Chapter 417

It was a request for a meeting.

Evangeline didn't need to guess why. Helena wanted her to drop the lawsuit against Poppy.

The thought made her question things herself. Before, she had been certain she would succeed, convinced that the Fawkes family wouldn't get involved for Poppy's sake. But now things were different. Poppy was pregnant with Soren's child, and the family was protecting her for the child's sake.

Though she was no longer the old Evangeline, her resources were limited. And having crossed Victor, her life was constantly at risk.

Could she truly get justice for her child?

The more she thought about it, the more her heart sank. With a sigh, Evangeline decided to go downstairs for a glass of water.

It was late, and the villa was dark and silent. Guessing Finn was already asleep, she didn't want to wake him, so she turned on her phone's flashlight and tiptoed downstairs instead of flipping on the lights.

As she reached the landing, she heard a faint meow. She paused.

Evangeline followed the sound, stopping in front of a room where the meowing was coming from. Just as she was about to open the door, she heard a clatter from inside.

Finn's exhausted, pleading, and helpless voice drifted out.

"You're going to wake her up."

"Can you please stop? You little monster, I'm begging you. Just go back in the cage, please?"

He sounded like he was at his wit's end. Evangeline pushed the door open.

The scene inside left her

momentarily stunned. Things were

strewn all over the floor. Finn, dressed in an elegant robe, had messy hair and was sprawled on the ground, panting. Less than two meters away, a tiny kitten stared back with wide black eyes, its front paws on the floor and its rearend slightly raised, tail twitching with excitement.

As Evangeline opened the door, the kitten shot toward her like a furry missile. Halfway there, it seemed to get spooked, did an abrupt about-face, and with an excited leap, kicked Finn.

Finn was speechless. Evangeline was speechless. The two of them stared at each other.

Seizing the opportunity, the kitten zipped past Evangeline's feet and out the door.

Finn's villa had its bedrooms on the

second floor, and the railing along

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the landing was an openwork design for aesthetic appeal. Worried the overexcited kitten might leap right off the second story, Evangeline quickly stuck out her foot to block its path, then bềnt down and swiftly scooped it up by the scruff of its neck.

The kitten immediately went limp, its body stiff and straight. It stopped struggling, stared up at her with its round eyes, and let out a soft meow.

Evangeline's heart melted.

"Where did this little thing come from?" she couldn't help but ask.

Finn decided not to mention he'd been scammed. "A friend gave her to me,” he said casually. A friend he had paid was still a friend, after all.

and

The day he learned Evangeline had been kidnapped, he had panicked and sent the kitten to Arabella's. He had almost forgotten about it, but today Arabella had shown up. disdainfully returned the ugly little thing. Perhaps fearing he wouldn't take it back, she had also included a massive, three-story cat villa as a gift. After a few days, he thought the cat was even uglier Worried Evangene might question his taste, he had locked it in his room, planning to find someone to take it off his hands the next day. But during feeding time, it had escaped and started its mad dash around the house.

Finn was even thinking of which friend to blame it on in case she didn't believe him, but Evangeline clearly wasn't interested in his answer. She just nodded with an "Oh," then pressed the kitten to her shoulder, rubbing her cheek against its soft fur.

"She's so cute. What's her name?"

Hearing the sweet, gentle tone of her high-pitched voice, Finn couldn't help but stare. Was that really how she sounded? It was the first time he had ever heard her speak like that.