Stella nodded fast.
"Yep. I get it. That evil father of ours might kill you if you say that name right before him," she muttered darkly, then shuddered.
"I know. That's why I chose that path," Evelyn admitted, her voice steady but her hand unconsciously curling into a fist. "How could I lose my son because of him, my own father? No. No. He isn't my father anymore."
The bitterness in her tone made Stella's heart sink. She reached out and gently touched Evelyn's hand. "Sis, I'm sorry…"
"That's not your fault..." Evelyn forced her shoulders to relax, a faint but genuine smile returning to her lips.
"But still..."
"Well, it's been a long time, and now I'm happy with my life. Truly." Evelyn tilted her head, staring closely at her sister. "How about you? Why did you end up in that restaurant trap, under that bastard's knee?"