Matteo pinned the group's leader to the ground and landed punch after punch, showing no mercy until they were all bloodied and begging for forgiveness.

"We're sorry, Mr. Gallagher! We messed up! Please, have mercy and let us go!"

"Get lost! If I ever catch you near her again, you'll regret it!" he barked, his fury sending them scrambling away, practically tripping over themselves.

A crowd had gathered in the stairwell, watching the scene unfold.

Ignoring the prying eyes, Matteo helped Rebecca to her feet. "Are you hurt?"

Rebecca threw herself into his arms, tears streaming down her face like a damsel in distress. "I twisted my ankle. It hurts so bad."

Matteo's expression darkened. Without hesitation, he scooped her up in his arms, pushing through the crowd as he strode away.

In his haste to shield Rebecca, he accidentally shoved Evelyn aside.

Her head slammed against the hard stair, and a gash opened up, blood trickling down, shocking the onlookers.

"You're bleeding! Someone call 911!"

Pain shot through Evelyn's body, cold sweat breaking out across her skin.

The warm blood seeped between her fingers, dripping onto her lashes, feeling unbearably heavy.

She watched Matteo leave without so much as a backward glance, and bitterness filled her mouth.

She thought back to when she used to cut her fingers while making soup for him. He would fuss over her endlessly, insisting on calling a doctor, afraid that she would have a scar.

She used to laugh at how dramatic he was, but he would always kiss her hand softly and say, "Eve, you're the one I cherish the most. If you get hurt, it hurts me even more. Our life is better now. You don't need to do these things anymore. Your hands should be wearing the ring I give you, not covered in scars."

Now, she was hurt, and he didn't even see it.

And the ring he had promised her was now on someone else's finger.

The ambulance took Evelyn to the hospital.

She checked herself in, got treated, picked up her medication, and finally made it home in the dead of night.

That night, the pain kept her awake, tossing and turning.

Matteo never came home.

The next morning, as she dragged herself out of bed to change her bandages, she saw Rebecca's new social media post.

It was a video of Matteo kneeling on one knee, gently massaging her ankle and applying medicine.

Evelyn watched it over and over, her eyes turning red. Before she realized it, she had fallen asleep.

By the time she woke up, night had fallen.

Her phone buzzed nonstop on the pillow beside her.

As soon as she answered, Matteo's voice came through. "Riverdale, Room 703. Get here now."

Evelyn hesitated for a moment before getting up.

She freshened up and headed over.

The moment she stepped into the private room, her eyes landed on Rebecca.

Rebecca's eyes were red, making her look like a fragile little bunny, all pitiful and wronged.

Matteo sat there in silence, watching Evelyn with an unreadable expression.

The tension in the room stretched until Evelyn finally broke it.

"You called me here. What do you want?"

Matteo straightened his posture, interlocking his fingers with an air of authority. "Eve, were those thugs last night sent by you to mess with Rebecca?"

Evelyn froze.

She instinctively glanced at Rebecca, catching the fleeting smirk in her eyes.

In that instant, she understood everything. Rebecca had staged it all.

A bitter smile curved her lips. "It wasn't me. I don't know them, and I have no interest in doing something like that."

Matteo's face didn't soften at her denial.

He lowered his gaze and spoke evenly, "Eve, the moment Rebecca abandoned me all those years ago, I let her go. You've been with me for seven years. You should know who I care about now.

"The Pittman family has fallen, and anyone can kick them while they're down. But that person shouldn't be you. You don't have to stoop to this."

Evelyn felt like she had been punched in the gut.

She thought back to the nights he had poured his pain into her arms, the days they had run from doctor to doctor searching for a cure, the moment when he had been wrongly told he would be blind for life.

She still remembered the despair in his eyes. A man who had once stood above the rest was now utterly broken over a woman.

Seven years.

They shared seven years of struggles. Now, he dismissed it all as if it had never happened.

Her mind flashed to the image of his marriage certificate with Rebecca and that stamp sealing away all their years together. Tears welled in her eyes.

"Yeah," she murmured, her voice trembling. "Seven years… and I'm just now realizing who you really care about."

Matteo's gaze sharpened. "What do you mean by that?"

Evelyn shook her head, letting out a self-deprecating laugh. "I mean, I'm just a maid's daughter. How could I possibly have the power or connections to send those guys after her?"

Even as she laid it all out in front of him, Matteo still didn't believe her.

Evelyn was exhausted. She took a deep breath and gave up. "If you don't believe me, then let's cut to the chase. What do you want me to do?"

Matteo pinched the bridge of his nose. "Apologize, Eve. If you've done something wrong, you should say sorry."

