Chapter 18

The morning sun filtered through the sheer curtains, casting delicate patterns across the hardwood floor. Evelyn stretched lazily, her fingers brushing against the cool silk sheets where Nathaniel should have been. Empty. Again.

She sighed, rolling onto her back. The digital clock on the nightstand blinked 7:03 AM in bold red numbers. Too early for his usual meetings. Where was he?

The scent of freshly brewed coffee drifted up from downstairs. Alfred must already be up. Evelyn slipped out of bed, her bare feet padding softly against the plush carpet. She grabbed her robe from the chaise lounge, wrapping it tightly around herself as she made her way to the en suite bathroom.

The reflection in the mirror startled her. Dark circles shadowed her usually bright eyes, evidence of another restless night. She turned on the faucet, splashing cold water on her face. The shock of it helped clear the fog in her mind.

Downstairs, the mansion was eerily quiet. Only the grandfather clock in the foyer ticked steadily, marking the passage of time. Alfred stood by the dining table, arranging a single place setting.

"Good morning, Mrs. Martin," he greeted with his usual impeccable timing. "Would you like breakfast now?"

Evelyn shook her head. "Just coffee, thank you. Have you seen Nathaniel this morning?"

Alfred's expression remained carefully neutral. "Mr. Martin left quite early. He mentioned an urgent matter at the office."

She accepted the steaming cup from him, the rich aroma doing little to soothe her unease. Something was off. Nathaniel had been distant for days, canceling dinners, coming home late. The excuses were piling up, and her patience was wearing thin.

Her phone buzzed on the marble countertop. A text from Gregory: Emergency meeting at 9. Client wants major revisions. Can you come in early?

Evelyn groaned. Just what she needed. She fired off a quick reply before heading back upstairs to get ready. As she passed Nathaniel's study, a glint of metal caught her eye. His laptop sat open on the desk, screen dark but not powered off.

She hesitated. It was unlike him to leave it like that. Against her better judgment, she stepped inside and tapped the spacebar. The screen flickered to life, displaying an email thread with the subject line: Urgent: Isabella Davis Contract Negotiations

Her breath hitched. Isabella. The name alone sent a chill down her spine. Nathaniel's ex. The woman who'd nearly destroyed their marriage before it even began.

Evelyn's fingers hovered over the trackpad. She shouldn't. This was a violation of trust. But the gnawing suspicion in her gut won out. She scrolled.

The emails were professional, discussing a potential partnership between Martin Group and Isabella's new interior design firm. But the timestamp on the last message—sent at 2:17 AM—made her stomach twist. What business required discussing in the middle of the night?

A car door slammed outside, startling her. She quickly closed the laptop and stepped away just as the front door opened.

"Evelyn?" Nathaniel's voice echoed through the house.

She forced a smile as she met him in the hallway. "You're back early."

His tie was loosened, hair slightly disheveled as if he'd been running his hands through it. "Forgot some documents," he said, brushing past her toward the study.

The scent of another woman's perfume—something floral and expensive—lingered in his wake. Evelyn's hands clenched into fists at her sides.

"By the way," she called after him, her voice deceptively light. "Who's Isabella Davis?"

Nathaniel froze. The tension in his shoulders was unmistakable. When he turned to face her, his expression was carefully blank. "An old acquaintance. Why do you ask?"

Evelyn crossed her arms. "Just curious. Saw her name pop up on your laptop."

His jaw tightened. "Business. Nothing more."

"At two in the morning?"

Nathaniel's eyes darkened. "You went through my emails?"

The accusation hung between them, thick and suffocating. Evelyn held his gaze, her heart pounding. This was it. The moment the cracks in their marriage became a chasm.

Before either could speak again, her phone rang. Gregory. The real world intruding on their standoff.

She answered without breaking eye contact with Nathaniel. "I'll be there in twenty."

Hanging up, she stepped closer to her husband. "We're not done here," she whispered before turning on her heel and walking away.

The drive to the office was a blur. Evelyn gripped the steering wheel until her knuckles turned white, replaying the confrontation in her mind. The lies. The defensiveness. The scent of another woman on her husband.

By the time she pulled into the parking garage, one thing was clear: Nathaniel was hiding something. And she would find out what, even if it destroyed them both.

The first golden rays of dawn streamed through the curtains of Pineview Villa, painting the bedroom in warm hues.

Evelyn stirred awake to the persistent beeping of her alarm. Still half-asleep, she stretched—only for her fingers to brush against firm, heated skin. Her eyes flew open in shock.

Nathaniel lay beside her, his sculpted features relaxed in sleep. She was curled against his chest, his arm draped possessively around her waist.

Before she could process this, his deep voice rumbled against her ear, rough with sleep. "Morning, sweetheart."

"You—why are you still here?" she demanded, trying to wriggle free.

"You looked so peaceful. I didn’t have the heart to move." His lips curved into that infuriating smirk.

"Liar."

His grip tightened. "You clung to me like a vine. I couldn’t pry you off if I tried." His breath fanned over her face, sending heat creeping up her neck. The air between them thickened.

Nathaniel’s gaze dropped to her lips. "You spend the night in my arms, then act like you can’t wait to escape. How cruel."

"Let go of me." She shoved at his chest—uselessly.

Instead, he hauled her closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "Promise me one thing, Evelyn. No jumping into another man’s arms after the divorce. They’ll only want you for your connections."

She scoffed. "Since when do you dictate my life?"

"This isn’t a negotiation." His fingers flexed against her hip. "Promise me."

"Or what?" she challenged.

Nathaniel’s eyes darkened. He leaned in until their noses brushed. "Or I’ll kiss you until you forget your own name."

Her breath hitched. Since when had he become so blatant?

"You wouldn’t dare."

"Try me." His thumb traced her bottom lip, igniting sparks under her skin. "Unless you secretly want me to?"

"Delusional," she snapped, but her pulse betrayed her.

Nathaniel didn’t miss it. With a low chuckle, he closed the distance—

Evelyn twisted away. "This is ridiculous!"

"Then agree." His mouth hovered a breath from hers. "Unless you’d rather I prove how serious I am?"

She glared. "You’re impossible."

"And you’re stubborn." His hand slid up her spine, trapping her. "Last chance."

The tension crackled. Evelyn opened her mouth—

Nathaniel claimed it in a searing kiss.