Chapter 187

The morning sun cast golden rays through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Evelyn’s office, illuminating the blueprints spread across her desk. She traced her fingers over the intricate lines of her latest design, a luxury resort that had consumed her thoughts for weeks. The project was ambitious, but she thrived under pressure.

A soft knock interrupted her concentration. Gabrielle, her assistant, peeked in with a hesitant smile. "Evelyn, Mr. Wilson is here to see you. He says it’s urgent."

Evelyn sighed, rolling up the blueprints. Gregory Wilson, her business partner, had a habit of barging in unannounced. "Send him in."

Gregory strode in, his usual confident demeanor replaced by something more agitated. "We have a problem," he said without preamble. "Summit Realty just pulled out of the Lakeside project."

Evelyn’s stomach dropped. "What? That was our biggest contract this quarter."

"I know," Gregory ran a hand through his hair. "Sebastian Wilson called me personally. Said they’re shifting focus to another development."

Evelyn clenched her fists. Sebastian Wilson had always been slippery, but this was a direct blow. "Did he give any real reason?"

Gregory shook his head. "Just corporate jargon. But I have a feeling there’s more to it."

Before Evelyn could respond, her phone buzzed. A message from Nathaniel lit up the screen:

"We need to talk. Dinner tonight?"

Her heart skipped. Things between them had been strained since Isabella’s sudden reappearance. She typed a quick reply:

"Sure. 7 PM at the usual place?"

Gregory raised an eyebrow. "Trouble in paradise?"

Evelyn shot him a glare. "Focus on the crisis at hand. We need to find another investor, fast."

Gregory exhaled. "I’ll reach out to some contacts. But Evelyn… if Summit backed out this abruptly, others might follow."

The weight of his words settled over her. This wasn’t just about one project—it could jeopardize their entire firm.

As Gregory left, Evelyn turned back to her blueprints, but her mind was elsewhere. Between the business turmoil and Nathaniel’s cryptic message, she felt the walls closing in.

Something was coming. And she wasn’t sure she was ready for it.

Evelyn's brows knitted together in frustration, her patience wearing thin.

Nathaniel cast a glance at Charlotte, who stood waiting by the car, before speaking in a tone that was deliberately indifferent. "Do you really expect me to stay silent after what happened in the hospital elevator?"

The hospital elevator?

Heat rushed to Evelyn's cheeks instantly. She glared at him, her displeasure evident. "You're such an asshole."

"So, are you going to prepare a gift for me or not?"

Nathaniel's voice dropped, laced with a husky undertone as he leaned slightly closer, his gaze intense.

"Do you really feel proud of yourself, extorting a gift like this?"

She was beyond exasperated. Is he seriously this shameless over a birthday present?

"Evelyn," he murmured, his lips curving into a smirk. "All you need to do is answer. Whether I feel accomplished or not—do you really care?"

His eyes darkened with unspoken intent, and the space between them seemed to shrink.

Evelyn stiffened, her breath hitching as she instinctively pressed a hand against his chest to keep him at bay. The firmness beneath her palm sent a jolt through her—if she let her guard down even slightly, he would close the distance in an instant.

Then, his voice, low and rough, brushed against her senses. "I get it now. You didn’t want to prepare a gift because what you really wanted was for me to kiss you. Isn’t that right?"

Before she could react, he tilted his head, his lips dangerously close to hers.

Realizing he wasn’t bluffing, Evelyn pushed against him sharply. "I have prepared something!"

Nathaniel paused, amusement flickering in his eyes. "Oh? What is it?"

"Your birthday gift," she gritted out, still bracing against him.

His chest vibrated with quiet laughter. "So you did prepare it beforehand. Not just because I pushed you into admitting it?"

"Yes," she snapped, feeling like a puppet on strings.

Satisfied, Nathaniel straightened, studying her with a smug expression. "Then why keep it a secret?"

Evelyn refused to dignify that with a response. "I'm getting out. Charlotte isn’t feeling well, and she shouldn’t be standing in the cold. If you’re done, unlock the door."

Silence stretched between them.

A few seconds later, the soft click of the car lock disengaging sounded. Without hesitation, Evelyn shoved the door open and stepped out, slamming it shut behind her with enough force to rattle the windows.

The sharp sound perfectly mirrored her stormy mood.

She marched into the apartment, Charlotte trailing behind her. Every line of Evelyn’s posture radiated irritation, yet there was something oddly captivating about her fiery demeanor—enough to make Nathaniel chuckle under his breath.

His mind drifted back to earlier, in the hospital elevator—the way her cheeks had flushed, the way her eyes had darkened under his touch.

Just the memory sent a surge of heat through him. It took considerable effort to rein himself in.

Inside, Evelyn barely spared Charlotte a glance. "I need to cool off. Rest for a bit. I ordered soup for you—it’ll be here soon."

With that, she disappeared into her bedroom, shutting the door firmly behind her.

Charlotte watched her go, lips twitching. Something must have happened in the car. The usually composed Evelyn wouldn’t lose her temper like this otherwise.

Her phone buzzed, snapping her out of her thoughts.

The name on the screen made her expression shift. She answered, her voice carefully neutral. "Hello?"

"When are you coming back?"

"You gave me a week. It’s only been three days."

Alexander’s voice turned icy. "Charlotte, he’s already tracking you. Do you really think you can hide from him outside of Dattlech? Or is this your way of provoking him? Leaving the Jones family has made you bold, hasn’t it?"

Charlotte’s grip tightened on the phone. "If that’s what you want to believe, fine. Maybe I do want him to find me. Maybe I do want to be with him. Happy now?"