Chapter 170 Evelyn's New Boyfriend?
The hall suddenly went quiet, creating a subtle atmosphere.
Evelyn turned, surprised, and met Gilbert's gentle gaze.
When Gilbert called out "Evelyn," Randy's face soured even more.
Charlie glanced between Evelyn and Gilbert, his expression unreadable, but he smiled faintly and said, "Gilbert went out of his way to pick up Evelyn? That must've been a hassle."
"Uncle Charlie, you're too kind."
Simon nudged Landon and whispered, "When did Evelyn and Gilbert get so close? How come I didn't know?"
"Does everything about Evelyn have to be known by you?" Landon replied casually.
"So, you knew they were this close?"
"Yes."
"Are you showing off?"
"I was the one who asked Gilbert to pick up Evelyn."
Simon gasped, "How could you just push Evelyn to another guy? Do you even know Gilbert? What if he has bad intentions or tries something inappropriate?"
"Bad intentions are normal. Every guy would be captivated by Evelyn. As for inappropriate actions, we don't need to worry."
Landon smirked, "If Gilbert were that kind of guy, would he still be standing here in one piece?" When Evelyn was a kid, while other girls played with dolls, Landon and Ulysses were teaching her self-defense.
Landon had his reasons for this.
Edward had been a big part of Evelyn's life for thirteen years. Even though she had moved on, the pain was still there.
Someone needed to fill that void in her heart.
Her brothers couldn't do it, but maybe Gilbert could.
When the families met, the men chatted in the living room while the three ladies pulled Evelyn into the backyard for questioning.
"Evelyn, be honest, what's your relationship with Gilbert?" Susan asked, hugging Evelyn's waist with a smile.
"Maybe we're friends," Evelyn replied calmly.
"Boyfriend?" Susan asked excitedly.
"Male friend!" Evelyn's face darkened.
"There's no such thing as pure friendship between a man and a woman. So, he's still your boyfriend. Even if he's not now, he will be soon!"
Susan pinched her waist boldly, "Back when Charlie was attacked by a business rival in North City, I saved him. He said he wanted to be friends, and now? I'm his wife!"
Evelyn was speechless, defeated by Susan's bluntness.
Donna and Joyce exchanged amused glances.
If it weren't for Susan's brave rescue, there wouldn't be a Charlie in Hameen today.
Susan still had two scars from blocking bullets for Charlie.
"Evelyn, it would be great if you could be with Gilbert. Elbert and Charlie have such a good relationship. He'd definitely treat you well."
Joyce's expression filled with girlish fantasies, "And Gilbert is very handsome. Your kids would be good-looking."
"Wait! How did this turn into me having kids with him?" Evelyn felt they were getting more and more outrageous.
"Joyce, I think Evelyn's marriage shouldn't be based solely on looks."
Donna, the rational one, furrowed her brows and analyzed seriously, "From what I know, Gilbert just returned from Aurora Isle without many shares or a stable foundation in the Alexander Group. His mother Angela has been exiled abroad by Elbert under the pretext of recuperating, and he hardly cares about her."
"If Evelyn marries him, it would be a step down. Maybe Gilbert's just after our family's power, trying to use Evelyn's background to climb up in the Alexander Group."
"Donna makes a good point. We can't rush this!" Susan changed her tune. "Evelyn, marriage is serious. You need to marry the right person! How about reconsidering Randy?"
Evelyn felt overwhelmed, covering her head in frustration.
At the dinner party, everyone enjoyed delicious food and wine that Charlie had treasured for over a decade, in a harmonious atmosphere as always.
For Charlie and Elbert, this dinner was a reunion, no different from over twenty years ago.
The biggest difference was that they now had children.
And this time, Elbert had a purpose: finding wives for Randy and Gilbert.
During the meal, Randy sat directly opposite Evelyn, while Gilbert sat beside her.
The dining table was long and wide, making it clear that those sitting opposite didn't have the same advantage as those sitting beside.
Randy watched as Gilbert attentively took care of Evelyn, his eyes filled with dark fire, and the fork in his hand almost bent out of shape.
Having learned from their previous date, Gilbert knew Evelyn liked seafood, especially crabs and shrimp.
If it weren't for the limited time last time, she could have eaten until dawn.
So during the meal, Gilbert hardly touched his food, patiently peeling shrimp for Evelyn.
Everyone was discreetly observing them.
Evelyn ate happily, showing no restraint in front of her family.
Gilbert's long eyelashes drooped, his lips always curved upward, and his slender, fair fingers skillfully peeled the shrimp shells, then gently placed the plump shrimp meat on Evelyn's plate.
Evelyn didn't act coy or refuse.
If it were just the two of them, she would definitely refuse him.
But with Elbert present, it was a good opportunity to expose her flaws, how could she miss it?
Randy saw Gilbert carefully wiping his fingers with a napkin after peeling each shrimp and couldn't help but let out a cold laugh, knowing Gilbert had a cleanliness obsession and wouldn't wear the same clothes twice. Now, for Evelyn, he was breaking his own rules.
"Evelyn is getting more and more out of hand, making you laugh," Charlie said to Elbert, somewhat embarrassed.
"What are you talking about? We're all family. Evelyn's true nature is just like yours when you were young. I genuinely like her and wish she could become a daughter-in-law of the Alexander family right away!"
Elbert had been holding back all night, finally revealing his purpose for this visit.
Charlie just smiled without responding.
Meanwhile, Evelyn finally finished eating, burping as she covered her mouth.
Gilbert turned, his eyes soft with tenderness as he looked at her.
"Here." He handed her a napkin from under the table.
"Thank you." Evelyn smiled as she took it and elegantly wiped her lips.
"Ms. Taylor, you have quite an appetite tonight," Randy said with a warm smile.
"Sorry, the food at home is too delicious. I couldn't help myself."
"No, Ms. Taylor, I didn't mean to criticize you. I just think you're different from the girls I've met."
Randy leaned forward, speaking sincerely, "I really appreciate your true nature. I think you're very cute and genuine."
Evelyn felt a bit puzzled but still replied politely, "Thank you for the compliment."
"I noticed you haven't had much to drink. You must be thirsty. How about some red wine?"
With that, Randy stood up with a smile, intending to pour wine for Evelyn himself.
Unexpectedly, Gilbert's voice came in coolly, "Don't drink red wine after eating seafood. Randy, you don't even know this basic fact."
