Chapter 17

Evelyn’s fingers curled into the sheets, her gaze dropping. "I won’t."

Once, Ethan had been her lifeline—the one who pulled her from the darkness when she had no one else.

That memory alone had kept her tethered to him all these years.

No matter how many times he betrayed her, the image of him tossing her that scarf outside the bathroom, his expression unreadable but his hands steady, had always softened her anger.

She had made excuses for him, blinded by the past, forgetting that people weren’t static. That light could fade, or worse—shift to someone else entirely.

Claire exhaled, tension leaving her shoulders. "Thank God. You were obsessed with him before."

Her fingers brushed the scar on Evelyn’s ankle, guilt lacing her voice. "I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you when it happened."

Evelyn shook her head.

Back then, the Dawson family had been in shambles, and Claire had been recovering from a fractured leg after a stage accident.

She’d had her own battles. Evelyn understood.

They were so deep in conversation that neither noticed Simon slipping into the room unnoticed.

The door clicked shut behind Simon as he stepped out into the hallway.

His footsteps echoed through the empty corridor as he made his way to the parking lot, where Alexander Whitmore sat in the sleek black car, a cigarette dangling between his fingers.

Simon approached cautiously, noting the way smoke curled lazily from Alexander’s hand.

“Well?” Alexander arched a brow, his voice low and measured.

Simon exhaled. “Ms. Carter was… taken aback. She didn’t seem ready for a sudden proposal.”

A faint smirk tugged at Alexander’s lips as he stretched his legs, leaning back against the leather seat. “I expected as much.”

He knew Evelyn well enough to understand she wouldn’t agree to something so impulsive without a compelling reason.

The thought darkened his expression, his grip tightening slightly on the cigarette.

Simon slid into the driver’s seat, hesitating before speaking again. “Sir… perhaps you should just tell her the truth.”

Alexander tilted his head, his sharp gaze prompting Simon to continue.

“Tell her you’re Ethan Caldwell’s uncle. If she marries you, she’ll have power in Cresthaven.”

Simon swallowed before finishing. “Ethan would have no choice but to respect her. And she’d be protected from—”

Alexander cut him off with a sharp exhale, flicking ash out the window.

The silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken words.

Simon gripped the steering wheel, waiting.

Finally, Alexander spoke, his voice dangerously quiet.

“She deserves more than just protection.”

His fingers crushed the cigarette, extinguishing it with a single motion.

“She deserves the truth.”

Simon nodded slowly, understanding dawning in his eyes.

Alexander’s gaze hardened as he stared out the window, the city lights of Cresthaven flickering in the distance.

“And she’ll get it.”

His voice was a vow.

A promise.

One that would change everything.

The offer was dangerously alluring. If I were in her position, I might have been tempted.

Simon grew increasingly animated as he spoke, his words nearly slipping beyond what was appropriate.

He caught himself abruptly, pressing his fingers to his lips as if to stop the flow of words.

Alexander smirked faintly. "An intriguing suggestion."

Simon grinned, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

But Alexander's expression shifted, his voice turning sharp. "You don’t truly know her."

Simon frowned, confused. "What do you mean?"

Evelyn had endured years of suffocating control from her family. Revealing Alexander’s true identity now might send her running—and he couldn’t risk that.

Alexander flicked open his lighter, the flame casting shadows across his face as thin tendrils of smoke curled upward, obscuring his thoughts.

At eight o'clock sharp, a sleek black car pulled up outside an exclusive members-only club.

Vanessa stepped out first, her fingers twisting nervously in front of her.

Ethan followed, his expression unreadable as he adjusted his cufflinks.

Vanessa's breath hitched. "Do you really think this will work?"

Ethan shot her a cool glance. "It has to."

Her nails dug into her palms. "But what if she refuses?"

A slow, calculating smile curved Ethan's lips. "Then we make sure she doesn’t have a choice."

Inside the club, the air hummed with low conversations and clinking glasses.

Alexander leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on the entrance.

Simon cleared his throat. "Should we intervene?"

Alexander exhaled a slow stream of smoke. "Not yet."

His phone buzzed—a message from Evelyn.

"Running late. Be there soon."

