Chapter 223

The morning sun streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Evelyn's office, casting golden patterns across her drafting table. She leaned back in her chair, rubbing her temples as she studied the blueprints spread before her. The project deadline loomed closer, and the weight of responsibility pressed heavily on her shoulders.

A soft knock interrupted her thoughts. "Come in," she called, straightening her posture.

Gabrielle, her assistant, stepped inside with a tray of coffee and a stack of documents. "Good morning, Evelyn. I thought you might need this." She set the tray down with a warm smile.

"Thank you," Evelyn murmured, gratefully wrapping her fingers around the warm mug. The rich aroma of coffee filled the air, momentarily soothing her nerves.

Gabrielle hesitated before speaking again. "Gregory called earlier. He said the client wants to see the revised designs by this afternoon."

Evelyn exhaled sharply. "That’s impossible. We haven’t even finalized the structural changes yet."

"I know," Gabrielle said sympathetically. "But he insisted. He said they’re pushing the meeting forward."

Evelyn’s grip tightened around the mug. "Of course they are." She forced a smile. "Alright, tell him I’ll have something ready by then."

As Gabrielle left, Evelyn turned back to her work, her mind racing. She had barely slept last night, tossing and turning as thoughts of Nathaniel and the growing tension between them kept her awake.

Her phone buzzed, pulling her from her thoughts. A message from Nathaniel flashed on the screen:

"We need to talk. Dinner tonight?"

Her heart skipped a beat. She hadn’t seen him in days—not since their last argument. Part of her wanted to ignore the message, to bury herself in work and avoid the inevitable confrontation. But another part, the part that still loved him despite everything, longed to see him.

She typed a quick reply: "Fine. 8 PM at the usual place."

Before she could second-guess herself, she sent it and immediately turned her attention back to the blueprints. There was no time to dwell on personal drama—not when her career was on the line.

But as she tried to focus, her mind kept drifting back to Nathaniel. To the way his eyes darkened when he was angry, the way his voice softened when he apologized.

She shook her head, forcing herself to concentrate.

One crisis at a time.

Whenever Evelyn thought about it, anger bubbled inside her. She blamed Margaret for being heartless, but she would never dare let Beatrice know. Perhaps Beatrice already suspected—she just never voiced it aloud.

Evelyn lowered her head, her lashes fluttering as she blinked back the sting in her eyes. "Thank you," she murmured softly, "but my grandmother isn't in the best health. I'm not sure if she can go out. Maybe I should ask her first and let you know? Or perhaps after her medical check-up..."

"Evelyn," Edward interrupted gently, "you don’t need to be so cautious with us. We’re family. The dinner can wait—just tell us when you and Beatrice are ready."

Evelyn nodded, warmth spreading through her chest. Edward, Richard, and Victoria treated her with such kindness—far better than the Mitchells ever had. There were no hidden agendas, no calculations—just genuine care.

Richard took over smoothly. "If Beatrice needs medical attention, let Nathaniel arrange for specialists. There’s no need to wait when we have resources. If anything comes up, you can contact Dr. Harrison directly."

"Grandfather, don’t worry," Evelyn assured him. "I’ll handle it. You just focus on resting."

She had already made the necessary calls. Since she wasn’t entirely sure about Beatrice’s condition yet, pulling strings prematurely seemed unnecessary.

Their conversation flowed effortlessly, Nathaniel completely forgotten in the background.

If he hadn’t cleared his throat pointedly, they might have left without acknowledging him.

Nathaniel’s voice was cool. "Grandfather, since you’re all enjoying yourselves so much, I assume you don’t need me anymore. Should I head back to the office?"

"Stop right there!" Edward barked, fixing him with a stern glare. "You should visit Beatrice. She’s the most important person in Evelyn’s life—which means she’s important to us too."

Evelyn stiffened, quickly interjecting, "Grandfather, that’s really not necessary. Nathaniel has work to—"

"Evelyn," Edward cut in firmly, "don’t defend him. You’ve been married for over a year. He should have met Beatrice long ago. Now that she’s in Mayby, there’s no excuse."

Edward’s tone left no room for argument. Evelyn fell silent.

Nathaniel’s gaze flickered to her, his expression unreadable. Her silence felt like rejection.

His jaw tightened, but he said nothing.

After the visit, Evelyn and Nathaniel stepped out of the hospital room. Victoria decided to return to Martin Manor with them.

Inside the elevator, Victoria studied the pair discreetly before asking in a hushed tone, "Evelyn, why were you with Nathaniel today?"

Evelyn hesitated. "We were discussing work."

"Oh?" Victoria’s eyes gleamed with curiosity. "So Nathaniel asked you to come together?"

Evelyn blinked, startled. Hadn’t Victoria been the one to suggest it?

She shot Nathaniel a questioning glance.

Without missing a beat, Nathaniel smoothly diverted the topic. "Mother, Alfora just released a limited-edition diamond bracelet. Would you like it?"