chapter1286

Thalassa shoveled forkfuls of mashed potatoes into her mouth, her gaze cast down at the comforting

swirl of her meal, avoiding any eye contact with Callum or Evelyn as she concealed the tumult of

emotions within her.

Callum didn't mention Lysander, and that was fine by Thalassa. She wasn't ready to think about him

just yet. But the mere mention of his name brought back the terrible memories on the boat, when

Evelyn had fallen into water with no one could help.

Lysander's first instinct hadn't been to save Evelyn. Instead, he tried to stop Thalassa from diving in

after her mother.

If Lysander had jumped into the river to save Evelyn immediately, Thalassa wouldn't have been so

frantic.

His attempt was just to stop Thalassa from jumping herself, and his pretense of concern was nothing

but an excuse.

In Lysander's heart, he didn’t take Evelyn as his family or friend.

This thought triggered a bitter surge of self-mockery in Thalassa.

Evelyn was her mother. How could Lysander value Evelyn when he seemed to barely care for Thalassa

herself?

Moreover, considering the strained history between Evelyn and Bruce, it was already a miracle

Lysander didn't despise Evelyn outright. How could he possibly hold any warmth for her?

When Evelyn had been struggling in the water, Lysander probably felt a twisted sense of relief that she

was finally getting her comeuppance.

The idea that he'd wish for Evelyn's death was ghastly, yet there it was. How could Thalassa expect

Lysander to rush to save someone he secretly longed to see suffer?

Thalassa understood this twisted logic all too well, and that’s why she never sought Lysander's help

from the beginning.

Upon hearing Thalassa's account—that Lysander had only acted when it was clear Evelyn was nearly

drowning—a thick wave of disappointment and sorrow washed over Evelyn from deep within.

She had felt grateful to Lysander for saving her, but Thalassa's words painted a different picture.

Lysander had let her flounder, perhaps even relishing her desperation. He still harbored hatred toward

her.

Even if Bruce wasn't Thalassa's father, the undeniable fact of Evelyn's past romance with Bruce was

enough to sour Lysander's feelings. How could he be gentle with a woman who had been intimate with

his enemy?

Evelyn felt like a burden to Thalassa. Perhaps it was her past with Bruce that made Lysander unwilling

to fully commit to Thalassa.

With a gloomy mood, Evelyn's appetite waned, and her pace of eating slowed.

Overhearing the conversation, Callum piped up, "Well, let's be fair. Lysander did save Evelyn in the

end. He's a military man, a strong swimmer. A small river like that is a walk in the park for him."

He seemed to be making excuses for Lysander, but to Thalassa, his words stung.

Sure, Lysander was trained, swimming was as easy as breathing to him. But he hadn't reacted to save

Evelyn immediately.

If Evelyn had drowned, it wouldn't have made a difference to him—perhaps he would even find some

relief in it.

"Mr. Gordon, we're heading back to Starhaven this afternoon. What about you?" Thalassa asked, trying

to change the subject as she took another bite of her meal.

This trip to Eldoria was supposed to clear her mind. But on the contrary, it had brought more

embarrassment to her mother. It felt pointless now. Going home seemed the only sensible option.

She wanted to drop the topic of Lysander and steer the conversation elsewhere.

"We'll take the train. I can book them on my phone, no worries," Thalassa said politely. Read at

"My injury makes it tough to get around, so I can't see you off. You'll be fine getting to the station on

your own, right?" Callum asked, always mindful of etiquette.