Leona, filled with anger and grief, slowly relayed the family's decision to his daughter. His eyes were filled with guilt and helplessness, deeply regretting that as the head of the family, he was unable to protect his own daughter in the face of the family crisis.
Evelyn was struck like a lightning bolt at the news, unable to comprehend that her family would so easily sacrifice her. Her heart shattered in an instant, tears welling in her eyes, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall.
Leona, seeing his daughter in such despair, felt an unbearable ache in his heart. He spoke softly, "No matter what decision you make, I'll support you." Then, he turned and left the room in silence.
Evelyn understood the underlying meaning in her father's words, but where could she go? Abandoning her family would leave her father in an extremely difficult position. She was lost in deep confusion, unable to find a way forward.
Just then, Rowan appeared without a sound in Evelyn's room. His sudden presence startled her. She quickly asked, "Your Holiness, what brings you here?"
Rowan, with a calm expression, replied, "I've come to resolve your predicament."
Upon hearing this, a wave of hope surged in Evelyn's heart, and she quickly said, "Your Holiness, you can help me deal with that bastard Derrick?"
Rowan nodded slightly, then said, "I can solve it, but you must marry me."
Evelyn was stunned, her face filled with confusion. She thought to herself, What's going on? Why is the Pope suddenly asking to marry me?
She hastily responded, "Your Holiness, you must be joking. You just got married not long ago."
Rowan, feeling a bit awkward, didn't know how to explain, so he said, "I'm not joking. Only by marrying me can you solve your family's crisis, and you won't be pushed into the fire."
Evelyn, secretly thinking to herself, Isn't this just another fire pit? But she still responded, "Your Holiness, I need to know the real reason. If you want to marry me, you must show your sincerity."
Rowan realized that this young woman was sharp, not the type to be easily fooled or starstruck. He couldn't just use his position to get her to agree. With a sigh, he said, "I truly like you, though you don't know it yet. And I can do things you wouldn't even dare to imagine."
Evelyn felt a bit shy after hearing this, wondering inwardly, Could the Pope really like me? After all, she had only seen him a few times from a distance. How could he possibly have noticed her? But then, she thought to herself, It must be because I'm exceptional, which is why he was able to find my room so easily.
Her heart was conflicted, both surprised and full of doubt. She was curious about what the Pope had said and asked, "What could you possibly do that would impress me?"
Rowan looked directly into Evelyn's eyes and slowly said, "I can make you Empress."
Evelyn's heart skipped a beat. The very idea struck at the deepest desires she kept hidden within herself. She couldn't even explain why she had such a fascination with ruling others, with the feeling of being above everyone else.
She couldn't help but ask, "How do you know that would touch my heart?"
Rowan smiled with confidence. "I am the Pope, the one closest to God."
Evelyn thought for a moment before nodding in agreement.
Rowan let out a sigh of relief. "I'll send the marriage proposal to Derrick on the same day. Be prepared."
Evelyn silently nodded.
Later, back at the Vatican, Rowan headed straight for Alice's quarters. He knew he had to inform her about marrying Evelyn to avoid unnecessary complications.
"Alice, how are you feeling? Is everything alright with your health?" Rowan asked with a concerned tone as he entered, his eyes filled with warmth and worry.
Alice smiled sweetly upon seeing Rowan. "Everything's fine, just a bit overwhelmed by all the care. I'm not used to it."
Rowan gently sat beside her, hesitating for a moment before speaking softly, "I'm planning to marry another woman."
Alice blinked in surprise and then, with a hint of confusion, asked, "Is it because I'm pregnant and can't be with you at night?"
Rowan chuckled softly at her unexpected thought process. "Of course not! I'm just worried you'll feel lonely. I want her to be your sister so the house will be livelier."
Alice tilted her head, half-smiling, half-suspicious. "You just want someone to keep you company at night, don't you? But I see your point—it will be livelier around here. I'm starting to get a bit bored."
Rowan nodded, "Exactly. The house will be much livelier soon."
Alice rolled her eyes playfully, pretending to be annoyed. "Well, then you'd better love me more."
Rowan immediately took her hand, gazing at her earnestly. "You are my wife. How could I not love you? Don't worry."
Alice smiled contentedly and nodded. "Then hurry up and marry her."
Rowan breathed a sigh of relief, then bent down to kiss Alice deeply.
After settling things with Alice, Rowan immediately called for Raymond. "I'm planning to marry Evelyn. We'll go and send the proposal in three days."
Raymond, hearing this, was completely stunned. His eyes widened in disbelief as he silently thought, Big Brother, how desperate are you? Why the sudden rush to marry again?
Unable to stop himself, he asked, "Your Holiness, who is Evelyn? Isn't this a bit too much? You just got married not long ago."
Rowan patiently explained, "You've followed me for so many years, you should know that I must have a good reason for this. I'm not making an impulsive decision."
Raymond, still uneasy, replied, "Your Holiness, this will be difficult to explain to the faithful. Our image in their eyes is very important. Shouldn't we wait a bit before marrying again?"
Rowan shook his head firmly. "No, not even a moment of delay."
In his mind, he thought, This is about the system's reward. The sooner, the better. Time is running out.
Raymond, seeing Rowan's resolve, could only sigh and agree. "Alright, I'll go with you in three days. But you need to tell me the full details so I can prepare."
Rowan then explained the crisis Evelyn's family was facing.
Raymond, after hearing the full story, thought to himself, So you're taking advantage of this situation, huh? Typical big brother move. Even though you've become Pope, you're still the same person inside.