Chapter 327

Michael had no clue where Evelyn was, but her phone lay abandoned on the desk.

He snatched it up and immediately checked the blocked contacts list.

What the hell?

Dominic's name wasn't there at all!

Michael hastily returned the phone to its original position, schooling his features into perfect neutrality.

The office door swung open just as Evelyn strode in.

"Any response from Blackwood Group?" she asked while grabbing the water glass from her desk and taking a long sip.

"They refuse the recall," Michael reported. "You're not seriously considering pushing for it, are you?"

Evelyn set down the glass, locking eyes with him. "You know me too well. But even if I insisted, they'd never comply. No point wasting energy on them."

Michael gave her an approving thumbs-up.

"Wire them seven point five million," Evelyn added abruptly.

Michael's jaw dropped.

"Never mind," Evelyn amended just as quickly, her voice steady. "He'd throw another tantrum over a refund. We'd just end up fighting again."

"Exactly!" Michael agreed enthusiastically.

"Get out. I need some alone time."

"Okay... Just don't go reading online news about the company or checking comments," Michael warned before exiting.

Since Thornfield Industries' scandal broke, rival drone companies had banded together, flooding the internet with paid trolls and fabricated articles smearing Evelyn and her company.

The web now overflowed with vicious posts about Evelyn Thorne and Thornfield Industries.

Alone, Evelyn opened her laptop.

"Thornfield Industries Apology," "Thornfield Bankruptcy," "Evelyn Thorne Fraud," "Deport Evelyn Thorne" - countless similar hashtags trended across social media.

To an outsider, it would appear Evelyn had committed some unspeakable crime.

Fewer than seven thousand Tempest Series drones had sold - five thousand to Dominic alone.

Only about two thousand reached actual consumers.

Was this circus really necessary?

[Know how Evelyn Thorne got rich? Overseas sugar daddy! Homewrecker money explains everything!]

[Just look at her face - total gold digger! Who does she think she's fooling?]

[Boycotting Thornfield forever!]

[Me too!]

Evelyn's eyes turned to ice as she scanned the fabricated rumors.

Reacting would mean her enemies won.

She closed the browser, steadied her breathing, and opened her email to focus on work.

That evening, the Blackwood family gathered at the ancestral manor.

Yet an arctic chill permeated the air.

All because of Dominic's glacial expression.

"Sophia's surgery went well, didn't it?" Eleanor ventured. "We really owe Zoe this time. Without her-"

"How should I thank her?" Dominic cut in sharply.

Eleanor swallowed her words at the dangerous glint in her son's eyes.

Finally, she suggested cautiously, "I know you're against marriage. Just an engagement then? Some recognition for Zoe's efforts."

"Fine."

That single syllable stunned the room.

No one was more thrilled than Zoe herself.

Dominic Blackwood had actually agreed to marry her!

Dear God - she was about to become Mrs. Blackwood!