Chapter 353

Vanessa was certain Evelyn would endure far worse suffering than she currently faced. She could almost see Evelyn trapped between Alexander and Ethan, mercilessly scorned by the Whitmore family.

A wicked idea sparked in her mind, twisting her lips into a smirk. She let out a sharp cry, deliberately loud enough to draw attention.

The garden staff rushed over in alarm. "Goodness! What happened? Why are you on the ground? Let me help you up!"

"I just slipped," Vanessa murmured, clutching the maid’s arm as she rose. The venom in her eyes melted into feigned distress. "I—I hope the baby is alright…"

The maid paled. She had been assigned by Eleanor Whitmore to watch over Vanessa, and she knew failure would cost her dearly.

Vanessa bit her lip. "Don’t tell Eleanor. Just go to the pharmacy and get me some prenatal supplements. Something mild."

"But I—I don’t know what those are…"

The maid fidgeted nervously. She wasn’t well-educated, barely able to read labels. But her diligence had earned her this position, and now she was terrified of making a mistake.

Vanessa exhaled sharply. "Then find someone who does. Quickly."

Her fingers curled into her palm. If this worked, Evelyn’s downfall would be inevitable.

Her left hand moved quickly across the paper, crafting the message with deliberate care.

She altered her usual handwriting style, making it unrecognizable. "Take these - they're the medications Dr. Wells prescribed during my hospital stay."

Eleanor eagerly nodded, tucking the folded note into her dress pocket before rushing out the door.

Evelyn awoke to an empty bedroom.

The memory of Alexander carrying her through Whitmore Manor in full view of the Caldwell family made her cheeks burn with humiliation.

"How will I ever look them in the eye again?" she wondered.

Alexander had been particularly... enthusiastic after lunch, his mood elevated by one too many glasses of wine.

Despite seeing her exhaustion, he'd pressed her into the mattress, covering every inch of her skin with heated kisses.

His morning shave had already given way to rough stubble that scraped deliciously against her sensitive flesh.

Worse still were his skilled hands kneading the tension from her lower back, coaxing her body to surrender completely.

When pleasure finally overtook her, Evelyn couldn't suppress the breathy cry that escaped her lips - a sound that now filled her with acute embarrassment.

The sheets still carried his masculine scent mixed with their shared passion.

She buried her face in the pillows, torn between lingering satisfaction and mortification.

Somewhere in the mansion, she could hear the distant murmur of voices - no doubt discussing the spectacle they'd witnessed earlier.

Evelyn sat up abruptly, wincing at the pleasant ache between her thighs.

She needed to regain some dignity before facing anyone.

A hot shower first. Then perhaps she'd...

Her thoughts scattered as the bedroom door creaked open.

Alexander stood framed in the doorway, his disheveled appearance suggesting he'd just come from his study.

Those stormy gray eyes darkened when they landed on her tousled state.

"Running away already, Mrs. Whitmore?"

The deep rumble of his voice sent fresh shivers down her spine.

Evelyn swallowed hard.

This man would be the death of her.

Whitmore Manor was nothing like their cozy little home. The grand estate buzzed with activity, and today, it was especially crowded.

Broad daylight made everything riskier.

Even though they had their own private wing, there was no guarantee someone wouldn’t wander through the gardens, bored enough to eavesdrop.

Evelyn whispered desperate pleas into Alexander’s ear, but he only chuckled, unfazed.

"The elders might suspect, but they’d never speak of it. The younger ones will just assume we’re… affectionate," Alexander murmured, his voice dripping with arrogant amusement.

She had never seen him so shameless.

Yet there he was, teasing her with slow, deliberate nips at her earlobe, unraveling her resistance until she was pliant in his arms.

Afterward, Evelyn noticed with faint irritation that Alexander’s shirt remained perfectly buttoned, not a single crease out of place.

What a devil in a tailored suit.

In retaliation, she slid her fingers beneath his crisp white collar, tracing the hard lines of his abdomen with deliberate slowness.

But Alexander wasn’t one to let a challenge go unanswered. What should have been a peaceful nap turned into another heated battle of wills—one that left Evelyn breathless and boneless against the sheets.

By the time he was done, her body ached deliciously, every muscle lax with exhaustion. She barely had the strength to curl into the pillows before sleep claimed her.

When Evelyn finally stirred awake, two precious hours had vanished, and Alexander's presence was conspicuously absent.

She blinked at the clock, shocked at how deeply she'd slept.

Her phone screen illuminated with a message from Alexander timestamped twenty minutes prior: [Hydration and soothing lozenges await on your bedside. Should your throat protest, indulge in both.]

Evelyn buried her flaming cheeks in her palms, the memory of earlier intimacies making her wish she could disappear into the Egyptian cotton sheets.

The glass of water proved perfectly tepid as she sipped, fingers flying across her screen: [Your current coordinates?]

[Horizon Enterprises headquarters. Transatlantic negotiations. Expect my return shortly. Remain at Whitmore Manor - consider it an order.]

Her lips curved involuntarily.

Rising, she let the shower's steam cleanse both body and lingering embarrassment. Fresh cashmere hugged her curves as twilight painted the windows charcoal.

A sudden concern pierced her contentment. "Claire's situation... Has Lucas made contact yet?"

The phone rang three times before Julian's smoky baritone answered.

"Where's Claire?" Evelyn's grip tightened on the device. Julian's continued interference was becoming... problematic.

The tension in the air was palpable.

Evelyn had been staying at Willowbrook Apartments with Claire Dawson lately, and the thought of Lucas Bennett showing up unexpectedly made her stomach twist.

One wrong move, and everything could spiral out of control.

Julian Mercer’s voice was barely above a whisper as his gaze swept the room. “She’s crying.”

Evelyn’s breath hitched.

Margaret Hayes’s eyes widened with worry. “Did Lucas say something to upset her?”

The silence that followed was heavy, thick with unspoken fears.

Evelyn clenched her fists, her mind racing.

If Lucas walked through that door now, she wasn’t sure she could keep her composure.

The last thing she needed was another confrontation.

Not when she was already barely holding herself together.

Julian exhaled softly, his expression unreadable.

Evelyn swallowed hard.

She needed a plan.

Fast.

Before everything fell apart.