Chapter 405

Their gazes locked, and Evelyn recoiled in surprise.

Ethan gripped her wrist, his expression torn between irritation and affection.

"Evelyn, why must you always defy me?"

She scowled but refused to back down.

Wrenching her hand free, she spun on her heel, determined not to let him witness her unease.

But Ethan wasn’t done. He hauled her back, crushing her against his chest.

"Did you honestly believe you could slip into my room, steal my phone, and vanish without a word?"

She tried to push away, but his arms only tightened.

Living under the same roof had eroded every boundary between them. He was growing far too accustomed to this intimacy, and she knew she needed to escape—fast.

The more time they spent together, the harder it became to ignore the danger of his wandering hands.

With a sharp shove, she broke free. "Open your eyes! The truth is right in front of you—what more is there to say?"

"Do you really think I'd let you go that easily?" His voice carried a playful edge, but beneath it lay something far more serious.

"It's just a device. If you want it returned, all you had to do was ask."

With a careless flick of his wrist, Ethan reached into the nightstand and tossed her the phone.

Evelyn's breath caught as she recognized it instantly, hope flaring bright before doubt could smother it.

But the moment she unlocked the screen, her brief elation shattered.

No SIM card. No Wi-Fi access in this gilded prison.

"Ethan, this isn't funny."

Fury burned through her veins, her fingers tightening around the useless device. What good was a phone without connection? Another one of his twisted games.

The bastard actually laughed, his amusement growing at her visible frustration. He much preferred this fiery version of her to the hollow pleasantries she'd been offering lately.

"Relax and get some sleep. Tomorrow we're attending the symphony. Unless you'd prefer I carry you to your room right now?"

Evelyn recoiled as if scalded, her cheeks flushing with indignation.

Without dignifying him with a response, she spun on her heel and marched out, slamming the door hard enough to rattle the framed portraits in the hallway.

The concert was scheduled for seven, but Ethan arrived with the evening gown at four.

Evelyn studied the dress. The mermaid silhouette clung tightly, making any quick movements impossible.

Attending the concert was merely an excuse. Her real objective was to slip away unnoticed.

To avoid suspicion, she dug through her wardrobe and selected a simpler, more comfortable dress instead.

When she stepped out, Ethan’s expression darkened at the sight of her in anything other than his chosen gown. "You don’t like what I picked for you?"

"It’s fine," she replied, her voice deliberately detached.

A flash of annoyance crossed his face as he snatched up his phone and dialed Nathan. "Terminate the designer."

Evelyn could only stare in disbelief.

"Should we eat before the concert, or would you prefer afterward?" he asked, smoothly changing the subject.

"Any interesting new places?"

"There’s one that just opened. Decent reviews."

"After, then. I could use a proper meal."

Ethan nodded, his expression one of approval as he surveyed the meticulously laid-out plans before him.

Across the table, Evelyn kept her face carefully neutral, though triumph flickered in her chest.

This dinner invitation was exactly what she needed.

Being out in public with Ethan meant surveillance would loosen, if only slightly. It was the perfect opportunity to gather information, to test the boundaries of her invisible cage.

Her fingers curled around her glass of water, the condensation cool against her skin.

One step closer to freedom.

She just had to play her part a little longer.