Chapter 450

Adrian Valentine's brow furrowed. "Must you be like this?"

Evelyn Roland lifted her gaze. "Like what?"

His dark eyes studied her for a long moment. This misunderstanding was of his own making. "I never had feelings for Isabella."

A mocking smile curved Evelyn's lips. "What does that have to do with me?"

"Everything." Adrian stepped closer. "You're my wife. I was wrong about Christian Lefèvre."

No matter the danger ahead, he wouldn't let go this time.

Two years of laying low had given him the power to protect her.

The empire he'd built in secret was formidable now.

Even if time rewound, he'd make the same choice. Back then, he'd been too weak to uncover the mastermind.

Vincent Langley and Eleanor Langley would stop at nothing to force their daughter into the Valentine family—with Evelyn as their target.

He'd rather bear the scorn than see her in harm's way.

Evelyn laughed bitterly. "Whether it's a misunderstanding hardly matters now—"

"I'm meeting Judge Song. Rest a while longer." Adrian cut her off, unwilling to hear her finality.

As the door closed, his gaze lingered on her.

Evelyn stared at the shut door. After two years, this man remained as domineering as ever.

The entanglement exhausted her. If they were divorced, why couldn't they just move on?

Once, she thought she couldn't live without him. Now she knew—no one was truly indispensable.

At nine sharp, the courtroom blazed with light.

Sebastian Orlando and Adrian arrived with their elite legal teams.

Vincent Kemnis arrived late, carrying crucial evidence.

Judge Song returned grim-faced. Vincent Langley had vanished—no body found at the scene.

The fire had been extinguished quickly. Only the truck driver perished; the rest escaped with minor injuries.

A clear case of a staged disappearance.

Isabella's venomous gaze flickered between Evelyn and Adrian. "Shouldn't Mr. Valentine be investigated too? He was at the scene."

Adrian didn't grace her with a glance.

Isabella clenched her fists, shooting Evelyn a look laced with poison. The evidence in her hands would ruin this woman.

Judge Song's gavel struck.

Vincent played surveillance footage showing someone igniting flammable materials before the explosion—a figure resembling Evelyn.

Evelyn's lawyer immediately countered, presenting proof that her rescue timeline didn't match the arson. He pointed out Isabella had been the first on scene, where she'd argued violently with Christian.

The footage clearly showed Isabella's contorted face—though there was no audio.

"Note the defendant's attire versus Ms. Langley's." The lawyer zoomed in. "Both wore black, but Ms. Langley's physique is more distinctive."

Isabella paled. This evidence should have been destroyed—how?

"Ms. Langley, answer the question." Judge Song's voice was stern.

Adrian stared at the screen. He'd been so focused on the face that he'd missed the posture. Evelyn's straight spine was something Isabella could never replicate.

In the defendant's seat, Evelyn sat composed, as if the trial had nothing to do with her.

Isabella's excuses grew increasingly feeble.

Then Vincent played his trump card—Christian's final call log.

Evelyn's number flashed on the screen.