Evelyn Ross delivered a brutal kick directly to Jason Evans' crotch.

A faint cracking sound seemed to echo in the air.

Jason's face instantly turned deathly pale.

He looked down in utter disbelief.

A stark, vivid red stain was already spreading across his pants.

Jason was completely stunned.

Then, overwhelming agony crashed over him.

His vision went black.

The pain was so intense it knocked him unconscious.

"Young Master! Young Master!"

The nearby thugs panicked and rushed forward.

They glared viciously at Evelyn. "You just wait! The Evans family will never let this go!"

After hurling the threat, they hastily carried the unconscious Jason away.

The courtyard fell silent once more.

Only the aftermath of the chaos remained.

Evelyn frowned slightly.

John Evans' panicked voice broke the silence. "Grace! How could you..."

Evelyn gave him a calm glance. "What?"

John let out a heavy sigh. "Forget it! When the Cortez Sect investigates, just say I kicked him! Don't admit to anything! Otherwise, you'll really never get into the inner sect!"

Evelyn remained composed. "It's fine."

"How is this fine?!" John stamped his foot in frustration. "Your lifelong wish has been to enter the inner sect! Think of all the hardship you've endured for it! Jason targeted you precisely because of that! How could you be so impulsive for our sake?"

Impulsive?

Evelyn didn't think so.

When she entered and saw Jane Evans' condition, she was truly furious.

But more than that, it was because of how Jason had bullied her sister in the past!

Through Jane, she saw a reflection of her sister.

The humiliation Jane suffered today.

Had her sister endured it time and time again?

Otherwise, why would Jason say such things?

Blinded by rage, she had acted without hesitation.

She felt no regret now.

With the Sect Leader present, she wouldn't face any real consequences!

John, unaware of her thoughts, continued pleading. "Go to the Cortez Sect now! Report that I attacked Jason! I'll insist it was me! Put all the blame on me!"

Evelyn stood her ground.

Alexander Vance stepped forward slowly.

John immediately recognized him as Grace's new boy toy.

"Quick, talk some sense into her!" he urged.

Alexander walked up to Evelyn.

He frowned. "You're a woman. You shouldn't kick a man there."

Evelyn raised an eyebrow.

John took a deep breath. "It's not that I didn't want you to hit him! Anywhere else would be manageable! But that place... if it's seriously damaged, our feud with the Evans family will be irreparable!"

Alexander nodded in agreement. "Next time you want to do something like that, let me handle it."

John was speechless.

He stared at Alexander, his mouth twitching as he struggled for words.

Evelyn asked, "Why?"

Alexander curled his lip. "It's dirty."

He bent down and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket.

He knelt and meticulously wiped the blood from Evelyn's leather boots.

After finishing, he frowned in distaste.

He looked at John. "Do you have any water?"

John was bewildered.

Jane had recovered from her shock.

She nodded quickly. "Yes! I'll fetch some!"

She hurried inside and brought out a basin of water.

Alexander took the basin.

He soaked his handkerchief.

Then he carefully cleaned Evelyn's boots again.

Evelyn felt he was polishing her black boots until they were nearly white!

Alexander finally stopped.

But he still wore a dissatisfied frown.

Evelyn patted his shoulder. "That's enough!"

Alexander finally put his handkerchief away.

Evelyn turned to John. "These injuries were deliberately inflicted by Jason. Why didn't you report it to the Cortez Sect?"

John sighed. "It's useless. Jason is a direct descendant of the Evans family. Never mind how the Cortez Sect would handle it, the Evans family would send someone to suppress the matter."

He lowered his head in disappointment. "He's from the second branch, colluding with Justin Evans from the main branch. Mrs. Evans dotes on her third son and always favors Jason. His status in the family is very high."

He looked at Evelyn with concern. "Grace, you..."

"Don't say any more about that," Evelyn interrupted. "Too many witnesses saw what happened. Besides, with your injuries, how could you have kicked him? With your injured leg or your good one?"

John had no rebuttal.

Evelyn patted his shoulder.

She then looked at Jane.

After a moment of silence, she spoke slowly. "The Cortez Sect has failed you. That rule... I will suggest the Sect Leader change it."

As the First Senior Sister now, she felt a sense of belonging to the Cortez Sect.

Unreasonable rules had to be amended.

John's mouth twitched. "Grace, since when did you learn to boast? You don't need to comfort me... As long as you're okay with not entering the inner sect, I'll be fine..."

Evelyn looked at Jane.

She surveyed the sparsely furnished room.

She couldn't help but sigh.

She pulled out a wad of cash and offered it. "Take this money."

Jane immediately waved her hands in refusal.

She reached for the notepad and pen around her neck.

Her hand found nothing.

She suddenly realized—

Jason had taken her jade pendant! He never returned it!

Jane grew frantic.

Her brother had said the pendant was with her when she was found.

It might be connected to her origins.

If it was lost, how would she ever find her birth parents?

Tears welled in Jane's eyes.

Evelyn frowned. "What's wrong?"

…

Meanwhile.

At the Evans residence.

Justin Evans had been hiding at home for days, nursing his bruised and swollen face, too embarrassed to be seen.

Mrs. Evans hurried in from outside.

Justin couldn't help but sit up straight. "Mom, what's the rush? Do you have news about sister?"

Mentioning his sister made Mrs. Evans pause.

Sadness flickered in both their eyes…

Mrs. Evans spoke. "It is about your sister. We found the traffickers from back then. They said your sister developed a fever after she was taken. They were afraid she would infect the other children, so they abandoned her in New York!"