Chapter 121: Too Late to Win Him Back

Chapter 121: Chapter 121: Too Late to Win Him Back

~Third- POV~

"You brought every bit of this upon yourself, Eva," Frederick’s grandfather replied bluntly, his stern voice cutting through her theatrics.

Eva froze, her tears halting in shock.

"What... what did you say?"

"How many times did we call you over the years?" her grandfather continued, leaning forward slightly, his hand resting on his cane. "How many times did Frederick offer you chances to build a proper home, to be a real mother to Lily, and to stand beside him as a wife? You turned your back on every opportunity. You wanted your freedom, your independence, and your vanity. Now that Frederick has finally moved on and found genuine happiness with someone else, you suddenly want to rush back?"

"I... I was young! I made mistakes!" Eva pleaded desperately, stepping closer. "I just want my husband back!"

"He is not your husband," Frederick’s grandmother corrected her sharply, shaking her head. "And it is far too late for tears. Frederick brought Reynold to this house to meet us. We accepted him with open arms because the boy is sweet, polite, and completely devoted to Frederick’s well-being. For the first time in years, our grandson smiles from his heart."

The grandmother paused, letting out a soft, pitying sigh that stung Eva worse than a slap.

"What a pity it is for you, Eva. Even your own daughter, little Lily, adores Reynold. She wants her father to move on and find happiness with him. She barely ever mentions your name because she has accepted that you are no longer part of her life. Lily wants her father to be happy, and she sees who truly cares for him. She has never wished for you to return to her father because she believes he deserves better. In her eyes, Reynold is the one who deserves to stand by Frederick’s side, and she has chosen to accept him."

Eva’s face turned ghostly pale as she realized she had no one left on her side. Her knees weakened, and panic filled her eyes. "No... no, you can’t abandon me like this! Please, talk to him! Tell him to take me back. I’m ready to be a good wife, to love him and care for our daughter!"

"There is nothing we can do," the grandfather replied coldly. "If Frederick no longer wants you, no one in this world can force him. The absolute most we can do is ask him not to completely ruin your public reputation—not for your sake, but to spare Lily unnecessary embarrassment. Even then, we cannot promise he will listen to us after what you did today."

He gestured toward the door, his expression leaving no room for argument.

"Do yourself a favor, Eva. Accept that Frederick has moved on and start living your own life. Stop chasing a man whose heart you threw away long ago."

Eva stood frozen in the middle of the room, her breath catching as hopelessness settled over her. She had no allies left, no leverage, and no way to win Frederick back.

Defeated and emotionally drained, Eva lowered her head in shame. Without another word, she turned and walked out of the estate, her heels clicking against the polished floor.

Her driver hurried forward and opened the back door for her. Eva slipped inside, leaned against the seat, and stared out the window as the car pulled away from the estate.

For several minutes, she remained silent, her fingers twisting nervously in her lap. Then she caught sight of her reflection in the window. Her eyes were red, her makeup was beginning to smudge, and her face looked nothing like the confident woman who had walked into the estate earlier.

A bitter laugh escaped her lips, but it quickly broke into a sob.

Why had she left Frederick in the first place?

She pressed her lips together, remembering the life she had walked away from. Frederick had been wealthy even then, and his family had always been powerful. She hadn’t left because he had nothing to offer her. She had left because she wanted more, convinced that her modeling career and the freedom to pursue her ambitions were worth sacrificing her marriage.

Now, as the city passed outside the window, she found herself wishing she could turn back time.

If only she had stayed.

Her throat tightened. She remembered how easily she had walked away from Frederick, believing she could return whenever she pleased. She had never imagined that one day, he would look at her and feel nothing but resentment—or that another person would take the place she had once occupied in his life.

Eva covered her mouth with her hand as another sob escaped. Tears slipped down her cheeks, and she quickly wiped them away, only for more to follow.

She turned toward the window again, watching the passing streets through blurred eyes. For the first time, she couldn’t comfort herself with the thought that Frederick would eventually take her back.

He had moved on.

And she was the one who had thrown away the life she now desperately wanted back.

She pressed her lips together, trying to hold back another sob, but the tears kept falling. She cried silently for the rest of the journey, her reflection blurred behind the tears in her eyes.

A few minutes later, the car pulled up in front of her mansion. The driver quickly stepped out and opened the back door for her.

Eva stepped out without a word and headed straight inside. She didn’t stop in the living room or bother to greet anyone. She went directly to her bedroom, where she took a shower and changed into a comfortable pair of shorts and a loose top.

An hour later, she returned downstairs.

The interior of her plush mansion was dark and silent, save for the faint clinking of ice against crystal glass.

Eva sat slumped on the floor beside her velvet sofa, an open bottle of expensive wine resting nearby. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying. She lifted the glass to her lips and took another long drink, barely tasting the wine.

She stared blankly at the glass in her hand before pouring herself another drink.

No matter how much she drank, she couldn’t silence the thoughts circling in her mind. Frederick’s cold expression, his grandparents’ rejection, and the painful truth that he had moved on kept returning to her.

Eva swallowed another mouthful of wine and let her head fall back against the sofa, fresh tears slipping down her cheeks. For all the luxury surrounding her, the mansion had never felt so empty.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang.

The maid hurried to answer it, opening the grand double doors to reveal Eva’s closest friend, Chloe. After exchanging a few words with the maid, Chloe stepped inside and made her way to the living room.

The moment she saw Eva slumped on the floor beside the sofa, with an open bottle of wine and a glass in her hand, she stopped. Her gaze moved over the scattered items before returning to her friend’s tear-stained face. With a heavy sigh, she shook her head.

"Look at you..." Chloe said softly, crossing the room and setting her purse on the table. She folded her arms across her chest and looked down at Eva. "After all the times we warned you not to take Frederick for granted, look where your pride has gotten you."

She lowered herself onto the floor beside Eva and gently took the glass from her trembling hand.

Eva covered her face with both hands, a broken sob escaping her throat.

"They all turned on me, Chloe..." she cried. "Even his grandparents. They chose that boy over me."

"They didn’t turn on you, Eva," Chloe replied. "You pushed Frederick away for years until he had nothing left to give you. You thought he would wait for you forever, but he didn’t. Now he loves someone else, and you’re hurting yourself trying to fight a battle you lost a long time ago."

Eva lowered her hands and stared at her friend, her lips trembling as tears continued to roll down her cheeks. She wanted to argue, to insist that Frederick still belonged with her, but the words wouldn’t come.

Instead, she curled up on the plush carpet, drawing her knees toward her chest. After a moment, she lifted her tearful eyes to Chloe.

"I just want my husband back," she whispered, her voice breaking. "Is there anything I can do to win him back?"

Chloe looked at her for a moment before letting out a quiet sigh.

"Eva, listen to me carefully."