Chapter 165

Alexander's thoughts darkened as he stared at his phone.

"At least Lucas can't track down Claire since she's deliberately hiding from him after their divorce. But what about me?"

His fingers tightened around the device.

"Evelyn and I were perfect—no, better than perfect. Three nights ago, we were tangled in silk sheets, lost in each other. Every touch, every whisper, every gasp was electric."

He could still feel the warmth of her skin beneath his palms.

"I held her close, murmuring her name as she arched against me, breathless and wanting. We didn’t just make love—we burned together."

His jaw clenched.

"Then she vanished. Three days. No calls. No texts. Just silence."

The bitter taste of rejection coated his tongue.

"Was I just a distraction? Something to use and discard?"

The phone vibrated in Evelyn's hand, casting a pale glow across the darkened bedroom.

She glanced at Claire, asleep beside her, before slipping onto the balcony. The night air was cool against her skin.

For three days, she hadn’t left Claire’s side.

There were reasons she hadn’t contacted Alexander.

First—he and Lucas were close. One careless word, and Lucas might storm into Claire’s sanctuary, demanding answers she wasn’t ready to give.

Second—

Her thumb hovered over the screen.

She wasn’t sure what to say.

The intensity of that night still lingered in Evelyn's mind, making her pulse quicken just thinking about it. Their passion had been overwhelming, and she needed space to sort through the whirlwind of emotions.

"I... um, can I come home tomorrow?" Evelyn murmured into the phone, her fingers twisting the edge of her sweater.

On the other end, Alexander exhaled softly, the sound sending a shiver down her spine.

Tomorrow meant an entire day apart—hours of meetings, decisions, and forced patience before he could see her again.

After a pause, Evelyn bit her lip, then smiled. "Actually, I was thinking of returning to work at Titan Capital Group tomorrow."

A low chuckle vibrated through the line. "Okay."

Realizing how late it was, Evelyn lowered her voice. "Well, goodnight."

"See you tomorrow," Alexander replied, his tone warm with promise.

The next morning, the moment Evelyn stepped into the office, Natalie Brooks dragged her into a secluded corner, her eyes wide with exaggerated distress.

"You have no idea what it's been like," Natalie hissed. "With you gone these past few days, Mr. Caldwell has been unbearable. The entire floor has been walking on eggshells."

Evelyn frowned, heading to the pantry to rinse out a mug. "What happened?"

Natalie shuddered. "He's always intense, but this week? It's like he's been possessed by some kind of corporate demon. Even the coffee machine seems afraid of him."

Evelyn hid a smile behind her cup.

If only Natalie knew the real reason behind Alexander's mood.

"Mr. Whitmore has been in a terrible mood lately—half the board got chewed out in yesterday's meeting."

Though the Whitmore family knew about their marriage, Titan Capital remained oblivious.

Evelyn had never planned to reveal it. From the beginning, she intended to keep their relationship strictly private.

Alexander Whitmore was the CEO of Titan Capital. She? Just a junior assistant in the finance department.

If word got out, the office gossip would be unbearable. The whispers, the judgmental stares—she couldn’t handle that.

Natalie leaned closer, voice hushed. "Just giving you a heads-up. Stay clear of Mr. Whitmore’s office this week. He’s not in the mood for distractions."

To their coworkers, Evelyn was still the girl foolishly chasing after the unattainable CEO. Approaching him now would only confirm their suspicions.

Natalie meant well.

Then Victoria’s sharp voice cut through the air behind them.

"Evelyn Carter, what’s your secret? Barely a month here, and you’ve already taken more days off than some do in a year." Her laugh was cold. "Do you think this is your family business?"

Evelyn turned slowly, meeting Victoria’s mocking gaze.

Evelyn stayed quiet, the weight of her frequent absences pressing down on her. She knew it had been too much.

Victoria Sloan smirked, crossing her arms. "I heard Mr. Whitmore is married. Evelyn, you’re not still clinging to some fantasy of becoming Mrs. Whitmore, are you?" She tilted her head, her voice dripping with mock concern. "Some women these days think they can just skip the hard work and land a rich husband. Pathetic, really."

Cassandra Reed, ever the office gossip, gasped dramatically. "Ms. Sloan, Mr. Whitmore is married? Who told you that? I haven’t heard a thing!"

Evelyn clenched her fists under the table, her nails digging into her palms. The whispers around her grew louder, each word a tiny dagger.

Victoria leaned in, her voice low but sharp enough to cut. "Oh, it’s common knowledge among the right circles. But then again, not everyone moves in those circles, do they?"

The room buzzed with speculation. Evelyn could feel their eyes on her, judging, dissecting.

She exhaled slowly, forcing her expression to remain neutral. But inside, the storm raged.