one package in the morning and one at night.”

Evelyn took the bag, thanking Windy, then glanced at Grace a few meters away.

Grace leaned out of the car window. “I waited for these herbs at the clinic for a full three hours, so don’t let my efforts go to waste.”

“Thank you, Mother.” Evelyn forced a stiff smile.

Grace leisurely stroked her pinky finger. “If you can have a boy this time, Jason will definitely gain favor in the old man’s eyes. Take good care of yourself and remember to take your medicine.”

“I know.” Evelyn nodded, feigning compliance while suppressing her irritation.

The idea of being pregnant was just a random lie Jason had thrown out, yet Grace not only believed it but even went out to buy her pregnancy supplements. Evelyn had already gotten a contraceptive injection, and now she couldn’t figure out how to handle things when the time came for her to show.

As Windy got into the car, she earnestly reminded Evelyn to take her medicine on time. It wasn't until Grace's car had driven away that Evelyn glanced down at the paper bag in her hand. Dozens of brown medicine packets filled it, and just the sight of them gave her a headache. She tossed the bag into the trunk of her car.

Just as she was about to head upstairs, her phone rang—it was Jean, asking her to go watch a movie. After spending two days in Harborville and not sleeping well for two nights, Evelyn had planned to catch up on sleep but couldn’t resist Jean’s persistent persuasion.

It had been half a year since they last watched a movie together. Jean worked as a doctor in the obstetrics department at People's Hospital and was swamped with work as the year drew to a close.

After finishing her skincare routine and applying light makeup, Evelyn chose a loose gray cashmere dress and paired it with a cream-colored coat. She then drove straight to Harmonyplex Cinemas. The drive took less than fifteen minutes, but because it was a Sunday, the parking lot was packed with people enjoying their day out. It took nearly ten minutes for Evelyn to find a parking space.

Just as she was about to maneuver into a spot, a black Bentley suddenly zipped in from behind, claiming the space she had aimed for! To make matters worse, the Bentley was moving so fast that it brushed past her car, hitting her door.

Her car was a new energy vehicle worth over a hundred thousand, which she had bought on a loan just two months after starting at the TV station. When the Bentley hit, she clearly heard the sound of metal cracking.

She had already been simmering with frustration from Jason’s earlier comments, and now her car had been hit—talk about a run of bad luck!

Throwing off her seatbelt, she got out of the car. The driver of the Bentley was a young man in his twenties, who approached her, casually glancing at the dented side of her vehicle. “Going through insurance is a waste of time. Just name a price, and we can settle this privately,” he said nonchalantly.

Evelyn examined the damage and noted that the crack was about the size of an A4 sheet of paper. It was clear that repairing it would be futile; she’d need to replace the entire door.

She wasn’t one to make a fuss, especially with her status as a TV host. Usually, she preferred to keep a low profile. But the driver’s complete lack of remorse irritated her.

“I know nothing about car repairs. For the sake of fairness, let’s go through insurance,” she replied, pulling out her phone to find the insurance company’s number.

Before she could dial, the driver snatched her phone from her hand. “You seem pretty, but how come you’re so twisted in the head? Mr. Leighton needs to get back to the company for a shareholder meeting in fifteen minutes. Do you have any idea how much time you’d waste for him waiting for the insurance to come?”

“Mr. Leighton’s time is valuable, but do you think I’m not in a hurry?” Evelyn glared at him, extending her hand to get her phone back. “You stole my parking spot, hit my car, and now you’re taking my phone—this is simply thuggish.”

The driver was caught off guard and let out an awkward laugh. “Come on, beautiful, we’re all in a hurry. Let’s settle this privately. Besides the repair costs, I’ll throw in an extra two thousand. If we go through insurance, you won’t see a dime.”

“Return my phone right now. I don’t need your two thousand. We’re going through insurance,” Evelyn replied, standing tall and firm.

The driver opened his mouth to argue, but a slightly hoarse voice interrupted. “Give the phone back to Miss Joy and contact the insurance company immediately.”

Evelyn turned to see a tall man stepping out of the back seat of the black Bentley. His handsome features conveyed a sense of calm, and his eyes sparkled with a hint of amusement as he looked at her.

Evelyn recognized him as the man who had tugged at her sleeve yesterday in Harborville. He took the phone from the driver’s hand and handed it back to Evelyn with a polite demeanor. “I sincerely apologize for the trouble my subordinate has caused you, Miss Joy.”

“It's fine; let's just settle this privately. I’ll contact the dealership right away to estimate the repair costs,” Evelyn replied, reluctantly accepting her phone. She snapped a photo of the damage and sent it to the dealership staff. Given that this man had helped her and was speaking so courteously, she felt it was best not to be overly confrontational.

“Then we’ll go with Miss Joy’s suggestion,” the man said with a gentle smile, his gaze shifting to the driver. “The parking spot was reserved for Miss Joy, so you need to move the car somewhere else.”

“Mr. Leighton, it’s going to be hard to find another spot right now—”

“If you can’t find one, just drive it out,” he interjected firmly.

The driver, looking defeated, muttered an “oh” and slowly backed the car out to search for a nearby parking space.

“You’re too polite,” Evelyn said with a smile, her expression brightening. “Thank you for your help last night in Harborville.”