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."

Rebecca's face fell when she heard those words.

"Matteo, is Ms. Walsh still mad at me over what happened last time? If that's the case, I'll just leave so I don't intrude on you two."

As she spoke, she turned to leave. Matteo quickly grabbed her arm and frowned at Evelyn.

"She meant well, Eve. Don't you love animals? Just take it."

Seeing the displeasure in his eyes, Evelyn clenched her hands tightly and turned to his assistant, Zachary Warner, instead.

"Mr. Warner, I'm wearing heels, so it's inconvenient for me to hold the puppy. Could you take care of it for me?"

The people around them started making snide remarks again, mocking her for being ungrateful and acting too high and mighty.

Matteo also assumed she was deliberately giving Rebecca a hard time. His expression darkened as he led Rebecca inside.

The party quickly emptied out, leaving Evelyn alone.

She poured herself a glass of water and took a slow sip, trying to calm the panic and anxiety in her chest.

She used to love dogs.

But five years ago, on a stormy night when the power went out, Matteo had come down with a high fever. She ran out into the rain to find help.

A neighbor's guard dog had chased her the whole way, tearing a chunk of flesh from her calf.

Despite the pain, she forced herself to bring a doctor back. Only after confirming that Matteo was safe did she finally take care of her own injury.

Since then, she had developed a deep fear of dogs. However, to keep him from worrying, she had never told him about it.

Even now, through the fabric of her dress, she could still feel the outline of that old scar.

The guests at the party were all social climbers, reading the room and adjusting their attitudes accordingly. Seeing how Matteo was acting, they no longer bothered hiding their disdain toward Evelyn.

When it was time for the cake-cutting, everyone surrounded Rebecca instead, as if she were the one celebrating a birthday.

Matteo, finally in a better mood, called Evelyn over to blow out the candles.

She walked up in silence, just about to make a wish, when Rebecca suddenly gasped in excitement.

"Oh wow, what a coincidence! Ms. Walsh, you and Elmo share the same birthday! Why don't we celebrate together?"

The moment those words left her mouth, the room filled with stifled laughter.

Seeing the challenge in Rebecca's eyes, Evelyn dug her nails into her palms.

She took a slow breath, her voice carrying a cold edge. "In that case, let the puppy blow out the candles. Everyone can sing for it instead. I won't get in the way."

As she turned to leave, Matteo's temple twitched in frustration. His voice dropped into a warning tone as he called after her.

"Eve! This party was thrown for your birthday. If you leave now, what kind of message does that send?"

Evelyn ignored him and kept walking toward the door.

Finally losing his patience, Matteo caught up to her, grabbed her wrist, and leaned in to whisper something in her ear before pushing her back toward the cake.

"Don't make a scene! Everyone here is part of the elite circle. If you storm out like this and the Gallagher family hears about it, they'll be even more against us."

Against them? What was there to be against? Hadn't he already married Rebecca?

Then, the cheerful tune of "Happy Birthday" filled the room.

Evelyn forced a faint smile, but she stood there like a lifeless statue, her expression void of joy.

Then, out of nowhere, someone picked up the puppy and shoved it into her arms.

A shiver ran down her spine, and goosebumps broke out across her skin.

Halfway through the song, the restless puppy wriggled free and jumped down.

It bolted forward, knocking over the towering champagne display. The cascading glasses came crashing down straight toward Evelyn and Rebecca.

Screams echoed through the hall as the shattered glass reflected in Evelyn's widened pupils.

She watched, frozen, as Matteo instinctively pulled Rebecca into his arms and shielded her.

Meanwhile, glass shards and champagne rained down on Evelyn.

A sharp sting shot through her shoulder as broken glass cut into her skin, leaving a long, bloody gash.

Blood trickled down, staining her already-soaked white dress with a deep red.

She collapsed onto the floor with a muffled groan, cold sweat breaking out across her forehead.

Hearing the sound, Matteo turned back. He saw her injured and was about to walk toward her when Rebecca suddenly screamed.

"Ah! Matteo, Elmo scratched me! What if I get rabies?"

Matteo's eyes flickered to the small, barely visible scratch on her ankle.

He hesitated for a brief moment, then gave Zachary a quick order. "Take Eve to the hospital to get her wound treated."

And with that, he hurried off with Rebecca.

The other guests followed suit, not missing the chance to get in a few more jabs before leaving.

"Elmo, Eve… Ms. Walsh sure has a knack for picking names! Look at her now. Doesn't she just look like a stray dog?"

"Don't insult Elmo! He's adorable. Unlike some desperate mutt trying to climb the social ladder."

Every single word cut through Evelyn like a blade.

She looked down at herself, drenched in champagne, covered in cuts, humiliated beyond words.

Her nose burned, and tears welled up in her eyes.

The birthday banner above her swayed before finally falling, landing right in front of her.

She picked it up, looking around at the now empty, chaotic venue.

Finally, with no one left to see her break, her tears fell freely.

And just like that, her 23rd birthday ended in ruins.