Chapter 314

The following morning, Evelyn's phone buzzed with an incoming call. After a brief conversation, she grabbed her purse and stepped outside. A sleek Lamborghini purred to a stop in front of her.

Oliver leaned over and tapped the passenger seat. "Get in. I'll take you."

The car was undeniably luxurious, and Evelyn couldn't help but run her fingers along the smooth exterior. "This is new."

Oliver smirked. "Alexander gave it to me. Didn’t he tell you?"

Evelyn blinked, momentarily speechless.

Oliver’s expression turned serious. "The hospital’s in an uproar. Did you hear? Ethan refuses to keep the baby and is forcing Vanessa to terminate the pregnancy. She was taken into surgery this morning. Mom and Dad rushed over as soon as they got the news."

Evelyn had assumed Ethan’s threats were just empty words, but he had actually gone through with it. It seemed his determination to divorce Vanessa was unshakable.

"Eleanor hid Vanessa away," Oliver added, shaking his head. "Even if the baby is born, it’ll never be accepted by its father. Just another pawn in Vanessa’s desperate game. What’s the point?"

This was exactly what Evelyn had predicted. After fighting so hard to marry Ethan, Vanessa wouldn’t surrender easily. The baby was her last hope to reclaim control.

Oliver stepped closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Mom begged me to relay this. She's desperate for you to unblock her number. She genuinely wants to make things right."

Evelyn arched a brow, crossing her arms. "That transfer from Richard yesterday—that was you pretending to be him, wasn't it?"

Oliver stiffened. He had been so careful. "How did you know?"

"Because Richard would never phrase anything like that," Evelyn said, her lips curling into a knowing smirk.

Oliver exhaled sharply. "It was his money, though. Dad's secret funds are practically drained at this point."

Evelyn shook her head. It wasn’t about the money. It never had been. What she wanted was real remorse from the Hayes family—something they still hadn’t shown.

The car slowed to a stop outside a gated estate.

Oliver turned to her. "I sent someone ahead at dawn. Damian was told there’s a lucrative deal waiting for him here. He should be arriving any second."

Evelyn stepped out, smoothing her jacket. "Good."

The estate had once been Oliver’s private rehearsal space during his band days. The Hayes family owned countless properties, but this one had always been his favorite—secluded, elegant, and perfect for what they needed today.

The air was thick with tension as Evelyn strode toward the entrance, her heels clicking against the stone path.

Oliver followed, his voice low. "You sure about this?"

Evelyn didn’t hesitate. "Absolutely."

A black sedan pulled into the driveway just then, its engine purring to a stop.

Right on time.

Evelyn’s fingers tightened around her phone.

Damian Cross was here.

The safe house was one of Alexander's lesser-known properties, vacant since Oliver had moved overseas. It had been freshly cleaned at Oliver's request, leaving it in pristine condition.

They'd just stepped inside when the growl of an engine cut off outside. Evelyn and Oliver exchanged knowing glances. With a quick gesture, she signaled for him to hide.

As Oliver slipped out of sight, the door creaked open. A man in his early thirties sauntered in, clad in a loud floral shirt that clashed with his rough demeanor.

Damian froze mid-step at the sight of Evelyn. His brows shot up in surprise.

Evelyn smirked, tilting her head. "Damian, that look on your face—didn’t think you’d see me here?"

Damian was her foster brother, a decade older, with a history of bad choices. Gambling debts in his youth had led him straight into gang life, where he’d stayed ever since.

He stepped inside, schooling his expression into something neutral. "Evelyn. What do you want?"

She settled onto the sofa, crossing her legs. "You must’ve heard I married Alexander Whitmore. Funny thing—I also heard you’ve been telling people you slept with me." She leaned forward, eyes glinting. "Alexander isn’t happy about that. He’d like a word."

Damian had just lifted a glass of water to his lips when her words hit him. His hand jerked, water sloshing over his shirt.

Damian knew exactly who Alexander was. His denial came swift and sharp. "When did I ever sleep with you? Evelyn, you're fabricating lies!"

"If we never slept together, then why spread such vile rumors?" Evelyn slammed her phone face down on the table, her gaze turning icy. "Damian, who paid you to tarnish my name?"

His eyes flickered nervously before landing on her phone. A smirk twisted his lips as realization dawned. "Evelyn... you're recording this, aren't you?"

In one swift motion, he snatched the phone from the table, triumph flashing in his eyes. He looked like a man who had anticipated this very moment.

The air between them crackled with tension.

Evelyn didn’t flinch. Instead, she leaned forward, her voice low and dangerous. "You think that’s all I have?"

Damian’s smirk faltered.

She reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a second phone—this one still recording. His face paled.

"Game over," she whispered.

Secret Longing: A Second Chance After the Storm (Evelyn) novel