Chapter 469

Vanessa frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Have you heard? The Powell family's troublemaker is back. Why do you think he's making such a spectacle with this auction?"

Vanessa froze for a moment, a sudden unease creeping into her expression.

"How did that menace resurface? What terrible timing. I think I'll skip today's plans," she muttered.

Auction?

Evelyn's thoughts immediately snapped to the auction Alexander had mentioned the night before. Was this connected?

Ethan's voice was quiet but deliberate. "At a Powell auction, the only person who could possibly keep things under control for them is Uncle Alexander."

Evelyn finally turned to study Ethan, sensing something layered beneath his words.

What is he implying? Is this a warning?

After breakfast, Evelyn changed into a sleek business outfit, deciding to head to Titan Capital Group first to finalize her resignation paperwork.

Evelyn Carter couldn't shake the strange feeling creeping up on her.

She studied Natalie Brooks with growing suspicion.

When Natalie headed to the pantry to rinse her mug, Evelyn followed closely behind.

Natalie hesitated before speaking. "This morning, Mr. Whitmore brought a stunning woman into his office. They've been in there all morning—haven't come out once."

Evelyn blinked. "She must be a client."

Alexander Whitmore frequently met with female business associates. Back when Evelyn had worked in his office, she'd witnessed similar situations countless times.

It meant nothing. He was a CEO, after all. High-profile negotiations often took hours—sometimes entire days—to finalize.

Natalie bit her lip. "Honestly? I don’t think this is just business. Just… keep an eye out."

Alexander had never been one for scandals, which made today’s incident all the more unusual.

What unsettled Natalie most was how comfortable they seemed together. When she’d delivered files earlier, she’d caught Alexander—normally composed and unreadable—smiling at the woman like a lovestruck fool.

The woman.

Even after Evelyn had finished her documentation procedures, the door to Alexander's office remained closed.

Recalling Natalie's words, she hesitated briefly before deciding to investigate. Having come all this way to Titan Capital Group, she felt obligated to greet Alexander properly.

Her knuckles never touched the wood.

The door swung open before she could knock, revealing a disheveled woman with sleep-mussed hair and a faint crease marking her cheek. Dark circles shadowed her eyes, her entire posture radiating exhaustion as though freshly roused from slumber.

Alexander's office concealed a private sanctuary behind its polished doors—a compact resting area complete with washing facilities and a walk-in wardrobe, designed for his occasional overnight stays.

Evelyn knew it intimately. She'd napped there herself during late-night work sessions.

The implication struck like a physical blow.

That space was Alexander's personal retreat.

Her stomach twisted. "How could he let another woman sleep there? What exactly happened behind that closed door..."

She was the girl in the photograph Alexander had tucked away in his wallet.

The image captured her at sixteen or seventeen, cheeks still soft with youthful roundness.

It must have been taken years ago.

Now, that lingering baby fat had melted away, leaving behind delicate, refined features. Her face was untouched by makeup, radiating a natural purity.

Evelyn hadn’t encountered a woman who looked so effortlessly stunning in ages.

This was Isabella.

A heavy weight settled in Evelyn’s chest. This was Isabella—Alexander’s first love, the woman who had once held his heart.