Before Evelyn could respond, Rebecca, who had been sitting there looking pitiful, suddenly spoke up. "Forget the apology. If you really feel bad, then just drink all this alcohol."

The table was filled with amber-colored whiskey.

Evelyn lifted her gaze and looked at Matteo, waiting for his definite response. But the dim lighting obscured his expression.

In the overwhelming silence, Evelyn felt like she was suffocating. She panted heavily, her mind flooded with memories.

Back when she first moved into the Gallagher estate, Matteo, unable to see, drowned himself in alcohol every day.

She worried about his health and tried to stop him, but he never listened.

One time, after getting drunk, he let out a cold laugh and pushed several bottles of alcohol toward her.

"Now, even a maid's daughter dares to tell me what to do? Have I really fallen this low? Fine. If you drink all of these, I'll listen to you."

Evelyn wanted to tell him that wasn't her intention. She wasn't trying to control him. She was worried about him.

So, even though she was allergic to alcohol, she didn't hesitate for a second. She grabbed a bottle and drank it down.

Within minutes, she had to be rushed to the hospital.

When she woke up, she saw him sitting by her bedside, his face dark with anger.

"I'm the one who was drunk, not you! You knew you were allergic to alcohol. Why would you risk your life like that?"

Evelyn had only one response. "Because I was worried about you, Mr. Gallagher. Your eyesight will return eventually. And even if it doesn't, I'll stay with you for the rest of my life. So please… don't give up on yourself, okay?"

From that day forward, Matteo quit drinking.

For years, there wasn't a single bottle of alcohol in the house.

As these memories surfaced, Evelyn laughed, but there was a glimmer of tears in her eyes.

She didn't explain anything. Instead, she reached for the bottle of soda sitting nearby and dumped it into her drink.

Her voice was firm. "This alone isn't enough to show my sincerity. I'll punish myself further. Will that be enough?"

Without waiting for a response, she picked up the glass and tilted her head back, downing one after another.

The fiery, bitter burn slid down her throat, spreading through her stomach, sinking into a place even deeper—her heart.

By the seventh glass, Matteo finally couldn't take it anymore. "That's enough!"

Evelyn looked at the dozen untouched glasses still on the table and smiled. "That's it? So, does this count as my apology? Have I done enough to make your beloved sweetheart happy?"

At those words, Matteo shot up from his seat, gripping her wrist.

His usually unreadable expression had darkened to something stormy, almost dangerous.

"You know that's not what I meant, Eve! I told you, Rebecca and I are over! The Gallagher family won't accept you; if you pull stunts like this, people will use them against you. I just don't want to see you getting hurt or criticized!"

Matteo's words sounded firm, logical even.

But Evelyn just laughed.

The Gallagher family wouldn't accept her, the daughter of a maid, but did he really think they would welcome someone like Rebecca? A woman who repaid kindness with betrayal?

And yet, no matter how impossible the odds, as long as Rebecca said the word, Matteo still married her, didn't he?"

Excuses.

Every rejection, every refusal, and every argument were all just excuses. The truth was simple. He just didn't love her enough.

Evelyn didn't want to waste any more breath. She yanked her wrist free and turned to leave.

But just as she reached the door, her vision blurred, and she collapsed.

"Eve!"

Matteo's chest tightened as he rushed forward, catching her in his arms. Without hesitation, he turned to leave.

Before he could take a step, Rebecca grabbed his sleeve, her voice trembling. "Matteo, I feel a little dizzy."

Matteo froze.

For a moment, just a few seconds, he hesitated.

Then, he shook her off and strode away, leaving behind a single sentence. "I'm taking Eve to the hospital. Call my assistant if you need help."

When Evelyn woke up, she was in a hospital bed.

Matteo, who hadn't slept all night, finally exhaled in relief when he saw her open her eyes.

The two of them stared at each other for a long time, neither speaking.

After a moment, Matteo poured her a glass of water, tucked the blanket around her, and went to call the doctor for a checkup. He listened carefully to every instruction, memorizing each detail.

His secretary had already reminded him multiple times that he had important meetings to attend, but he pushed them all back.

Watching his assistant standing at the door, visibly anxious, Evelyn finally spoke.

"You should go. I can take care of myself. This… This isn't something you should be doing."

Matteo paused, apple half-peeled. His voice was slow, deliberate.

"I should be doing this, Eve. Did you forget? Back then, you did the same for me."

Evelyn's eyes flickered with a distant emotion.

Back then, when Matteo lost his sight, he had been discarded like a broken chess piece.

But she had stayed. She taught herself Braille just to help him read. She attended classes with him, took him outside to sit in the sun, cooked his favorite meals…

Back then, it felt like she had stolen a piece of the moon, bringing its light into their world.

