Chapter 226

The morning sun cast golden streaks across the bedroom as Evelyn stirred awake. The warmth of Nathaniel’s arm draped over her waist was comforting, but the weight of last night’s argument still lingered in the air. She carefully slipped out of bed, not wanting to wake him.

Downstairs, Alfred had already prepared her favorite coffee—black with a hint of cinnamon. The rich aroma filled the kitchen, but even that couldn’t ease the tension coiling in her chest. She took a sip, her thoughts drifting back to Nathaniel’s words.

"You don’t trust me, do you?"

His accusation had stung. But how could she explain that it wasn’t about trust? It was about the past—about Isabella, about the secrets that still seemed to shadow them.

Her phone buzzed. A message from Gregory.

"Meeting moved to 10 AM. The investors want to see the revised blueprints."

Evelyn exhaled sharply. Work was the last thing on her mind, but she couldn’t afford distractions. Not when this project could make or break her firm.

She dressed quickly, opting for a sleek navy pantsuit—professional, commanding. As she fastened her watch, the bedroom door creaked open.

Nathaniel stood there, his dark hair tousled, his expression unreadable. "You’re leaving already?"

She hesitated. "I have a meeting."

Silence stretched between them, thick and heavy. Then, he stepped closer, his voice low. "We need to talk about this, Evelyn."

Her pulse quickened. "Not now."

His jaw tightened, but he didn’t push further. Instead, he simply nodded. "Fine. But this isn’t over."

The words hung in the air as she grabbed her bag and walked out.

The conference room was packed by the time Evelyn arrived. Gregory shot her a questioning look, but she ignored it, focusing instead on the blueprints spread across the table.

"Let’s get started," she said, her tone crisp.

Halfway through the presentation, her phone buzzed again. A notification from an unknown number.

"You should ask him about the night of the gala."

Evelyn’s breath hitched. The gala—the night Nathaniel had disappeared for hours, returning with a flimsy excuse about a business call.

Her fingers trembled as she locked the screen.

Who sent this? And what did they know?

Gregory cleared his throat. "Evelyn? Everything alright?"

She forced a smile. "Yes. Let’s continue."

But her mind was elsewhere.

Because someone out there was playing games.

And she intended to find out why.

Evelyn didn’t deny it. She simply held Nathaniel’s gaze, but something heavy settled in her chest, an ache that refused to fade.

Nathaniel didn’t wait for her response. His eyes lingered on her for a moment longer before he released her hand.

This time, the elevator doors didn’t reopen.

Evelyn stood frozen, unmoving, until the indicator light signaled the first floor. Her face was pale, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

"This is where it ends," she whispered to herself. "I always knew this marriage wouldn’t last. Why drag it out?"

The only regret she carried was for the child growing inside her. She pressed a hand to her stomach, her voice breaking. "I’m sorry, little one."

Back in her apartment, Evelyn freshened up quickly before throwing herself into work. With the project restarting, she needed to discuss details with Gregory.

But the call didn’t connect.

She tried again—several times—until her phone refused to dial through.

Evelyn frowned. "Did he block me?"

It didn’t make sense. Gregory wouldn’t do that. Maybe his phone died, or he was somewhere with no signal. Those were the only explanations she could think of.

After setting the phone aside, she organized the project files again, then reached out to Gabrielle to finalize the details.

The afternoon slipped away in a blur of work.

By the time she finished, dusk had settled outside. Exhausted, she leaned back on the sofa, a hollow loneliness creeping in. It reminded her of the days when William and Margaret had left her at Beatrice’s house—abandoned, forgotten.

"Maybe this is just how life is," she thought bitterly. "No one stays forever."

The next morning, Evelyn arrived at Martin Group with the revised design draft in hand.

She headed straight to the project department, intending to show Daniel Carter the updates, but he shook his head. "I’m only overseeing construction now. The design approvals go straight to Mr. Martin."

Evelyn stiffened.

Nathaniel had demanded tangible results—daily updates, direct reports.

She wasn’t afraid. Just… uneasy. Being near him now felt like standing on broken glass.

But she had signed the contract. She had to follow Martin Group’s protocols.

Clutching the folder, she made her way to Nathaniel’s office—only to be stopped by Samuel Yates at the door.

"Mrs. Martin," Samuel said politely. "Mr. Martin is in a meeting."

"Should I wait?"

"You can leave the documents with me. I’ll ensure he gets them."

Evelyn’s grip tightened. "This is about the project’s progress. I’d prefer to discuss it with him directly."

Samuel didn’t argue. Evelyn waited outside the office, the minutes stretching into half an hour with no movement from inside.

Finally, she turned to Samuel. "Who is he meeting with? Is it urgent?"

"One moment, Mrs. Martin." Samuel picked up the intercom. "Mr. Martin, Mrs. Martin is here regarding the project. Should she—"

Nathaniel’s voice cut through, firm and clipped.

"Let her in."