Chapter 230

The morning sun cast golden rays through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Evelyn's office, illuminating the blueprints spread across her desk. Her fingers traced the intricate lines of the latest project—a luxury resort that could redefine Martin Group's portfolio. Yet, despite the excitement of the design, her mind kept drifting back to Nathaniel.

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

Evelyn straightened, smoothing the creases from her blouse. "Send him in."

Gregory strode in, his usual composed demeanor replaced by visible tension. "We have a problem," he said without preamble, dropping a folder onto her desk. "Summit Realty just filed a lawsuit against us. They're claiming intellectual property theft on the coastal villa project."

Her breath hitched. "That's impossible. Our designs were finalized weeks before theirs."

Gregory ran a hand through his hair. "Sebastian Wilson is behind this. He’s been waiting for an opportunity to strike."

Evelyn's jaw tightened. Sebastian had always been a thorn in her side, but this was outright sabotage. "We need to act fast. Contact our legal team and pull all documentation proving our timeline."

Before Gregory could respond, her phone buzzed. Nathaniel's name flashed on the screen. She hesitated, then answered.

"Evelyn," his voice was uncharacteristically strained. "We need to talk. Now."

Her pulse quickened. "What’s wrong?"

"Not over the phone. Meet me at the penthouse."

The line went dead, leaving her with a sinking feeling. Something was terribly wrong.

Gregory studied her expression. "Trouble?"

She exhaled sharply. "I don’t know yet. But I need to go."

As she grabbed her coat, Gabrielle rushed in again, her face pale. "Evelyn, you need to see this." She turned her tablet screen toward her.

A headline blared across the news feed: "Martin Group Heir’s Secret Affair Exposed—Photos Surface of Nathaniel Martin with Former Flame Isabella Davis."

Evelyn's blood ran cold. The accompanying photo showed Nathaniel and Isabella in what appeared to be an intimate embrace outside a hotel.

Gregory cursed under his breath. "This is a setup."

But Evelyn barely heard him. The world around her blurred as the implications crashed down.

Nathaniel had sworn there was nothing between him and Isabella anymore. Had he lied?

Or was someone manipulating them both?

With trembling hands, she pocketed her phone and headed for the door. One way or another, she would get the truth—even if it shattered everything.

Evelyn snapped back to reality and met Nathaniel's gaze. Realizing he was waiting for her response, she asked, "Do you have any thoughts on the design draft?"

"I haven't reviewed it yet," he replied coolly. "So I can't say whether I'm satisfied or not."

"Then, are you going to look at it now or later?"

Nathaniel studied her—the delicate curve of her lips, the faint crease between her brows betraying her irritation. His voice dropped low. "Evelyn, are you impatient with me?"

"No." She lowered her eyes to the sketch in her hands, her fingers tightening slightly. Normally, the dishes spread across the table would have tempted her, but tonight, they held no appeal.

Their gazes locked, tension thickening the air. Unable to bear it any longer, Evelyn pushed back her chair. "Excuse me. I need to use the restroom."

She didn’t wait for his permission before slipping out of the private room.

The moment the door closed behind her, she exhaled sharply, her shoulders relaxing as she walked toward the ladies' room.

Then her phone buzzed in her pocket.

An unknown number flashed on the screen.

She answered, only to be met with Isabella’s shrill accusation. "Evelyn, you’re pathetic. Nathaniel is your husband, yet you let him cozy up to other women? How can you stand it?"

Evelyn’s grip on the phone tightened. "And what right do you have to question me?"

"Face it, Evelyn. Does he even treat you like a wife? If you can’t control him, you should step aside."

"So you can take my place?" Evelyn’s laugh was icy. "By all means, try. But first, you’d have to convince him to marry you."

"Don’t act so smug! You still have to watch him with other women!"

"Isabella, doesn’t it embarrass you?" Evelyn countered, her voice sharp. "He’d rather be with anyone but you. Doesn’t that tell you something?"

Silence.

Isabella had no retort.

Done with the conversation, Evelyn ended the call without another word.

Ten minutes had passed since she left the table. Hesitating briefly, she turned and headed back.

When she re-entered the room, she found it empty—the two who should have been dining were gone. Before she could react, the door slammed shut behind her.

Nathaniel stood there, his expression dark, his voice dangerously soft. "Where were you? Planning to leave without a word?"

"If I wanted to leave, I wouldn’t have come back."

His jaw clenched. "Is that how you speak to me now?"

Evelyn met his gaze evenly. "Nathaniel, I don’t know what you’re implying."

In one swift motion, he closed the distance between them, tilting her chin up with rough fingers. His eyes burned into hers, a predator cornering its prey. "You act like nothing matters. You look down on everyone—yet you’d sacrifice anything for Charlotte. Tell me, Evelyn… how far would you go for your friend Charlotte?"