For seven years, in all the darkness, she had found happiness.

However, the moon was never hers to keep.

And the past? The past was a place she could never return to.

That afternoon, the doctor took Evelyn for further tests.

Half an hour later, a nurse helped her back to her room.

As soon as she opened the door, she saw Matteo standing there, her phone in his hand, frowning.

His voice was ice-cold as he spoke into the receiver. "I've already told you. Eve and I are together. We love each other. I don't care about her background. Stop wasting your time. I will marry her. And she won't leave me."

Hearing the door open, he lifted his head and met her gaze.

A second later, Caroline's confused voice rang from the phone's speaker. "What do you mean she won't leave? Matteo, didn't you know? Evelyn already agreed to go abroad…"

The conversation came to an abrupt halt.

Evelyn, her steps unsteady, walked forward and snatched her phone back, ending the call.

Matteo stared at her in shock, not understanding why she was so worked up. "What's wrong?"

Seeing his confusion, she knew he hadn't heard the rest of what Caroline had said. She let out a quiet sigh of relief, averted her gaze, and tried to sound as calm as possible. "Nothing, I just don't want you guys fighting over me anymore."

For the past few weeks, the Gallagher family had been making a fuss about him being with Evelyn, constantly trying to break them up. Matteo had argued with them several times over it.

Hearing her say that, Matteo didn't press further and instead asked about her test results.

"The doctor said it's nothing serious. I can be discharged."

For the next few days at home, Matteo barely left the house, staying by Evelyn's side.

She wasn't as lively as before, no longer smiling as much. Most of the time, she just sat in a corner, staring off into space, looking uninterested in everything.

Matteo couldn't figure out what was wrong. He tried holding her, hoping to comfort her, but she just got up and went back to the bedroom.

"I'm not feeling well. I'm going to rest for a bit."

Watching her walk away, Matteo was caught off guard.

He thought she was still upset about the apology incident, so he had his assistant prepare a surprise for her.

On her birthday, he threw a party in her honor.

Out of respect for Matteo, most people from their social circle showed up.

They were polite to Evelyn when Matteo was around.

But at the moment he stepped away, they gathered in small groups, whispering and making snide remarks.

"If it weren't for Mr. Gallagher, I wouldn't be caught dead at a maid's daughter's birthday party. It's just embarrassing."

"I don't even get what he sees in her. Look at that cheap, small-town vibe. It makes me sick."

"Mr. Gallagher is just being noble, that's all. If it were me, I'd just throw her some cash and be done with it. But marrying her? That'd be a disgrace to the Gallagher name."

Even though she was supposed to be the center of attention, Evelyn stood alone, completely ignored.

Hearing the insults and mockery from all sides, she just felt exhausted.

If it weren't for the fact that leaving too early would make Matteo suspicious, she wouldn't have come at all.

The deliberate isolation made every minute unbearable.

Then, at exactly 7:00 pm, the atmosphere in the ballroom suddenly shifted.

The entire room turned toward the entrance, their disdain instantly replaced with eager flattery.

In their world, news traveled fast. Everyone had heard about Matteo getting into a fight over Rebecca not long ago. Now, seeing him walk in, they rushed to suck up to him.

"Mr. Gallagher, so you left earlier to go pick up Ms. Pittman? After all these years, your bond is still so strong!"

"Well, of course! They grew up together. They're childhood sweethearts. Just look at Ms. Pittman. She has such elegance and grace. She and Mr. Gallagher are a perfect match."

As speculations ran wild, Evelyn turned to see Rebecca walking in, her arm hooked through Matteo's.

She was dressed in a stunning designer gown and a dazzling diamond necklace, emphasizing her elegant posture. Her delicate, refined features exuded an air of privilege and luxury.

Even standing next to Matteo, with his naturally imposing presence, she didn't seem overshadowed in the slightest.

For no reason at all, an image flashed in Evelyn's mind. It was the faceless sketch Matteo had once drawn after regaining his sight.

Back then, he had brushed it off as just a random doodle. She had thought it was beautiful but didn't think much of it.

But now, looking at Rebecca, she finally understood who had been in that drawing.

This wasn't a case of lost love finding its way back. It was love that had never faded.

Evelyn lowered her gaze and turned away in silence.

However, before she could leave, Rebecca called out to her.

"Ms. Walsh, I heard it's your birthday today. I hope you don't mind me showing up uninvited?"

At her cue, someone led in a small, snow-white puppy. "Its name is Elmo. Isn't it adorable?"

As the fluffy puppy bounced toward her, Evelyn instinctively stepped back, bumping into a table.

Her face went pale, and a wave of fear and panic surged in her eyes.

"Take it away," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "I don't like dogs."