Your Happiness Is My Priority

Evelyn froze, startled.

She turned to see Alexander approaching in his wheelchair.

He stopped directly in front of her before she could speak.

"Evelyn." His voice was soft, a gentle smile touching his lips as he said her name again.

He reached out and took her hand.

His grasp was both firm and tender.

A jolt shot through Evelyn at the contact, making her heart skip.

"Why did you leave your guest?" she whispered.

Shouldn't he be with Cassandra?

Alexander raised an eyebrow, his gaze intense. "Is there a problem?"

Evelyn's composure wavered under his stare. She quickly looked down. "No. Nothing's wrong."

She bit her lip. "You should attend to your guest."

Evelyn avoided his eyes, emotions churning inside. "I don't really know her," she admitted quietly. "It's better if I just go back to my room."

His grip tightened, stopping her from pulling away. "Evelyn, you are my wife. We receive guests together."

Her pulse quickened from the warmth of his hand. She chose her words with care. "But I might say something wrong. I could embarrass you."

Alexander's smile was gentle, his eyes holding a tenderness she rarely saw. "You were brave enough to marry me. Everyone knew my condition. You didn't care about their opinions then. Why worry about embarrassment now?"

He softly stroked the back of her hand. His voice was a calm reassurance. "Don't worry. While I'm here, no one will disrespect you. If they try, I will remove them myself."

Evelyn let out a small laugh. "Isn't that a bit extreme? People will think we're unapproachable."

His expression remained serious. His voice was firm. "Your happiness is what matters to me. I don't care about anyone else's thoughts."

Looking into his eyes, Evelyn felt a warm glow spread through her. The earlier tension melted away.

A palpable affection surrounded them. Those nearby smiled at the couple's obvious bond.

Only Cassandra watched, her face a mask of disbelief. She could hardly believe what she was seeing.

Cassandra, accustomed to being the center of attention, felt utterly invisible. Her wealth, her beauty, her presence—none of it seemed to matter.

She and Alexander had grown up together. After the accident that confined him to the wheelchair, he had become withdrawn. He pushed everyone away.

In those days, he had treated her differently.

He wasn't overly warm, but he was more considerate with her than with others.

Knowing his naturally distant nature, Cassandra had never expected more.

But now, seeing the look on his face, she realized she was witnessing a side of Alexander she never knew existed.