Chapter 73

Evelyn couldn't help but notice his elegant hands as they rested on the table. The way his fingers tapped lightly against the polished wood surface caught her attention.

"Those look like a musician's hands," she mused silently.

When Ryan Fletcher's gaze landed on Evelyn, his eyes widened slightly in recognition. "You're early," he remarked, his voice laced with surprise.

Evelyn averted her eyes, maintaining her composure. "Wrong room. I'll just stay for a few minutes before I go."

A knowing smile played on Ryan's lips. He recognized her excuse for what it was but chose not to challenge it.

Taking the seat opposite her, he extended his hand in greeting. "Evelyn Carter, I presume? Ryan Fletcher. Your arranged date for this evening."

Evelyn arched an eyebrow, her eyes flickering to his outstretched hand before deliberately ignoring it. "Do we know each other?"

Ryan remained unfazed by her coldness.

Reaching for the crystal decanter, he poured two glasses of rich burgundy wine. He slid one gracefully toward Evelyn, the deep red liquid catching the candlelight.

The silence between them grew heavy as Evelyn made no move to accept the drink. Ryan studied her carefully, noting the tension in her shoulders and the way her fingers clenched around her clutch.

"Not a fan of merlot?" he asked lightly, swirling his own glass.

Evelyn finally met his gaze. "Not a fan of being set up," she countered.

Ryan chuckled, the sound warm and unoffended. "Fair enough. Though I must say, this is the most interesting blind date I've ever had."

Evelyn's lips twitched despite herself. There was something undeniably charming about his persistence. Still, she remained guarded, her walls firmly in place.

The soft jazz music from the restaurant's speakers filled the space between them as they sized each other up. Ryan's confident demeanor never wavered, while Evelyn's skepticism remained evident in her stiff posture.

"Tell me, Evelyn," Ryan began, leaning forward slightly. "What would make this evening more bearable for you?"

Evelyn considered the question, her fingers tracing the stem of her untouched wine glass. "Honesty would be a start," she said finally. "Why are you really here?"

Ryan's smile turned rueful. "Because my aunt is very persuasive when she wants to be. And because," he added with a meaningful look, "I was curious about the woman who turned down my cousin."

Evelyn's breath caught at the mention of Alexander. So this was another Whitmore family test. Her expression hardened instantly.

"I see," she said coldly. "Well, you can tell your family their little investigation is over. I'm not interested in playing their games."

She stood abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor. Ryan rose as well, his expression turning serious.

"Evelyn, wait—"

But she was already striding toward the exit, leaving Ryan standing alone with two full glasses of untouched wine and a growing realization that this match was doomed from the start.

The golden afternoon light streamed through the windows of Eclipse Lounge as Ryan Fletcher leaned back in his chair, studying Evelyn Carter with amused curiosity.

"Your recent... adventures have made quite the splash in Cresthaven," he remarked, swirling his whiskey. "Did you really think I wouldn't recognize you?"

Evelyn didn’t reach for the wine glass he had poured for her. Instead, she tilted her head slightly, her expression cool. "And yet, here you are, sitting across from me on a blind date arranged by my mother."

Ryan chuckled, setting the glass down in front of her. "Call it professional curiosity. I wanted to meet the woman who sent Ethan Caldwell to the hospital."

Her fingers tapped lightly against the table. "Do you have a problem with Ethan?"

"Let’s just say we have history."

"What kind of history?"

Ryan smirked. "When we were five, he wet the bed and blamed it on me."

Evelyn blinked.

Then it clicked.

Ethan’s aunt had married into the Fletcher family. That made Ryan his cousin.

Margaret Hayes had truly outdone herself this time.

She had set her up on a blind date with Ethan’s own relative.

Did she not care about the storm this would stir?

The Aniston family was already in chaos.

Technically speaking, now that Evelyn was married to Alexander, Ethan should have been addressing her as aunt.

