Chapter 110

The moment Evelyn stepped into the grand hall of the Martin estate, she felt the weight of countless eyes on her. The chandeliers cast a golden glow over the assembled guests, their whispers weaving through the air like an invisible net.

Nathaniel stood at the center of it all, his broad shoulders squared, his expression unreadable. He had summoned her here—urgently—without explanation.

"Evelyn," he said, his voice low but carrying. "We need to talk."

She swallowed hard, her fingers tightening around the strap of her bag. "About what?"

Before he could answer, Isabella stepped forward, her crimson dress a stark contrast to the muted tones of the room. "Oh, Evelyn," she purred, her lips curving into a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. "Didn’t Nathaniel tell you? There’s been a… complication."

Evelyn’s pulse spiked. "What kind of complication?"

Nathaniel exhaled sharply. "The board is questioning our marriage. They think it’s a sham."

A murmur rippled through the crowd. Evelyn’s breath hitched. "That’s ridiculous."

"Is it?" Isabella tilted her head, her gaze flickering between them. "You two barely spend any time together. No public appearances, no shared projects. It’s almost as if you’re avoiding each other."

Evelyn clenched her jaw. She had been busy with her firm, and Nathaniel had been buried in work—but that didn’t mean their marriage wasn’t real.

Nathaniel stepped closer, his hand brushing against hers. "We’ll handle this," he murmured, just for her.

But before she could respond, Edward Martin’s voice cut through the tension. "Enough."

The room fell silent as the patriarch of the Martin family stepped forward, his cane tapping against the marble floor. His sharp gaze landed on Evelyn. "If this marriage is real, prove it."

Evelyn’s stomach twisted. "How?"

Edward’s lips thinned. "By moving into the estate. Permanently."

Nathaniel stiffened beside her. "Grandfather—"

"No arguments," Edward interrupted. "If you want to keep your position, you’ll abide by the family’s rules."

Evelyn’s mind raced. Living under the same roof as Nathaniel—constantly—would change everything. The carefully constructed distance between them would vanish.

And Isabella’s smirk told her that was exactly the point.

"Did you honestly believe you could conceal such a heartbreaking secret from me indefinitely? Or was it simply not the right time for me to know?"

Evelyn's voice was steady, but her fingers trembled slightly at her sides.

Nathaniel's gaze sharpened, his eyes narrowing as he studied her. "Did Isabella tell you?"

She didn’t confirm, but the silence between them was answer enough.

Evelyn exhaled slowly, her tone measured. "Nathaniel, you want us to start a family, but Isabella can never have children because of what happened—because of you. How do you plan to make that right for her?"

"That’s between her and me," he replied, his voice like steel. "I’ll handle it. It won’t affect us."

"It will affect us," Evelyn countered, her voice rising just a fraction. "Because this ties you to her forever. I refuse to live with my husband—the father of my child—bound to another woman by guilt and obligation. Right now, it’s just me suffering through this, but if we had a child? They’d grow up in the shadow of that connection. I won’t let them believe their parents stayed together out of duty rather than love."

Her expression was ice-cold, her delicate features set in unyielding resolve.

Nathaniel’s jaw tightened, his dark eyes flashing with something dangerous. "So, at the end of all this, you’re still refusing to have a child?"

"Are you so desperate for one that you’d ignore everything I’ve just said?"

The air between them crackled with tension, neither willing to back down.

Nathaniel smirked, but there was no warmth in it. "Evelyn, do you really think you can stop me?"

The implication was clear. If he wanted her pregnant, he could make it happen.

But she was already one step ahead.

His words only solidified her decision.

Meeting his gaze unflinchingly, she said, "Nathaniel, I think we need space. Starting tomorrow, I’m moving out."

"Moving out?" His voice dropped to a lethal whisper.

"What exactly are you trying to accomplish?"

"I’m not trying to do anything," she said calmly. "I just know that staying like this will only make us both miserable. We’re at an impasse. Maybe time apart will help us see things clearly."

"No."

The rejection was instant, absolute.

But Evelyn wasn’t deterred. She had planned for this.

Pressing her lips together, she said softly, "Nathaniel, you can force me to carry a child, but you can’t force me to keep it. Do you really want to drag us both through that?"

His expression darkened, his voice devoid of all warmth. "Are you threatening me?"

The silence that followed was heavier than any argument.