Chapter 84

The moment left Evelyn speechless.

Having worked in the CEO's office for over six months, she knew Alexander Whitmore was notoriously distant.

He rarely acknowledged greetings from employees, let alone engaged with them. Yet here he was, inquiring about a new hire—something unprecedented.

Vanessa lifted her gaze, meeting Alexander's lowered eyes.

Her expression remained composed, unwavering. "Mr. Whitmore, my name is Evelyn Carter."

A faint smirk touched his lips before he looked away. "Make me a coffee and bring it to my office. Thank you."

With that, he strode off without another word.

Natalie stood frozen for several seconds before snapping out of her daze.

She grabbed Evelyn's arm, eyes wide. "He asked you to make coffee? And thanked you? That’s our job—what’s gotten into him today?"

Evelyn didn’t respond.

Instead, she headed straight for the break room.

The morning sunlight streamed through the windows of Titan Capital Group, casting a golden glow over Evelyn Carter’s desk.

Natalie Brooks leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Mr. Whitmore prefers his coffee with just one sugar cube. He doesn’t like it too sweet."

Evelyn nodded, carefully measuring the sugar before stirring.

"But did you see those marks on Mr. Whitmore’s neck earlier?" Natalie’s eyes sparkled with gossip-fueled excitement.

Evelyn’s fingers tightened around the coffee cup.

"Cassandra mentioned that during the Horizon Enterprises meeting in Cresthaven, some woman texted him calling him 'darling.' I thought it was just a rumor, but now—" Natalie fanned herself dramatically. "Those love bites don’t lie! Who knew our reserved Mr. Whitmore could be so... passionate?"

Evelyn’s cheeks burned.

It had been two days. Why hadn’t the marks faded yet?

She should never have touched that champagne.

With a deep breath, Evelyn carried the coffee into Alexander Whitmore’s office—only to find Simon Graves already there.

The moment Evelyn stepped in, Simon gave her a respectful nod and took the coffee cup from her hands. "Mrs. Whitmore."

He was the sole person in the entire company aware of her marriage to Alexander.

With practiced discretion, he shut the door behind him, granting them privacy.

Alexander barely glanced up from the mountain of paperwork before him. "Did you rest well at Claire’s last night?"

Evelyn shrugged. "Well enough."

Alexander crooked a finger. "Come here."

She hesitated, then moved closer.

Her gaze snagged on the vivid love bites trailing down his neck.

They were impossible to miss. Yesterday, he’d concealed them beneath a high-collared shirt. Today, he hadn’t bothered.

Heat flooded Evelyn’s cheeks.

"Review this file." He slid a document toward her.

She reached for it. When he immediately returned to his work, she turned to leave.

Then paused.

Spinning back, she blurted, "Thank you."

The afternoon sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Titan Capital Group, casting golden streaks across the polished marble floors.

Evelyn Carter clutched the documents tighter against her chest, her pulse quickening as she met Alexander Whitmore’s piercing gaze.

"You," she said softly.

His brow arched. "What?"

"I know you pulled strings to get me into Titan Capital Group."

The firm was notorious for its ruthless hiring standards—most applicants never made it past the first screening. Yet Evelyn had been fast-tracked in as an exception. She had no doubt Alexander had orchestrated it.

His lips curved into that infuriatingly confident smirk. "Do you really think you’re here just because you’re my wife?"

"Isn’t that the case?"

Alexander stepped closer, his voice dropping to a low, deliberate timbre. "Have some faith in yourself. Talent always rises to the top, Evelyn. You’re exceptional."

Her breath hitched. The words settled over her like sunlight after a storm, warm and undeniable.

She turned on her heel and strode out of his office, immediately drawing the attention of every executive assistant in the vicinity.

Natalie Brooks practically materialized at her side, eyes alight with curiosity. "Evelyn! What were you and Mr. Whitmore discussing in there? Simon got banished!"

Simon Graves, Alexander’s right-hand man and the most powerful figure in the company after the CEO himself, had been unceremoniously dismissed from the room.

Evelyn kept walking, but the ghost of a smile played on her lips.

Talent would out, indeed.

The bond between them had always been unbreakable, yet when Evelyn stepped into Alexander's office, even Simon made himself scarce.

This was unexpected.

Evelyn tapped the folder in her hand lightly. "Mr. Caldwell requested I review this."

At the sight of the document, Cassandra froze, her instincts kicking in.

The air thickened with tension.

Evelyn's gaze remained steady, though a flicker of unease crossed her features.

Cassandra hesitated before reaching for the file.

Her fingers trembled slightly as she flipped open the first page.

What she saw made her breath catch.

This wasn't just any report—it was a revelation.

And it changed everything.