Chapter 315

The phone shattered against the hardwood floor with a deafening crack.

Damian wasn't satisfied.

He brought his boot down on the broken device again and again, grinding the pieces beneath his heel until nothing remained but twisted metal and splintered glass.

A dark chuckle escaped him as he turned his predatory gaze toward Evelyn.

"Evelyn," he drawled, voice dripping with mock sweetness. "Meeting your own brother and still acting like I'm some kind of threat? That's cold."

Evelyn's expression hardened into ice.

"Damian," she said, voice low and dangerous. "Last chance. Who paid you? What was the deal?" Her fingers curled into fists at her sides. "Don't make me do something we'll both regret."

Damian only smirked, unfazed.

"You think I'm scared of you?" He took a step closer, eyes glinting with malice. "Evelyn, you—"

The glass in Evelyn's hand smashed against his temple before he could finish.

Shards rained down as Damian staggered back, a dark fury twisting his features.

He lunged.

His fingers tangled in her hair, yanking hard as he snarled, "You think you can hit me and walk away? Who the hell do you think you are?"

Evelyn struggled, but Damian was stronger.

With a brutal shove, he slammed her down onto the sofa, his hand closing around her throat.

His grin was vicious.

"Now," he whispered. "Let's talk."

The shattered phone lay useless on the ground, its recording function destroyed.

Damian Cross smirked, his voice dripping with arrogance. "Vanessa called me last week. She wanted me to kidnap you—do unspeakable things to you—and film it all. Her plan? To humiliate you in front of your husband, make him leave you in disgust."

He leaned closer, his breath hot against Evelyn Carter's ear. "But we're family, aren't we? I couldn't bring myself to do it. So, dear sister… how will you repay my kindness?"

Evelyn gasped for air, her vision blurring as she fought against the suffocating grip around her throat.

Damian, too confident now, didn’t notice the flicker of defiance in her eyes.

She bit down hard on her lip.

The broken phone had been a decoy—a carefully placed trap to lure him into confessing.

Hidden in the shadows, Oliver Hayes adjusted the camera, capturing every damning word.

"You're scared, aren't you?" Evelyn choked out. "Scared of what Alexander will do when he finds out."

Damian scoffed. "What did Vanessa offer me? Money. Herself." His grin turned predatory. "Let me tell you, a spoiled heiress like her? Worth every second. That smooth skin, those delicate legs—"

Evelyn's stomach twisted. "You're lying."

Damian laughed. "Why would I lie?"

The air grew heavier.

Oliver's grip on the camera tightened.

The trap had been set.

And Damian had walked right into it.

The thought made Evelyn scoff. "With Vanessa's prideful nature, how could she ever stoop to being with someone like Damian? Besides, he's not her type at all. Vanessa has only ever had eyes for Ethan."

"I might be reckless, but I don’t lie!" Damian's pride bristled at Evelyn's skepticism. "I even have proof—a video! It's right here on my phone!"

Evelyn had only wanted to extract evidence from Damian to clear her name from three years ago. But now, he had dropped a bombshell.

He claimed to have footage, and Evelyn played along with disbelief. "Don’t try to fool me. You’ve always been full of empty boasts. Vanessa sleeping with you? That’s the most ridiculous lie yet."

Damian smirked and reached for his phone. As Evelyn shifted to rise from the couch, he swiftly pinned her back down.

"Listen, Evelyn," Damian said, his voice low and urgent. "I’m in deep trouble—debts piling up. But you? You’re the wealthy Mrs. Whitmore now. Help me out, and I’ll send you the video immediately. Just 20 million. Once you have it, blur my face and leak it. That’ll be enough to destroy Vanessa and give you the revenge you’ve been waiting for."

No one knew better than Damian just how innocent Evelyn had truly been back then.

Secret Longing: Finding Love After Betrayal (Evelyn) novel