Chapter 81

The morning sun streamed through the curtains, casting golden streaks across the bedroom. Evelyn stirred, blinking against the light, her body still heavy with sleep. Beside her, Nathaniel lay motionless, his breathing steady, his arm draped protectively over her waist.

She studied his face—the sharp line of his jaw, the faint stubble shadowing his cheeks, the way his dark lashes rested against his skin. Even in sleep, he exuded an air of quiet authority.

A soft knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.

"Mrs. Martin?" Alfred's voice was muffled through the wood. "Breakfast is ready."

Evelyn sighed, reluctantly slipping out from under Nathaniel's arm. She padded to the door, opening it just enough to see the butler's composed expression.

"Thank you, Alfred. We'll be down shortly."

Closing the door, she turned back to the bed—only to find Nathaniel watching her, his dark eyes already alert.

"Morning," he murmured, his voice rough with sleep.

"Morning," she echoed, unable to suppress a smile.

He reached for her, pulling her back into the warmth of the sheets. "Five more minutes."

She laughed, but didn't resist.

Downstairs, the dining room was bathed in sunlight. Rosalind, their new chef, had outdone herself—fluffy pancakes, fresh fruit, and a pot of steaming coffee awaited them.

Evelyn took a sip of her coffee, savoring the rich flavor. "So, what's on your agenda today?"

Nathaniel glanced at his phone, scrolling through messages. "Meeting with Daniel Carter about the waterfront project. Then lunch with Thomas."

She nodded. "I have a site visit this afternoon. Gregory wants to go over the final blueprints before we submit them."

Nathaniel's expression darkened slightly at the mention of Gregory. "I still don't trust him."

Evelyn sighed. "He's my business partner, Nathaniel. You don't have to like him, but you do have to tolerate him."

Before he could respond, his phone buzzed. He frowned at the screen.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Edward wants to see me." His tone was clipped.

Evelyn set down her fork. "About?"

Nathaniel exhaled sharply. "He didn't say."

She reached across the table, squeezing his hand. "Whatever it is, we'll handle it together."

His grip tightened around hers. "Always."

Later that afternoon, Evelyn stood at the construction site, reviewing the plans with Gregory. The wind tugged at her hair, and she absently tucked a loose strand behind her ear.

"Everything looks good," Gregory said, nodding. "We should be ready to break ground next week."

Evelyn smiled. "Perfect."

Her phone buzzed in her pocket. Pulling it out, she saw a message from Nathaniel:

We need to talk. Meet me at home.

Her stomach twisted. Something was wrong.

Gregory noticed her expression. "Everything okay?"

She forced a smile. "Fine. I just need to head back early."

As she drove home, her mind raced. What had Edward said to him? What had changed in just a few hours?

When she walked through the front door, Nathaniel was waiting in the study, his back to her as he stared out the window.

"Nathaniel?"

He turned slowly, his face unreadable.

"We have a problem."

The way he said it sent a chill down her spine.

"What kind of problem?"

His jaw tightened. "Isabella's back."

Evelyn's breath caught.

And just like that, the peaceful morning felt like a lifetime ago.

Evelyn's heart had grown numb long ago. The knowledge that the man she loved was in love with someone else wasn’t new to her, yet somehow, that numbness still carried a dull ache.

When she remained silent for too long, Gregory leaned forward, concern etching his features. "Evelyn, why do you keep torturing yourself like this? What exactly is Nathaniel playing at?"

She lifted her gaze and handed him her phone, her voice steady. "Let’s focus on work. I’ve been away for days, and there’s a lot to catch up on. Gabrielle and I need to visit the site later. You handle things here."

She deliberately shifted the conversation, avoiding Gregory’s question and making it clear she had no intention of discussing it further.

Gregory’s brows knitted together, his expression darkening slightly. "Evelyn, did you even hear what I said?"

"Gregory, I know you care, but we’re at work. Let’s not talk about personal matters, alright?"

She offered him a reassuring smile, as if to prove she was fine—truly fine.

In truth, the suffocating weight in her chest wasn’t as crushing as before. Evelyn had known Nathaniel didn’t love her even before their marriage. Everything that followed had only helped her adjust to that reality.

She told herself she would be okay.

Gregory didn’t press further. Though worry gnawed at him, he refused to make her uncomfortable.

Evelyn threw herself into work. After organizing her files, she left for the construction site with Gabrielle.

At the Martin Group’s executive floor, the air was thick with tension. Nathaniel sat behind his desk, his expression icy, his sharp gaze radiating a chilling intensity.

