Chapter 100

Lucas Bennett stood beside Alexander Whitmore.

Alexander's intense gaze was fixed on something outside the window. Lucas followed his line of sight and smirked. "Alexander, did you have another argument with Evelyn?"

Lately, Alexander had been practically living at Maple Leaf Café when he wasn’t working.

Any man with a wife who refused to come home was clearly in trouble.

They had been having a great time at the café earlier, but then the sky had darkened without warning. Thunder cracked, and rain poured down in sheets.

Alexander, drunk and half-asleep on the sofa, jolted upright at the sound. Lucas, who had been in the middle of a card game, nearly jumped out of his seat.

Without a word, Alexander stood and walked out. Simon Graves, ever perceptive, immediately brought the car around.

Worried, Lucas followed.

To his surprise, he spotted Claire Dawson pulling over to the side of the road. And there was Evelyn, limping back alone.

It looked like things between Alexander and Evelyn had escalated. The tension was palpable.

Lucas stretched out lazily on the leather couch, amusement dancing in his eyes as he taunted Alexander. "Married barely a month and already fighting like cats and dogs? Pathetic."

Alexander shot him a glacial look that could freeze hell over. "At least I'm not the one refusing to sign divorce papers like some lovesick puppy." His voice dripped with contempt. "Claire changed the locks weeks ago. Have some dignity and put your signature on those documents."

The barb hit its mark. Lucas's smirk faltered, realizing he'd picked a fight with the wrong man. When it came to verbal sparring, Alexander always had the last word - sharp as a razor and twice as cutting.

Back at Willowbrook Apartments, Evelyn stood under the scalding shower until her skin turned pink, washing away the storm and her ruined clothes. But as midnight crept in, the room began spinning violently.

Her fingers trembled against her forehead. Burning up. She burrowed deeper into the duvet, hoping sweat would break the fever's grip. Instead, the heat intensified until her bones ached.

Dawn came too soon. Evelyn woke to limbs heavier than lead, her throat raw as sandpaper. Every movement sent fresh waves of nausea rolling through her. She needed... something. Medicine. Water. Help.

But the apartment echoed with emptiness. Just like her marriage.

The morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, but Evelyn Carter barely noticed. Her head throbbed, her body ached, and her throat burned. She should have stayed home.

But the Horizon Enterprises project deadline loomed. Any delay now could derail months of work.

Gritting her teeth, she called a cab.

The Titan Capital Group lobby buzzed with employees waiting for elevators. Chatter filled the air—office gossip, weekend plans, complaints about Monday mornings.

Evelyn moved toward the private elevator reserved for Alexander Whitmore’s office. No lines, no crowds.

Then the world tilted.

A sharp wave of dizziness hit her. Someone jostled past, their shoulder clipping hers. Her knees buckled.

She reached blindly for the wall—

A strong hand caught hers.

Alexander.

Before she could react, he pulled her back. She stumbled against his chest, the scent of his cologne enveloping her.

Silence fell across the lobby. Every eye locked on them.

Evelyn’s breath hitched. His grip tightened.

"You're burning up," he murmured, his voice low.

She swallowed. "I'm fine."

His jaw tensed. "Liar."

The elevator doors slid open. Without another word, he steered her inside, leaving the stunned crowd behind.

The doors closed.

Alone with him, Evelyn swayed.

Alexander caught her waist. "You're not going to your desk."

She opened her mouth to argue—

Then darkness swallowed her.

Silence fell over the crowd.

When they realized it was Alexander who had caught Evelyn, their jaws dropped in disbelief.

Everyone knew he was famously cold toward women.

Whispers claimed he hadn’t dated anyone in years.

Yet here he was, holding a woman in his arms—right in the middle of the office.

All eyes strained to see which lucky employee had earned his attention.

Evelyn hadn’t bothered with makeup today. Her cheeks were flushed, her breathing shallow.

She barely managed to crack her eyes open, her body limp against Alexander’s chest.

She looked fragile—like she might collapse at any second.

“You’re burning up.”

Alexander’s frown deepened. Even through layers of fabric, he could feel the heat radiating off her skin.

She hadn’t expected him to be the one to catch her.

A slow, feverish thought formed in her hazy mind.

This… could work to her advantage.