Chapter 586

Dominic's lips curled into a sly smirk.

His fingers hovered over the phone screen as he captured the perfect shot - Alexander and Isabella sitting intimately close in the car. With a satisfied tap, he sent the photo to Evelyn's number.

The message remained unread. No blue ticks appeared. Dominic's brow furrowed as he dialed her number again.

"Out of service," the automated voice repeated.

Something wasn't right.

He turned to Nathaniel, his trusted assistant who stood nearby. "When does a phone show out of service?"

"Dead zone, perhaps?" Nathaniel suggested with a shrug.

Dominic's jaw tightened. "Impossible. This area has perfect coverage."

Meanwhile, Alexander grew increasingly restless as Evelyn failed to appear. His calls went straight to voicemail, each unanswered attempt tightening the knot in his stomach.

The arrival of a charter bus outside the concert hall drew everyone's attention. Passengers streamed out, led by a visibly smug Cassandra Brown.

"Someone's in a good mood," Miranda Price observed, nudging her friend.

Cassandra's smirk widened. "Just celebrating one less obstacle in my path."

"What obstacle?" Miranda pressed.

"Nothing worth mentioning," Cassandra dismissed with a haughty wave.

Isabella, familiar with most orchestra members, studied the newcomers with narrowed eyes. "Aren't these all first-chair cellists?" she murmured, resting her chin thoughtfully on her palm.