Chapter 189

The morning sun streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Evelyn's office, casting golden patterns across her blueprints. She tapped her pen absently against the desk, her mind elsewhere. Nathaniel had been distant lately—ever since that charity gala where Isabella had made her grand reappearance.

Her phone buzzed. A message from Gregory.

"Meeting in 10. Summit Realty’s reps are here early."

Evelyn exhaled sharply. Right. The new project. She hadn’t even had coffee yet.

Downstairs, the conference room was already half-full. Sebastian Wilson, Summit Realty’s CEO, stood near the window, his sharp suit and sharper smile exuding confidence. Beside him, Jonathan Blake, their lead project manager, was flipping through documents.

Gregory shot her a look—you’re late—but she ignored it.

"Apologies," Evelyn said smoothly, taking her seat. "Traffic was unexpected."

Sebastian smirked. "No worries. We were just discussing the waterfront property."

She forced a smile. This deal was crucial. If they secured it, her firm’s reputation would skyrocket. But something about Sebastian’s gaze unsettled her. Too calculating.

The meeting dragged. Proposals. Budgets. Timelines. Evelyn’s phone vibrated again—Nathaniel.

"Dinner tonight?"

Her chest tightened. They hadn’t spoken properly in days.

Before she could reply, Jonathan slid a folder toward her. "We’d like your team to handle the structural redesign."

Gregory’s eyes lit up, but Evelyn hesitated. Something felt off.

Then Sebastian leaned forward. "There’s one condition."

Silence.

"We want Nathaniel Martin’s endorsement."

Evelyn’s grip on her pen tightened. Of course. It always circled back to Nathaniel.

She met Sebastian’s gaze evenly. "I’ll consider it."

But as she left the room, her mind raced. Was this about business—or was Isabella pulling strings behind the scenes?

Her phone buzzed once more. Unknown number.

"You should ask Nathaniel about Paris."

Evelyn’s breath hitched.

Paris?

What the hell had happened in Paris?

Evelyn's sharp remark instantly froze the cheerful atmosphere. The room fell into an uncomfortable silence as all eyes turned toward Nathaniel.

One of the men cleared his throat. "Nathaniel, it's still early. How about a round of poker?" he suggested, attempting to diffuse the tension.

Nathaniel's expression remained unreadable as he moved to join them.

Just then, Isabella burst into tears. "I'm so sorry, Nathaniel," she sniffled, her voice trembling. "This is supposed to be your special day, and I've ruined it. I only meant to greet Evelyn warmly. I never imagined my words would upset her..."

The men exchanged uneasy glances while the women shifted uncomfortably in their seats.

Nathaniel's jaw tightened slightly, while Evelyn remained perfectly composed, her phone in hand.

Isabella continued dramatically, "Evelyn, if you're angry because Nathaniel arrived with me, I'll apologize properly. But please don't take it out on him. If my presence bothers you, I can leave immediately."

Theodore was the first to break the awkward silence. "Come now, Isabella," he said with forced cheerfulness. "This is just a friendly gathering. No need for such dramatics."

"Exactly," Felix chimed in. "We're all friends here. Let's not overcomplicate things."

Thomas sprang into action, guiding Nathaniel toward the sofa. "Sit down, both of you," he said firmly. "Evelyn didn't say anything offensive. You're reading too much into this, Isabella. Now let's enjoy Nathaniel's birthday properly."

Flushing with embarrassment, Isabella reluctantly took a seat near Nathaniel, casting a challenging glance at Evelyn.

Evelyn ignored her completely, focusing on her phone as she texted Charlotte: [Did you eat breakfast?]

The reply came instantly: [No appetite without you here. Don't worry about me though. Focus on celebrating Nathaniel's birthday. He's clearly your priority now.]

[Exactly right. He is my husband after all. You're just an outsider now,] Evelyn fired back.

Charlotte's response was immediate: [That's cruel! And to think I just recovered from pneumonia!]

[Pneumonia caused by eating ice cream at 2 AM,] Evelyn countered dryly.

After a pause, Charlotte sent a sad face emoji, prompting Evelyn to soften: [Take care of yourself. No midnight snacks unless you want another hospital visit.]

[Are you staying out tonight?] Charlotte asked.

[Probably,] Evelyn replied. Given Thomas's elaborate party plans that would likely stretch into the early hours, she suspected this was his attempt to reconcile her with Nathaniel. They'd probably be staying overnight.

Charlotte's next message made Evelyn roll her eyes: [Does that mean you'll be sharing a bed with Nathaniel tonight?]

The morning sun filtered through the curtains of Pineview Villa, casting golden patterns across the marble floors. Evelyn stretched beneath the silk sheets, her fingers brushing against the cold, empty space where Nathaniel should have been.

She checked her phone - 7:32 AM. Three unread messages from Gregory about the new project proposal. One from her mother, Margaret, asking about weekend plans. Nothing from Nathaniel.

The scent of freshly brewed coffee drifted upstairs. Alfred must have already prepared breakfast. Evelyn slipped into her robe, the fabric whispering against her skin as she descended the grand staircase.

The dining room was set with exquisite china, but only one place setting. "Where's Nathaniel?" she asked, trying to keep her voice light.

Alfred hesitated just a fraction too long before answering. "Mr. Martin left early this morning, madam. He mentioned an urgent meeting with Mr. Yates."

Evelyn's fingers tightened around her coffee cup. Another morning without seeing her husband. This made the seventh day in a row. She scrolled through her calendar - the charity gala was tonight. Nathaniel had promised they'd attend together.

Her phone buzzed. A notification from The Metropolitan Times: "Martin Group Heir Spotted at Luxury Hotel with Former Flame." The accompanying photo showed Nathaniel's unmistakable profile beside Isabella Davis's laughing face.

The coffee turned bitter in her mouth.

Gabrielle's call came through at that moment. "Evelyn, we have a problem with the Montgomery project. The client wants to see revisions by noon."

Work. At least work never disappointed her. "I'll be there in forty minutes," she replied, already mentally rearranging her day.

As she dressed, Evelyn's gaze kept returning to the newspaper photo on her nightstand. Isabella's hand resting possessively on Nathaniel's arm. The diamond bracelet glittering on her wrist - the same design Evelyn had admired last month.

The intercom buzzed. "Madam, your car is ready," Alfred announced.

Evelyn took one last look at the photo before dropping it into the drawer. Tonight's gala would be interesting indeed. She had questions that needed answers, and Nathaniel would provide them - whether he wanted to or not.

The morning sunlight caught the emerald on her left hand as she closed the front door behind her. The stone flashed green fire, like a warning. Or a promise.