Chapter 266

Nathan Sterling's gaze remained fixed on the path where Evelyn Carter had disappeared. His jaw tightened as he turned to Isabella Delaney. "You planned this, didn't you? You knew Evelyn would—"

"Nathan, you're misunderstanding me completely!"

"Cut the act." His voice turned glacial. "We both know exactly who you are. I didn't get you out of prison so you could strut around like some entitled princess."

His next words came out like shards of ice. "Stay away from Evelyn. If I catch you near her again, I'll personally escort you back to your jail cell."

Silence crackled between them.

Isabella's face twisted in fury as she reached for Nathan's arm, but he jerked away.

"Enough with the theatrics." He tossed a black credit card onto the nearby bench. "Take this, buy whatever you want, and never call me again."

Without waiting for her reaction, Nathan strode away, leaving Isabella trembling with rage.

Inside his car, he grabbed his phone with unnecessary force. "I told you to monitor Isabella's movements. Report."

"Mr. Sterling, no suspicious activity detected so far."

"Keep watching. The moment she makes a wrong move, I want to know immediately."

"Yes, sir."

Nathan ended the call and threw his phone onto the passenger seat. His fingers gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. The memory of Evelyn's indifferent expression haunted him.

Meanwhile, Evelyn's phone buzzed with a new message. Her breath caught when she saw the sender.

"Evelyn, I'm back in Kingsley."

She immediately dialed the number, her conference call forgotten. "Harrison! You're in Pamore?"

Harrison Whitmore stood before the gleaming Kingsley Industries headquarters, a smile playing on his lips. "Right outside your office, actually."

Evelyn rushed to the window. Below, a sleek black Rolls Royce Phantom waited like a silent promise.

"Don't move. I'm coming down."

She grabbed her files and practically ran to the elevator, only to find Harrison already in the lobby. His eyes lit up when he saw her.

"Slow down," he chided gently, catching her by the shoulders. "I'm not going anywhere."

Evelyn's hands fluttered over his torso, her eyes searching. "Are you healed completely? No lingering pain?"

Harrison chuckled, ruffling her hair. "Doc cleared me weeks ago."

"But the scars—"

"Faded to nothing." He captured her restless hands. "See? Good as new."

Only then did Evelyn exhale, the tension leaving her shoulders.

"Now," Harrison said, intertwining their fingers, "I'm starving. Let's eat."

Evelyn nodded, but her attention snagged on their joined hands. The warmth radiating from his touch felt like coming home.

They chose an intimate vegan bistro Evelyn frequented. As they perused the menu, their voices blended seamlessly.

"No onions, no mushrooms, light dressing."

The waiter grinned. "Sir knows his lady's preferences perfectly."

Evelyn's cheeks flamed at the word "lady." She grabbed her water glass, drinking deeply to hide her reaction.

Harrison simply smiled, his thumb tracing circles on the back of her hand under the table. The unspoken promise in his gaze made Evelyn's pulse stutter.