Chapter 48: Dawn of a New Life
By the time Evelyn Carter heard news about Alexander Hamilton again, the plane trees outside her window had sprouted fresh buds.
Vivian Dempsey burst into the examination room like a whirlwind while Evelyn was performing a prenatal checkup for an expectant mother. Seeing her friend mysteriously close the door behind her, Evelyn nearly dropped the fetal doppler. “Don’t tell me you’re—”
“Get your mind out of the gutter!” Vivian patted her flat stomach and leaned in conspiratorially. “I’m here with juicy gossip.”
Evelyn exhaled in relief and resumed organizing the medical records. “What gossip is worth making an actual appointment for?”
“The Hamilton Group is in chaos lately.” Vivian lowered her voice. “Annabelle Taylor stormed into the office and forced Alexander’s chief secretary to resign.”
Evelyn’s hands stilled briefly. “Emily Zade?”
“Exactly. The one who’d worked for Alexander for eight years.” Vivian scoffed. “Annabelle accused her of seducing Alexander and made such a scene—flaunting her pregnancy and everything—that Emily ended up quitting.”
Evelyn remembered the poised woman who always wore tailored suits. Emily had been instrumental in organizing her and Alexander’s wedding, even hand-selecting their wedding favors.
“But here’s the kicker,” Vivian continued. “Annabelle installed her useless cousin Andy Taylor as the replacement. The idiot lost a crucial contract, costing the Hamiltons a nine-figure deal.”
Evelyn quietly closed the medical file. Sunlight filtered through the blinds, casting dappled patterns across her serene expression.
She hadn’t thought much about Alexander this past month.
The OB-GYN department was always brimming with hope. Delivering newborns daily and witnessing new parents’ tearful joy gave her a long-missing sense of fulfillment. After work, she’d sweat it out at the gym. On weekends, she experimented with new baking recipes. Her life was simple yet satisfying.
“Evelyn, aren’t you even angry?” Vivian couldn’t help asking.
Evelyn looked up, a faint smile on her lips. “I’m happy with my life now.”
A newborn’s cry echoed through the hallway outside—clear and vibrant. Evelyn gazed out the window where spring sunlight warmed everything it touched.
Those old wounds were like winter ice, destined to melt away when spring arrived.
