29

                                    

                                          
Harry sat in his study, the dim light casting long shadows on the walls. He couldn’t concentrate on the papers in front of him. His mind kept returning to the conversation he had overheard between Ginny and Mia. Their words had pierced through the carefully constructed reality he had built for himself, and the doubt that had been creeping into his thoughts for some time now burst into full bloom. 
*How much of it was true?*
The question gnawed at him, refusing to let go. He thought about Emma, her quiet obedience, the way she had slowly withdrawn into herself over time. She had always been so full of life, a spark in his otherwise structured world. But he had extinguished that spark, hadn’t he? With every punishment, every strict rule, he had watched her spirit wither. 
Regret churned in his stomach, making him feel nauseous. But this feeling was unfamiliar, unwelcome even. He wasn’t a man who indulged in regret; he preferred action, solutions. But this? This was different. He had no idea how to fix this. 
His mind kept replaying the hurt in Emma’s eyes, the way she had pleaded with him, the trust she had desperately tried to maintain despite everything he had put her through. He had dismissed her pain as manipulation, believing Ginny and Mia’s words over hers. But now, the foundation of that belief was crumbling beneath him.
Harry knew he couldn’t face this alone. He needed help, someone who understood Emma’s heart better than he did, someone who could guide him through the tangled mess he had created. 
There was only one person he could think of—Evelyn.
---
Evelyn was sitting in her room, headphones on, scrolling through photos on her phone. She was trying to distract herself, to forget the anger that had been simmering ever since she overheard Ginny and Mia’s conversation. She was furious, not just at them but at Harry, too. She had always idolized her brother, but seeing how he had treated Emma, the girl she now considered her best friend, had shattered that image. 
A knock on her door pulled her out of her thoughts. She frowned, pulling off her headphones. “Come in,” she called out, not really in the mood to talk to anyone. 
Harry walked in, his expression guarded. Evelyn’s heart skipped a beat, not out of fear, but out of a mixture of anger and concern. He rarely visited her room unless something serious was on his mind.
“Hey, Evelyn,” Harry began, his voice unusually soft. He closed the door behind him and leaned against it, arms crossed. “Can we talk?”
Evelyn raised an eyebrow. “Talk? About what?”
Harry took a deep breath, trying to find the right words. “I... I need your help,” he admitted, the words tasting bitter in his mouth.
Evelyn crossed her arms, leaning back in her chair. “Help? With what?”
“With Emma,” Harry said quietly, the guilt he felt was evident in his tone. “I think I’ve... I’ve made some mistakes.”
The anger that had been simmering in Evelyn flared up. She stood up, her chair scraping against the floor. “You think?” she snapped, her voice laced with sarcasm. “You think you’ve made some mistakes? Harry, you’ve done more than just make mistakes. You’ve hurt her. Over and over again.”
Harry flinched at her harsh words, but he didn’t argue. He knew she was right. “I know,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “I know I’ve hurt her. And I regret it, Evelyn. I regret every single thing I’ve done to her.”
Evelyn shook her head, disbelief etched on her face. “Regret? Now you regret it? After all this time? After everything you’ve put her through? Harry, it’s too late for regret. You can’t just undo what you’ve done.”
Harry clenched his fists, the frustration and guilt warring within him. “I know it’s too late to undo it,” he said, his voice strained. “But I want to make it right. I don’t know how, Evelyn. I don’t even know where to start.”
Evelyn stared at him, her emotions in turmoil. She had wanted Harry to feel the pain Emma had felt, to understand the depth of his actions. But now, seeing him standing there, so lost, so full of regret, she wasn’t sure what to do. Part of her wanted to help him, to see if he could truly change. But another part of her wanted him to suffer, to feel the same pain and loneliness Emma had felt.
“Why should I help you?” Evelyn asked, her voice cold. “Why should I help you after everything you’ve done to her?”
Harry looked at her, his eyes pleading. “Because I’m lost, Evelyn. I’m trying to fix this, but I don’t know how. And I don’t want to lose her. I can’t lose her.”
Evelyn softened at his words, but she kept her guard up. “You should have thought of that before you decided to believe those lies. Before you decided to hurt her.”
“I know,” Harry admitted, the weight of his mistakes pressing down on him. “I was wrong, and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make it right. But I need your help. Please, Evelyn.”
Evelyn sighed, torn between her anger and her desire to help Emma. She knew Emma still loved Harry, despite everything. She knew Emma would want to see him change, to see him try to make things right. But that didn’t make it any easier for her.
“I’m not doing this for you,” Evelyn said finally, her voice firm. “I’m doing this for Emma. Because she deserves better than what you’ve given her. But don’t think for a second that this will be easy. You’ve hurt her deeply, and it’s going to take more than just a few apologies to fix that.”
Harry nodded, relief washing over him. “I understand,” he said. “Thank you, Evelyn.”
Evelyn didn’t respond. She just turned away, her heart heavy with the burden of what was to come. She knew this wasn’t going to be easy, not for Harry, and certainly not for Emma. But if there was even a small chance that things could be made right, she had to try. For Emma’s sake.
---
As Evelyn watched Harry leave her room, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for her brother. He was lost, confused, and filled with regret. But that didn’t excuse what he had done. She would help him, but only because she wanted to see Emma happy again. And if Harry truly wanted to make things right, he would have to earn it.
For now, she would keep her distance, watching and waiting to see if Harry could truly change. If he could, then maybe, just maybe, there was hope for them all.