His thumb hovered over the screen before typing a single word.

"Waiting."

Vanessa's voice carried from across the room, sharp with forced laughter.

Ethan's hand settled on her lower back, a possessive gesture that made her stiffen.

Alexander's jaw tightened.

Simon leaned in. "They’re making their move."

Alexander crushed his cigarette into the ashtray. "Let them try."

Outside, Evelyn’s car pulled up to the curb.

She hesitated before stepping out, smoothing her dress with unsteady hands.

The game was about to begin.

And Alexander would ensure no one laid a finger on her.

Despite their relationship being kept discreet, the scandal from last night’s gala had thrust Vanessa into the center of attention.

Her stomach twisted with unease.

What if Alexander had summoned her to force her and Ethan apart?

She was nothing but a fraud—a girl with a fabricated pedigree and a past shrouded in shadows. How could she ever measure up to the standards of the illustrious Whitmore family?

Alexander Whitmore was a man of formidable reputation.

A decade in law enforcement had honed his ruthlessness before he took the reins of Titan Capital Group, eliminating rivals and consolidating power with an iron grip.

A man like that didn’t rise to such heights without being merciless.

The Caldwells were an old-money dynasty that prized their pristine image above all else.

If Alexander deemed her a liability, even Ethan wouldn’t dare defy him.

Vanessa’s pulse quickened with every passing second.

She clutched Ethan’s sleeve, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Ethan… what if your uncle tries to separate us?"

Ethan’s fingers brushed against her cheek, his voice a soothing murmur. "Don’t worry, love. He won’t."

But the doubt lingered in her chest like a storm.

Ethan's chest tightened as he saw the fear in Vanessa's eyes.

"Don't worry," he murmured, brushing his thumb over her knuckles. "I'm not going anywhere."

Her lashes fluttered, uncertainty flickering in her gaze. "Really?"

The raw vulnerability in her voice made his pulse stutter.

He squeezed her hand gently, lowering his voice. "Just agree with whatever my uncle says for now. Once he calms down, we'll figure this out."

Last night's disaster had spiraled far beyond what Ethan expected.

He had assumed Alexander would summon them for a sharp reprimand—maybe a heated lecture at worst.

Vanessa gave a stiff nod, though tension still lined her shoulders.

Then it struck him.

"Has Evelyn come back yet?"

In the past, Evelyn would have stormed into his penthouse within hours, demanding reconciliation.

But twenty-four hours had passed.

This time, she was holding her ground—uncharacteristically stubborn.

Vanessa's jaw tightened at the mention of Evelyn. Displeasure flashed across her face before she schooled her expression.

"She hasn't returned."

Her lips pressed into a thin line as she met Ethan's gaze. "Maybe she's still angry with me. Once this settles, I'll go talk to her."

The unspoken tension between them thickened.

Ethan exhaled slowly.

This wasn't just about Evelyn's absence.

It was about the fractures deepening between them all.

The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife.

"You're actually going to fetch her?" Ethan scoffed, his voice dripping with disdain.

Vanessa hid a smirk as she leaned closer, her fingers tracing idle patterns on his arm. "Let her stay away if she wants," she murmured, her voice laced with false sympathy. "It's not like she's contributing anything meaningful anyway."

Ethan let out a derisive snort. "Evelyn's always been too stubborn for her own good. When she finally comes crawling back, don't expect me to go easy on her."

Vanessa's lips curled into a satisfied smile, her eyes gleaming with triumph. "She's overestimating her importance," she said sweetly. "As if she has any real leverage in this situation."

Ethan crossed his arms, his expression darkening. "Let her play her little games. She’s the one who can’t walk away, not me. Evelyn always did think too highly of herself."

He was certain—absolutely certain—that by nightfall, she’d be back, begging for his forgiveness.

The thought alone made his lips twist into a cold, humorless smile.

Vanessa nestled against him, her voice a soft purr. "Just remember, when she does come back… don’t be too harsh."

Ethan barely spared her a glance. "We’ll see."

His phone buzzed in his pocket, but he ignored it.

Evelyn Carter had no idea what she was up against.

And he was going to make sure she learned the hard way.