The morning light sparkled against the car windows as Evelyn fastened the girls' seat belts.
"Mommy, really?" Lily asked, eyes bright. "We're coming too?"
Evelyn smiled. "Of course. There's a playground near the café — and a toy store, too. You can play while I talk to Aunt Sienna."
Emma clapped her hands, her curls bouncing. "Yay! You never take us out, Mommy!"
Her heart twisted a little at that, but she smiled through it. "Then it's time to change that."
Grace was already dozing in her car seat, her tiny head bobbing with the rhythm of the road as they pulled out of the gates.
For the first time in a long time, laughter filled the back seat — real, unguarded laughter.
The girls told her stories about school — teachers they liked, friends who traded candies, how Emma once drew a cat that looked like a dinosaur and still won a gold star.
Evelyn listened, genuinely listened, laughing until her sides hurt.
She didn't know whether to cry or rejoice — because it felt like meeting her own children for the first time.
Grace slept through it all, the softest expression on her face.
---
The café was bright and elegant, tucked in the corner of a small plaza.
When they arrived, Sienna was already waiting by the entrance, her hair tied back, sunglasses perched on her head.
The moment she saw Evelyn, her face broke into a smile.
"Evie!"
"Sienna!"
They met halfway, hugging tightly, the kind of embrace that says everything words cannot.
Sienna pulled back first, eyes shimmering. "You look beautiful. Honestly, motherhood suits you."
Evelyn laughed. "You always say that."
Sienna knelt to the girls' level, producing two candies from her purse. "And these must be my goddaughters! Lily and Emma, right?"
Both girls nodded shyly, then grinned when she handed them the treats.
"Thank you, Auntie Sienna!" they chirped together.
Sienna chuckled. "Go on, sweethearts — the playground's right over there. We'll be watching you, I promise."
As they ran off, Evelyn handed Grace to her friend, who cooed immediately.
"Oh, my goodness," Sienna whispered. "Evie, she's perfect. Look at those cheeks!"
"She takes after Alexander," Evelyn said softly.
Sienna arched a brow. "Oh please — those eyes are yours. The genes worked overtime with this one. All three look like porcelain dolls."
Evelyn laughed — loudly, freely. A sound so full of life that several nearby tables turned to stare.
It didn't bother her.
For the first time in years, she liked being seen.
---
They took a corner table near the glass wall overlooking the playground. The girls were visible through the glass, squealing with joy as they played.
Sienna poured coffee, her expression softening as she looked at Evelyn. "It feels like old times," she said.
"It does," Evelyn agreed. "Except this time, I won't ruin it."
Sienna reached across the table and squeezed her hand. "You won't. You're different now."
They spent the next hour reminiscing — about late-night shoots, dressing room gossip, and the ridiculous commercials they'd done in their teens.
They laughed until tears came, and for that little pocket of time, the years between them melted away.
Then Sienna reached into her purse and slid a small envelope across the table.
"Open this later," she said quietly. "When you're home. It's… important. It might blow your mind."
Evelyn frowned. "What is it?"
Sienna's smile didn't quite reach her eyes. "Something Ryan found. Something you need to see."
Evelyn nodded slowly, feeling a chill crawl up her spine. "All right."
Just as the air between them turned serious, a voice interrupted.
"Excuse me," said a young man standing by their table. His grin was boyish, too confident. "Sorry to bother you, but— you're… incredibly beautiful. Are you single?"
Evelyn blinked in surprise. She hadn't been approached like that in years.
"No," she said, composed. "I'm married."
The man's grin faltered. "Married? To—?"
"To Alexander Carter."
The shock on his face was almost comical. "Oh. Uh— wow. He's— uh— lucky man."
Evelyn smiled politely. "He is."
The man mumbled something and left in a hurry.
Sienna burst out laughing. "You still have it, Evie. Even motherhood didn't dim that charm."
Evelyn rolled her eyes, trying not to blush. "Stop it."
"Oh, come on. Remember how every man on set used to trip over himself trying to talk to you? Even Alexander— the cold, terrifying Carter— couldn't resist. He was ten years older, you know, and still the boldest one."
Evelyn flushed, laughing softly. "You make it sound like a drama."
"It was a drama," Sienna teased. "You were eighteen, he was twenty-eight, and the entire country lost its mind when he proposed."
Evelyn smiled, but her eyes softened. "Yes… I remember."
Before she could say more, Sienna's phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen, her expression tightening.
"Ryan," she said quickly, standing. "Something urgent came up at the company. I have to go."
"Go," Evelyn said. "We'll meet again tomorrow if you're free."
"Absolutely. And don't forget to open that envelope," Sienna reminded, giving Grace one last kiss before handing her back. "And keep your guard up, Evie. You're walking in a house full of ghosts."
Evelyn nodded. "I know."
They hugged one last time, and then Sienna was gone.
---
Before leaving, Evelyn ordered food to go — Alexander's favorite dishes, and small meals for the girls.
The drive to his office took longer than expected, but she didn't mind. The girls hummed to a tune on the radio; Grace slept against her chest. For once, everything felt… peaceful.
When they reached the company building, several employees stopped in surprise. Everyone knew who she was — the boss's wife, the woman who had once caused a scene at a company gala, the wife whose temper had been whispered about in hallways for years.
Now she walked through the lobby with quiet grace, her daughters holding her hands, a baby in her arms.
She smiled politely at the receptionist. "Mr. Carter's office?"
"Top floor, ma'am."
She thanked her and took the elevator up.
Her heart was light — she couldn't wait to surprise him.
But when the doors opened and she stepped into the hallway, laughter met her ears.
Male laughter.
It came from the half-open door to Alexander's private lounge, connected to his office.
She approached quietly — and froze.
Alexander was inside with three of his closest business associates.
And they were talking about her.
"…honestly, Alex," one of them was saying, "you've been too patient. She's beautiful, yes, but impossible. Everyone saw the scenes she made at that charity gala. You'd be better off without her."
"Exactly," another added. "You handle business better than anyone, but your wife— she's a storm. She doesn't even take care of the girls properly, does she?"
Evelyn's throat went dry.
Alexander didn't answer at first. Then, after a long silence, he said quietly, "She's… difficult. But she's still my wife."
The men laughed again, one clapping him on the shoulder. "You're too soft, Carter. Divorce her. Find someone less… dramatic."
The words hit Evelyn like knives.
Her grip on the food bag trembled. Her daughters, holding her hands, looked up in confusion — they didn't understand the words, but they felt her stillness.
Evelyn blinked rapidly, trying to steady her breath.
In another life, she would have burst in — shouted, thrown something, made another scene that would have proven those men right.
But this time, she stood there, silent.
Listening.
Feeling.
The woman they were mocking wasn't her anymore.
But she was still paying the price for the one who came before.
Her daughters looked up at her, waiting for her to say something.
Instead, she smiled faintly, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Let's go see Daddy."
And with her heart breaking and burning all at once, Evelyn Carter stepped through the door — ready to face what came next.