Chapter 178

The morning sun filtered through the sheer curtains, casting a golden glow across the bedroom. Evelyn stirred, blinking against the soft light. Beside her, Nathaniel slept soundly, his breathing steady and deep. She studied his profile—the strong jawline, the faint stubble, the way his dark lashes rested against his cheeks.

A small smile tugged at her lips.

Then her phone buzzed.

Evelyn reached for it, careful not to disturb Nathaniel. The screen displayed a message from Gregory:

"We have a problem. The client wants major revisions—by Monday."

Her stomach dropped.

She had spent weeks perfecting those blueprints. The project was supposed to be straightforward, but now, with the client suddenly demanding changes, everything was thrown into chaos.

Nathaniel shifted beside her, his arm sliding around her waist. "Morning," he murmured, voice rough with sleep.

Evelyn exhaled. "Morning."

He cracked an eye open, sensing her tension. "What's wrong?"

She showed him the message.

Nathaniel frowned, sitting up. "That’s ridiculous. They approved the initial drafts."

"I know." Evelyn rubbed her temples. "But if I don’t fix this, we could lose the contract."

His jaw tightened. "Let me handle it."

She shook her head. "No. This is my project. I’ll deal with it."

Nathaniel studied her for a long moment before nodding. "Fine. But if they give you any more trouble, I’m stepping in."

Evelyn leaned over, pressing a quick kiss to his lips. "Deal."

She slipped out of bed, already mentally rearranging her weekend plans. Coffee. Laptop. Hours of revisions.

As she headed for the shower, her phone buzzed again.

This time, it was Isabella.

"We need to talk."

Evelyn’s fingers tightened around her phone.

Isabella never reached out unless it was important.

Or dangerous.

She glanced back at Nathaniel, who was now scrolling through his own messages, oblivious.

Evelyn typed a quick reply:

"About what?"

The response came instantly.

"Nathaniel."

Her pulse spiked.

Whatever Isabella wanted, it wasn’t good.

And Evelyn had a sinking feeling this weekend was about to get a lot more complicated.

"Just a small gathering with close friends," Thomas explained, leaning casually against the marble pillar. "You know Nathaniel despises crowded events. Too much noise irritates him, so we're keeping it under ten people."

"I see."

"You must come, Evelyn. It's Nathaniel's birthday after all." Thomas's voice dropped to a pleading tone. "I've never begged you for anything before. Consider this my first and only request."

After persistent persuasion, Evelyn finally relented.

They were married, after all. How absurd would it appear if she refused to attend her own husband's birthday celebration?

Seeing Evelyn's nod, Thomas broke into a wide grin. "Perfect! We'll leave a day early then. Let's exchange contacts so I can update you with details."

They swapped WhatsApp information before Evelyn walked away.

Thomas remained motionless, watching until Evelyn's silhouette vanished around the corner. Only then did he retrieve his phone and dial a familiar number.

The call connected instantly. "What is it?" came the familiar deep voice, laced with indifference.

"Must you always sound so cold with me?"

"I'll hang up."

"Wait!" Thomas chuckled. "Guess who I just met?"

Silence. Nathaniel had never entertained guessing games.

"Get to the point."

Sensing his friend's impatience, Thomas abandoned the teasing. "I just spoke with Evelyn. Told her about your birthday plans."

"And?"

Nathaniel's immediate response made Thomas grin. "Oh? Suddenly interested?"

"Meet me for drinks."

"Now you're eager?" Thomas laughed but agreed to meet at their usual clubhouse.

Over whiskey, Thomas recounted Evelyn's reaction - how she'd agreed to attend the birthday celebration. Nathaniel's expression remained unreadable, though Thomas swore he caught the ghost of a smile before it vanished.

"Don't you have anything to say?" Thomas prodded.

"Thomas," Nathaniel swirled his drink, "need I remind you? Evelyn is my wife. Her presence at my birthday is expected, not extraordinary."

Something felt off about Nathaniel's response, but Thomas couldn't pinpoint what.

Then came the warning. "Since you're organizing this, ensure it's flawless. If this year's celebration disappoints like last year's, consider your position in Mayby terminated."

"Too late to back out now?"

Nathaniel's icy stare answered that question.

Clinking glasses, Thomas casually added, "Evelyn mentioned dining at Scarlett's with a friend earlier. Do you know who it was? Male or female?"

"Since when do you care about her dining companions?"

"Just looking out for you, mate. Wouldn't want any... marital complications."

"Unnecessary."

The drinking session ended at eleven. Samuel arrived to chauffeur Nathaniel back to Pineview Villa.

During the drive, Samuel volunteered his report. "Mr. Martin, I've completed the background check on Charlotte Bennett as requested."

"Proceed."

Nathaniel leaned back, eyes closed.

"Charlotte originates from Dattlech. She attended the same high school as Mrs. Martin. Their similar family circumstances fostered a close friendship. Additionally, Charlotte is the adopted daughter of the Prescott family in Dattlech - making her the adopted sister of Alexander Prescott, current heir to the Prescott empire."

"Alexander's adopted sister?"

"Correct."

"Any public knowledge of this?"

"The Prescotts keep Charlotte's identity concealed. This information came from household staff. Rumor suggests Alexander's relationship with Charlotte extends beyond sibling bonds. Despite being engaged, he maintains strict control over Charlotte's interactions, particularly with men."

"Is that so?" Nathaniel's eyes narrowed, shadows deepening in their depths. "What do the Prescotts know about Evelyn's connection to Charlotte?"