At the time of the accident, Alexis had taken Evelyn to seek refuge in the safety shaft. Assuming Evelyn was with her, she should be safe.

Waylen and Rena remained silent for a moment.

A sinking feeling gripped Alexis' heart. She seized Waylen's arm, urgency in her voice. "Dad, where's Evelyn?"

Waylen realized he couldn't hide the truth from Alexis.

The weight of the news aged him instantly, his expression growing somber. "Evelyn is in the next room, but there was an explosion. She sustained hearing damage in one ear. It might be irreversible," he uttered slowly, his voice heavy with regret.