Samuel knocked and entered. "Mr. Martin, I’ve investigated the situation. Those gossip accounts stirring up rumors are linked to a small firm registered last year. Our legal team is handling it. Also, Ms. Davis’s agent, Vanessa, called. She wants to explain the situation to you."

"Don’t respond. Have the trending topic removed and issue a company-wide notice—no stories about me are to trend again."

"Understood."

Samuel nodded, stealing a glance at Nathaniel’s stormy expression.

As he turned to leave, Nathaniel’s deep voice stopped him. "And her? Any updates?"

"Her?" Samuel hesitated before realizing. "Ah—Mrs. Martin and her assistant have gone to the construction site."

"Has she called or made any move?"

"No," Samuel answered softly.

Nathaniel’s frown deepened. He dismissed Samuel with a wave, then strode to the floor-to-ceiling window, staring down at the city below. Something had lodged itself deep in his chest, an undeniable mark he couldn’t ignore.

He grabbed his phone and dialed. After several rings, she answered.

"It’s me," he said.

"I know. What is it?" Her voice was cool.

His jaw tightened. After a beat, he spoke in a low voice. "I’m not dating Isabella. The trending story was fabricated."

"I see." Her response was clipped.

His grip on the phone tightened. "Evelyn, don’t you have anything else to say to me?"

"No. After all, your relationship with Isabella has nothing to do with us, right?"

She threw his own words back at him.

Nathaniel’s lips pressed into a thin line. "Are you angry?"

"No."

"Evelyn, I lied to you last night. But I didn’t mean anything by it. Isabella was having dinner with a sponsor who got out of line. Vanessa couldn’t handle it, so she called me. Nothing inappropriate happened."

"I understand," she replied, indifferent.

Her coldness stung. His voice turned sharp. "Evelyn, what are you saying? Does that mean you don’t care if something did happen between me and Isabella?"

Evelyn sighed, exasperated. "Nathaniel, what do you want from me? Should I throw a tantrum and demand answers? If I did, you’d tell me to behave. I’ve been compliant, and now you’re upset because I’m too indifferent. So tell me—what exactly do you expect?"

Nathaniel scoffed. "So all these excuses are just to prove you don’t care, is that it? Would it even matter to you if something did happen?"

Anger flared in his voice. He didn’t wait for her response. "Evelyn, you’re doing great. I’m the one making a fuss over nothing."

The line went dead.

Evelyn stared at her phone, frustration simmering.

She didn’t understand why he had called just to say these things.

She had done exactly what he wanted—kept her distance, stayed out of his affairs. And yet, he was still dissatisfied.

She sighed. Love was absent, so nothing she did would ever please him.

Before she could dwell on it, Gabrielle rushed over. "Ms. Mitchell, Mr. Carter needs you."

Evelyn followed, pushing all thoughts of Nathaniel aside. Work demanded her attention now.

After the trending topic was removed, Isabella received the news immediately.

But it wasn’t all bad. Since morning, Vanessa’s phone had been ringing nonstop. Sponsors who had previously ignored her were now extending offers. In just a few hours, she had secured multiple deals.

With her new song about to drop and brands clamoring for endorsements, Isabella was winning.

Still, Vanessa hesitated. "What if Mr. Martin releases a statement denying any relationship?"

That could ruin everything.

Isabella shrugged. "He removed the trending topic, which implies we’re not dating, but he didn’t deny a connection." She smirked. "Order lunch from Scarlett. I’m taking it to Nathaniel at the Martin Group."

"What if someone takes pictures of you there?"

"I’m just delivering lunch. What can I do if they snap photos?"

Vanessa had no choice but to comply.

At half past eleven, Isabella arrived at the Martin Group lobby. The receptionist recognized her immediately and treated her with deference.

She took the elevator to Nathaniel’s floor. The moment she stepped out, Samuel spotted her and hurried over. "Ms. Davis, what brings you here?"

"I brought Nathaniel lunch. Is he in his office?"

Samuel hesitated. "He is, but—"

"I’ll see him myself. You can go."

She brushed past him and knocked on Nathaniel’s door.

"Come in," came his curt reply.

She entered, placing the food on the coffee table before approaching his desk. "Nathaniel, take a break. Have some lunch."

He looked up, his expression unreadable. "Isabella? What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to apologize for last night. Bringing you lunch is the least I could do. You’re not upset with me, are you?"

She gazed at him expectantly.

Nathaniel studied her, his eyes cool and detached. Finally, he spoke. "Isabella, just because I didn’t expose what really happened doesn’t mean I don’t know everything. But let me make one thing clear—I don’t want a repeat of last night. Take what you brought and leave. Now."