Evangeline didn't know if she wanted to laugh or cry. She knew what Jacks was. She hadn't been foolish enough to believe that she was different or special and that he wouldn't destroy her. But maybe she'd believed in a little. She'd clearly believed it enough to spend a night with him inside a crypt. And just an hour ago, she'd been terrified at the thought that Jacks had been trapped in an enchanted sleep.
-- Evangeline Fox (Chapter 54)

Importance: In the closing pages of Once Upon a Broken Heart, Evangeline grapples with a complex mix of emotions as she reflects on her relationship with Jacks. The quote encapsulates the ambivalence and realization she experiences about Jacks' true nature. The juxtaposition of laughter and tears symbolizes the conflicting emotions within her — amusement at her own naivety and a profound sadness stemming from the acknowledgment of Jacks' destructive capabilities. The admission that she hadn't been foolish...