Chapter 243

The office hummed with whispered excitement as Natalie leaned in closer, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "So tell us, Evelyn," she purred, "was Mr. Whitmore as incredible in bed as he looks? Ten years of military training must have given him quite the stamina."

Cassandra gasped dramatically before bursting into giggles, clutching Natalie's arm. "Oh my God, I knew it!"

Evelyn pressed her lips together, heat creeping up her neck.

Across the room, Daniel took a slow sip of his coffee. The conversation was veering into dangerous territory. Clearing his throat, he stood abruptly. "I think I'll... give you ladies some privacy."

The moment the door clicked shut, Natalie pounced. "That bite mark on his throat—that was you, wasn't it?" She fanned herself. "Damn, girl, you marked him?"

Evelyn's fingers twitched toward her collar. She hadn't realized the evidence of last night's... enthusiasm was so visible.

Only Victoria remained silent, her manicured nails tapping against her desk. She hadn't forgiven Evelyn for outshining her since joining Titan Capital. The memory of her sneering "Community college, really?" still stung.

Now, watching the others fawn, Victoria's smile was razor-thin.

Evelyn Carter had now become the lady of Titan Capital Group.

Victoria Sloan could hardly believe her eyes.

"Did Evelyn actually win Alexander Whitmore's heart?

What could possibly make a man like him fall for her?

Or is there more to her than meets the eye?"

The truth revealed itself soon enough.

That afternoon, a courier arrived with an unexpected delivery—a property deed.

It was hand-delivered by the chairman's assistant from Horizon Enterprises, who addressed Evelyn with utmost respect as "Lady Carter."

The office buzzed with the revelation.

Evelyn wasn't just an ordinary employee anymore.

She was a Hart heiress, a fact that sent shockwaves through Titan Capital.

By sunset, whispers of Evelyn being Alexander's wife had spread like wildfire.

Just yesterday, she had been an unremarkable assistant in the executive office.

Now, even a simple trip to the restroom drew attention.

"Mrs. Whitmore," a colleague asked hesitantly near the sinks, "would you like me to fetch you some hand towels?"

The marble counters reflected Evelyn's faint smile as she declined politely.

Every interaction now carried weight she hadn't anticipated.

Across the glass partitions, Victoria watched the exchange with narrowed eyes.

Her manicured fingers tightened around her coffee cup.

The game had changed, and she needed to understand the new rules.

Meanwhile, Evelyn's phone buzzed with Alexander's distinctive ringtone.

The screen flashed with a preview of his message:

"Dinner at eight. Wear the emerald necklace."

Her reflection in the darkening office windows showed the subtle transformation.

No longer invisible.

No longer just Evelyn.

Now, she was Alexander Whitmore's wife.

This situation left Evelyn deeply unsettled.

She never expected Alexander to send his assistant to deliver the deed.

When she checked, she discovered the transfer had already been finalized—no signatures required, no paperwork left undone. The Hawthorne Estate now belonged solely to her.

Evelyn could practically hear Vanessa’s furious muttering from miles away.

But even if Vanessa seethed with resentment, there was nothing she could do.

The Hayes family legacy had never been hers to claim in the first place. Evelyn was simply reclaiming what was rightfully hers.

At the end of the workday, Evelyn deliberately waited until the office emptied before leaving.

The moment she stepped into Titan Capital Group’s lobby, the receptionist called out to her.

"Ms. Carter? Someone’s here to see you."

"Me? Who?"

"She’s waiting in the stairwell."

Evelyn walked over and found Vanessa standing there, her eyes red and puffy from crying.

"Evelyn," Vanessa spat, voice trembling. "Are you happy now? Watching me become nothing?"

"We were sisters for over a decade. Is this how you repay me?"

Vanessa's voice trembled with barely contained fury as she stood in Evelyn's office, her manicured nails digging into her palms. The scent of expensive perfume mixed with the sharp tang of betrayal in the air.

Evelyn remained composed, her gaze steady. She had anticipated this confrontation ever since the property transfer documents were signed.

What she hadn't expected was Vanessa's audacity to storm into Titan Capital Group during business hours.

"Grandfather William made his wishes clear before he passed," Evelyn said coolly, leaning back in her leather chair. "Hawthorne Estate was to be divided equally between Oliver and me. You were never part of that equation."

She watched as Vanessa's carefully constructed mask cracked, revealing the raw hurt beneath. "You lived there out of courtesy, Vanessa. Not because it was ever yours."

Vanessa's crimson lips twisted. "You think this is about the house?"

Her hands slammed onto the polished mahogany desk, sending a paperweight skittering. "Ethan hasn't come home in four days! Not since you transferred those shares!"

The unspoken accusation hung between them like a guillotine blade.

Evelyn's fingers stilled on the contract she'd been reviewing. So that was the real issue. Not the property. Not the inheritance.

Him.

Always him.

Vanessa's chest heaved, her designer blouse straining with each ragged breath. "He won't answer my calls. Won't respond to texts. It's like I never existed!"

The office windows reflected the storm brewing in Vanessa's kohl-rimmed eyes - the same tempest that had destroyed their sisterhood years ago.

Evelyn exhaled slowly, pushing the legal documents aside. "Then perhaps," she said with deliberate calm, "you should ask yourself why the man you stole from me can't stand to be in the same room with you."

The words landed like a slap.

Vanessa recoiled, her perfectly highlighted hair catching the afternoon light as she stumbled back. For the first time since bursting in, she looked less like the victorious other woman and more like the insecure girl Evelyn remembered.

Somewhere in the building, an elevator dinged.

Footsteps approached down the marble corridor.

Evelyn didn't need to look at her Rolex to know who would be walking through that door. The universe had impeccable timing when it came to twisting the knife.

Vanessa must have sensed it too. Her head whipped toward the entrance, hope and dread warring in her expression.

The door handle turned.