Dealing with one Caldwell was troublesome enough. Evelyn didn’t need any more complications.

Assuming the people outside had left, she pushed the door open to exit.

To her shock, the moment she stepped out, three pairs of eyes immediately locked onto her.

Margaret shot Evelyn a sharp, warning glare.

Vanessa tilted her head, trying to peer behind Evelyn. "That was fast. Was he not your type?"

Ethan spoke up, his tone indifferent. "If it's not a match, don’t force it. No one’s making you stay."

Evelyn stared at them, inhaled deeply, rolled her eyes, and slammed the door shut with a resounding bang.

She stormed back to the couch and drained an entire glass of wine in one go.

These people were like persistent shadows—always lurking where she least wanted them.

"Mom, who was that man inside?" Vanessa asked, her curiosity piqued.

Margaret shook her head. "I'm not sure. The matchmaker insisted he was perfect, so I didn't question it further."

Ethan Caldwell let out a derisive laugh. "Perfect? Her standards are impossible. Who could possibly meet them besides me?"

He fumbled with a cigarette, finally lighting it after multiple attempts.

Taking a long drag, his expression darkened.

Vanessa Hart caught the bitter edge in Ethan's voice.

It irritated her how his attention always circled back to Evelyn.

What terrified her more was the possibility of Ethan interfering with Evelyn's dates.

Clenching her jaw, Vanessa tugged lightly at Ethan's sleeve. "Ethan, didn't you mention wanting to go to Eclipse Lounge earlier? I could use a drink too. Let's go."

"I think Ethan still has feelings for you."

Ryan Fletcher leaned forward eagerly. "The way he looked at you—it was full of longing."

Evelyn Carter said nothing, swirling her glass of sweet red wine before refilling it.

The silence stretched, heavy with unspoken thoughts.

She took another slow sip, savoring the rich flavor.

Ryan watched her, waiting for a reaction that never came.

The dim lighting of the restaurant cast shadows across Evelyn's composed face.

Outside, the city lights of Cresthaven glittered like scattered stars.

But Evelyn's gaze remained distant, lost in memories she wouldn't share.

"I swear Alexander is jealous," Ryan declared, his boots clicking against the hardwood as he paced.

He stopped abruptly, snapping his fingers. "What if we fake a relationship to mess with him?"

The idea seemed to electrify him. "Just picturing Alexander's face turning red is already worth it."

"Imagine it," Ryan continued, grinning. "The woman who used to chase him suddenly dating his cousin? He'd lose it completely."

Their rivalry ran deep.

Born in the same year, they were constantly compared.

Alexander was the golden boy—top of his class, recruited straight into Titan Capital Group, living up to every expectation set for him.

Ryan, however, had chosen a different path. Instead of corporate ladders, he'd built a name in esports.

In most families, gaming might be respected. But in theirs? It was practically rebellion.

Evelyn swirled her wine, considering.

Ryan's plan aligned perfectly with what she'd been thinking.

But still…

"Why would I choose you over Alexander?" My fingers tapped lightly against the glass in my hand, the ice cubes clinking softly. "Alexander is Ethan’s uncle, after all. Wouldn’t it be far more satisfying to make Ethan call me aunt?"

A slow smirk curled at my lips as I watched his expression shift.

The thought alone sent a thrill through me.

Ethan Caldwell had once been everything to me—until he wasn’t.

Now, standing here in the dim glow of the Eclipse Lounge, the idea of twisting the knife deeper was too tempting to resist.

Alexander Whitmore was powerful, dangerous, and entirely unpredictable.

But so was I.

And if there was one thing I had learned, it was that revenge tasted sweeter when served with patience.

The corner of his mouth lifted in a knowing smile.

"Careful, Evelyn," he murmured, his voice low and edged with amusement. "Playing with fire has consequences."

I took a slow sip of my drink, meeting his gaze without flinching.

"Good thing I’ve always liked the heat."