The Coldest Man in the Room Melted Only for Me novel Chapter 571

Winona knew full well how horribly Riley's adoptive parents treated her. She had no idea why her mother was bringing it up, so she quickly deflected. "Mom, I'm going to introduce Riley to my college friends." With that, she grabbed Riley's hand and dragged her away.

"Winona, wait—" Daphne started, but Victor caught her arm. "Daphne, stop," he murmured, his voice laced with pity.

Daphne's eyes filled with tears. "You saw her! She has my mother's exact grace and features!"

Victor nodded gently. "I saw it. But..."

"Could she be Evie?" Daphne demanded, cutting him off and clutching his hands desperately.

Victor couldn't bear to crush the fragile hope in his wife's eyes, but he couldn't let her spiral back into her old madness either. He gripped her shoulders gently. "Daphne, she has parents. There are billions of people in the world; a resemblance doesn't mean she's our missing daughter."

The light in Daphne's eyes extinguished instantly, and a tear slid down her cheek.

He pulled her into a protective embrace, murmuring into her hair, "It's Winona's birthday. You have to stay strong. If she sees you like this, it'll ruin her night."

Daphne buried her face against his chest, holding back a sob. "I know. I know," she whispered brokenly.

"If you like the girl, we'll just have Winona invite her over more often."

"...Okay."

"Come on, let's go to the VIP lounge so you can catch your breath."

Meanwhile, Winona dragged Riley toward the dessert buffet. "Our pastry chef is Michelin-starred! You have to try these."

Riley raised a brow. "I thought you were introducing me to your friends."

"Do you actually want to meet them?"

Riley thought about it for a second and shook her head. "Not really."