Chapter 153

The morning sun streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Evelyn's office, casting golden patterns across her drafting table. Her fingers flew over the blueprints, making precise adjustments with her mechanical pencil. The scent of freshly brewed coffee from Gabrielle's desk mingled with the crisp scent of tracing paper.

A sharp knock interrupted her concentration. "Come in," she called without looking up.

The door swung open to reveal Nathaniel, his tailored navy suit accentuating his broad shoulders. His usual composed expression was replaced by something darker—a storm brewing behind those piercing gray eyes. "We need to talk," he said, his voice dangerously calm.

Evelyn's pencil stilled. That tone never meant anything good. "About?"

He strode forward, dropping a glossy magazine onto her desk. The headline screamed in bold letters: Isabella Davis Returns: The Woman Who Almost Married Nathaniel Martin Spills All.

Her stomach dropped. The accompanying photo showed Isabella at some high-profile event, her crimson lips curved in a smirk that promised trouble. "When did this come out?" Evelyn asked, flipping through the pages with numb fingers.

"Just this morning." Nathaniel ran a hand through his hair, a rare sign of agitation. "She's giving an exclusive interview tonight on Celebrity Tonight."

Evelyn's pulse pounded in her ears. After all these years of silence, why now? Isabella had vanished from their lives after the failed engagement, only to resurface like a vengeful ghost. "What does she want?"

Nathaniel's jaw tightened. "That's what I intend to find out." He pulled out his phone, scrolling through messages. "Samuel just informed me she's been in talks with Summit Realty."

Evelyn's head snapped up. "Sebastian Wilson's company? The one bidding against us for the waterfront project?" The pieces clicked together with chilling clarity. This wasn't just personal—it was professional sabotage.

His nod confirmed her fears. "She's playing both sides. Stirring up old scandals to undermine my reputation while secretly working with our biggest competitor."

A cold fury settled over Evelyn. She pushed back from her desk, the chair scraping loudly. "Then we fight fire with fire." She grabbed her tablet, pulling up files with swift movements. "I have the original contracts from when Isabella worked at Martin Group. There were... irregularities in her department's finances before she left."

Nathaniel's eyes gleamed with approval. "You kept those?"

"Always document everything," she said grimly. "Especially when someone leaves under suspicious circumstances."

His phone buzzed again. A muscle twitched in his cheek as he read the message. "It's worse than we thought. Vanessa just leaked to TMZ that Isabella has 'shocking revelations' about our marriage."

Evelyn's blood ran cold. There were things in their past—secrets—that could destroy everything they'd built. She met Nathaniel's gaze, seeing the same steely determination mirrored there. "We need to move fast."

He reached for her hand, his grip warm and reassuring despite the chaos. "Together," he said firmly.

Just then, Gabrielle burst in, her usually cheerful face pale. "Turn on Channel 7. Now."

Nathaniel grabbed the remote. The screen flickered to life, showing Isabella sitting primly on a talk show set, her smile razor-sharp. The ticker at the bottom read: Exclusive: Isabella Davis Claims Nathaniel Martin's Marriage Built on Lies.

Evelyn's vision tunneled. The war had just begun.

A project that had been running smoothly came to an abrupt stop—there had to be a reason behind it.

Gregory was frantic. "Mr. Carter just called me. He didn’t give any specifics, only that it was a decision from the top."

"From the top? Whose decision?" she wondered.

Evelyn pressed her lips together, her gaze turning icy. "I understand."

"Evelyn, is Nathaniel doing this to pressure you into reconsidering the divorce?" Gregory couldn’t hold back the question any longer.

Evelyn didn’t answer directly. Instead, she said, "Summit Realty must already know. Let’s see what they have to say first."

Gregory didn’t push further. He muttered, "Don’t worry, Evelyn. I’ll find out what’s really going on."

"Thank you."

After hanging up, she tossed her phone aside and finally got out of bed.

She pulled open the curtains, her expression unreadable. Outside, the sun was shining brightly, but her heart felt heavy with shadows.

She stood there for a long time, forcing herself to steady her restless thoughts.

Half an hour later, Evelyn left her apartment—but instead of heading to the office, she drove straight to the Martin Group headquarters.

When she arrived, she took the elevator up to the executive floor.

Samuel was the first to notice her. "Mrs. Martin."

"Mr. Yates, is Nathaniel available? I need to speak with him." Her tone was polite, but the frost in her eyes was unmistakable.

Samuel knew exactly why she was here. He answered carefully, "Mr. Martin is in his office, but he’s currently with a client. Would you like to—"

"It’s fine. I’ll wait." Without waiting for his response, she walked toward the lounge area.

Evelyn sat silently on the sofa, her posture rigid. Though she had declined any assistance, Samuel still brought her a glass of water.

Minutes ticked by. The office door remained shut, not a single sound escaping from inside.

Her lips pressed into a thin line. Though her expression was strained, she clung to the last threads of her composure.

Then, after what felt like an eternity, Samuel’s intercom buzzed.

Nathaniel’s voice came through, indifferent. "Bring me a coffee."

"Right away." Samuel glanced at Evelyn—she had heard it too, but she gave no reaction.

He quickly prepared the coffee and carried it into the office, leaving the door slightly ajar. Nathaniel’s cold gaze flickered toward him. "Is she still out there?"

"Yes," Samuel confirmed.

Nathaniel’s expression darkened, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "Let her wait."

In truth, Nathaniel had known the moment Evelyn stepped into the building. He had expected her to come—but he had no intention of making this easy for her.

Before Samuel could respond, the office door was pushed open.

Evelyn stood there, her narrowed eyes locked onto Nathaniel.

There was no client in sight—just him and Samuel. The supposed meeting had been nothing but an excuse. He simply hadn’t wanted to see her.

Her jaw tightened. After a sharp inhale, she demanded, "Nathaniel, what is the meaning of this?"

Samuel quickly lowered his head and slipped out of the room.

Nathaniel glanced at her, his smile cold and detached. "Should I know what you’re referring to?"

"Did you suspend the project?"

"Yes."

He didn’t bother hiding it. Setting down his pen, he leaned back in his chair and lit a cigarette, exhaling slowly.

Evelyn’s eyes narrowed. For a moment, she was too stunned to speak.