Chapter 5: A New Name. A New House. A New Life

"Excuse me, young miss, would you mind telling me where you are headed?"

Evelyn was somewhat startled by the driver’s voice, pulling her out of the whirlpool of sadness and disappointment she was drowning in.

Trying to hide the tears in her eyes, she calmly replied, "Not at all. Take me to the High-speed train station, please..."

She already had a plan for her future: to leave this city right away.

Even though her father had taken everything: her money, the facilities she had enjoyed since childhood, her name, the diplomas she earned, she didn’t care and wasn’t afraid.

She didn’t need any of that.

What she needed now was only her brain. As long as she can think, she believes she can survive.

If she could lead her team at Walters Group for a couple of years without her father’s help, she believed she could also lead herself out of all of this.

She would start fresh to prove to William Walters that he was wrong.

A smile crossed Evelyn’s face as she recalled her father’s harsh words.

"Trust me, you wouldn’t have survived a week out there without my help, without my money. You would’ve come back and begged me...and when the time comes, I will never forgive you... I will never accept you, Evelyn!"

’Well, Mr. William Walters, you are dead wrong. I will never come back to beg you... Never!’

...

By the time Evelyn arrived at the high-speed train station, she didn’t rush to the platform but headed toward the locker rental area.

After inputting a series of codes on the locker door, she smiled faintly upon seeing a black bag, about the size of a laptop bag, along with a small backpack inside.

These were her only personal belongings, which she’d bought without using any money she earned while working at Walters. They couldn’t sue her for using this stuff.

After gathering all the items, she kept walking toward the high-speed train platform, blending in with the other passengers.

However, before she reached the platform, she felt something inside her coat pocket.

She was surprised to find something inside. Her steps slowed as she checked it.

’Huh? What’s this...?’

Veering toward a quiet corner, she pulls out a black cell phone and a small envelope from her coat pocket.

Her eyebrows knitted. She didn’t remember putting anything in there when she wore it.

Hurriedly, she opened the envelope and was stunned to find a few bills and jewelry inside: a diamond pendant.

’Did Stella put this in?’

When Evelyn unfolded the small note tucked inside, her heart clenched as a wave of emotion flooded over her.

[Eve, this is all I can give you. I hope it helps you survive and thrive. Don’t worry, this is my own money. I earned it myself, and it has nothing to do with your father. And Eve... even though you’re not born from my womb, I want you to know that I love you, from the bottom of my heart.

With all my love,

Alicia.]

"Alice... Why do you have to make me cry again?" Evelyn mumbled softly, feeling happy and heartbroken at the same time.

Evelyn struggled to hold back her tears in public.

However, Alicia’s brief but heartfelt message overwhelmed her, and she could no longer contain her emotions. She looks down at the shiny but gloomy Station’s floor and cries!

After calming herself, she continued walking toward the platform, just as the train that would take her to her new life arrived.

She was returning to her late mother’s hometown, a six-hour journey by high-speed train to Grayenfall Province.

But she wouldn’t stay in the city. Instead, she planned to go further, to a remote town called Willowcrest.

Willowcrest would be her final stop, a quiet place to hide from the chaos, the online noise, and anyone who might recognize her.

It was a popular tourist town, known for its natural beauty, where people came to escape from gossip, business, and political headlines.

She had already rented an apartment with a view of the sea. She planned to stay there until she gave birth and figured out her next steps.

...

By the time Evelyn arrived at her final destination, the sky had already turned dark.

As she dragged her suitcase toward the five-story building, a woman’s voice called out, surprising her.

She turned toward the voice and smiled when she saw a middle-aged woman walking toward her.

"Aunty Martha, thank you for your help."

Evelyn smiled warmly, feeling grateful to Martha, who had found the place for her and was the only person she knew in the area.

"Oh dear, don’t say that..." Martha quickly pulled Evelyn into a hug, then gently let go and added, "You are my savior, and now I’ll support you through whatever comes."

"Thank you, Aunty..."

Martha walked her to the door. "Alright, dear, go upstairs and rest. Take this simple dinner and your apartment key. Come by my place," she smiled while patting Evelyn’s shoulder gently before she left.

...

Evelyn finally settled into her apartment.

It was a two-bedroom unit with a modern kitchen and a cozy living room.

The furniture was simple yet modern, the space clean and warm, nothing extravagant, but far more than she had dared to hope for after everything that had happened.

Large windows lined the living room wall, facing the ocean.

However, since it was already night, the view was cloaked in darkness, the waves hidden beneath a blanket of shadows.

Still, Evelyn stood by the window, her arms folded loosely over her chest as she gazed at the lonely moon hanging above the water.

Its pale glow reflected faintly on the glass, and for the first time in what felt like forever... she breathed.

Not in fear. Not in sorrow. But like looking at the end of the tunnel, and knowing that calm, peace, and a new life to live and thrive awaited her there.

She hadn’t expected to feel it so soon. Not here. Not after being thrown out of her home, stripped of everything: her name, her status, her future.

And yet, in this small apartment, in a town no one would think to look for her, Evelyn felt the first stirrings of freedom.

A new name. A new house. A new life.

She closed her eyes, gently pressed her forehead against the glass, and whispered to herself, "Evelyn Taylor, let’s start over..."

The moon didn’t answer, but it kept her company.

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