Chapter 251

Evelyn hadn’t expected to run into Nathaniel here.

He stood by the display counter, holding a phone that looked distinctly feminine.

Who was he buying it for?

Victoria, perhaps?

It made sense—after all, Nathaniel had just gotten engaged to Victoria earlier that day.

Evelyn quickly looked away, pretending she hadn’t noticed him.

Julian, however, spotted Nathaniel immediately, his brows furrowing in displeasure. He’d heard rumors that Nathaniel had called off the engagement.

Now, seeing him here, Julian’s suspicions seemed confirmed.

Given Nathaniel’s obvious lack of affection for Victoria, it was likely the engagement had been nothing more than a transaction—one tied to Eleanor’s surgery.

Still, Julian couldn’t shake his dislike for the man, especially knowing Nathaniel’s lingering interest in Evelyn.

A protective instinct flared within him.

"Evelyn," he said casually, "what do you think of this brand’s latest model?"

Evelyn barely glanced at the phone. "It’s fine."

She just wanted to get out of here as quickly as possible.

Julian turned to the sales associate. "We’ll take this one."

The associate hesitated. "I’ll need to check our inventory. This model sells out fast."

Out of the corner of her eye, Evelyn caught Nathaniel’s gaze. She pressed her lips together, refusing to acknowledge him.

Julian noticed too. Without hesitation, he stepped between them, deliberately blocking Nathaniel’s line of sight.

Then, with a subtle shift of his stance, he made sure Nathaniel couldn’t see Evelyn at all.

Nathaniel’s eyes narrowed slightly, irritation flickering across his expression.

There was something unusual about Evelyn’s relationship with Julian.

Was this why Julian had agreed to perform Eleanor’s surgery? Had Evelyn known all along about Victoria’s deception?

Had she orchestrated the engagement venue just to witness his humiliation firsthand?

The more Nathaniel thought about it, the more unsettled he became.

The last thing he’d expected was to stumble upon Evelyn’s broken phone—or to end up in this exact store.

Just then, the sales associate returned. "I’m sorry, but we only have one unit of this phone left."

Julian grinned. "Perfect. We’ll take it."

The associate hesitated again, glancing at Nathaniel. "Actually, that last unit is currently in that gentleman’s hands. We’re not sure if he intends to purchase it."

Julian’s gaze sharpened as he took in the phone Nathaniel was holding.

Without hesitation, he strode forward. "Nathaniel, let’s make this simple. We’ll take the phone. Evelyn’s is broken, and she needs a replacement."

Nathaniel’s expression darkened as he looked at Evelyn.

After a tense pause, he replied, "I was here first."

Julian scoffed. Was Nathaniel really this oblivious?

Even after Julian had made it clear he was doing this for Evelyn—even after agreeing to perform Eleanor’s surgery as a favor—Nathaniel couldn’t extend this small courtesy?

Evelyn cleared her throat and tugged Julian’s sleeve. "Forget it. We can choose another brand. The older model is fine."

"No," Julian insisted. "If we’re buying, we’re getting the latest."

This was the first time he was buying Evelyn a phone, and he refused to settle for anything less than the best.

Hearing his stubborn tone, Evelyn felt a wave of exhaustion. She just wanted to leave.

Gently, she squeezed Julian’s arm and whispered, "I’ll love anything you choose."

And it was true—any gift from Julian would mean the world to her.