Chapter 206

Evelyn stared at her phone screen, fingertips trembling slightly.

The flood of vicious comments cut into her heart like knives.

"That slut is back to seduce men again!"

"First Adrian Valentine, now Vincent Ashcroft. How shameless can she be?"

"Pretty face means nothing when you're rotten to the core!"

Evelyn took a deep breath and locked her phone.

She walked to the window, gazing at the distant skyscrapers.

Vincent had crossed the line this time.

Not only had he falsely accused her of drugging someone, but he'd also manipulated public opinion against her.

Evelyn picked up her phone and dialed Vincent's number.

The call rang for a long time before being answered.

"Evelyn?" Vincent's voice dripped with mockery. "Finally crawling back to beg?"

Evelyn gave a cold laugh. "Vincent, you think you're clever?"

"Cleverer than you," he sneered. "The whole world knows what kind of trash you are now."

"Really?" Her voice remained calm. "Then perhaps you'd like to know Sebastian Cortez just canceled all business with the Ashcroft Group?"

Dead silence on the other end.

"You—you're lying!" Vincent's voice cracked with panic.

"Your father spent ten years securing that partnership." Evelyn enunciated every word. "And you just destroyed it."

"Impossible!" he shouted. "Stop spreading nonsense!"

Evelyn chuckled. "Call your father right now if you don't believe me."

"One more thing," she continued. "Did you ever stop to wonder why only Julian Roscente got drugged last night?"

"Who else could've done it?" Vincent snarled.

"Idiot." Her tone turned glacial. "Why was it specifically the soup Isabella Langley brought?"

Another stretch of silence.

"Vincent," Evelyn said finally, "tune into the financial news at 3 PM."

She hung up without waiting for a response.

Evelyn turned to her computer.

She opened her email and began sending out meticulously prepared documents.

Meanwhile, Adrian stood before his office windows.

He scowled at the news on his phone.

"That moron Vincent..." he muttered darkly.

His assistant knocked and entered. "Sir, we've retrieved last night's surveillance footage."

Adrian took the tablet. The video clearly showed Isabella slipping something into the soup.

"Just as I thought." His eyes turned icy.

He grabbed his coat. "Get the car ready. We're going to Ashcroft Group."

Elsewhere, Julian was signing his discharge papers.

"Mr. Roscente, the doctors recommend—" his assistant began anxiously.

"Shut up." Julian's face darkened. "Take me to Vincent's place."

At that same moment, Isabella clinked glasses with Cassandra Valentine in celebration.

"Let's see that bitch recover from this!" Isabella crowed.

Cassandra sipped her wine. "Vincent made such a useful fool."

They shared a laugh, oblivious to the storm gathering around them.