Chapter 99

The office felt cavernous with just the two of them inside, yet Alexander didn’t spare Evelyn so much as a glance.

Her stomach twisted.

This was worse than she’d thought.

She’d truly crossed a line this time.

When Claire returned from her business trip, she immediately scheduled dinner with Evelyn.

At the bistro, Claire studied her with unnerving intensity.

"You’re Alexander’s wife now, yet you were caught in a compromising position with Ethan in an elevator—then moved out? Of course he’s furious!"

Evelyn’s lashes fluttered. "There’s nothing between Ethan and me."

"Doesn’t matter. He’s your ex!"

Claire leaned forward, voice dropping. "Do you have any idea how toxic exes are to marriages? Every man loses his mind knowing his wife once chased another man for seven years. It’s like swallowing broken glass—just the memory cuts deep."

Despite her history with Ethan, Evelyn was startlingly naive about relationships.

The complexities of male psychology were foreign to her. Evelyn had never navigated the treacherous waters of romance before.

"If what you're saying is true, then there's no way out," she murmured, pushing her barely touched plate away. The morning sickness had stolen her appetite.

Resting her chin on her palm, she considered Claire's words carefully.

"A solution?" Claire's eyes sparkled with sudden inspiration. "There is one! From now on, you need to shower Alexander with affection—publicly."

Evelyn frowned. "What do you mean?"

"You have to be even more relentless than you were when you pursued Ethan," Claire explained. "It'll stroke Alexander's ego as a man and smooth the path for your marriage announcement in two weeks."

A lightbulb went off in Evelyn's mind. Of course! Why didn't I think of that?

Vanessa and Ethan's wedding was less than a week away.

Once her relationship with Alexander was out in the open, they'd share holiday dinners with his family. But as his wife, she had once thrown herself at his nephew. That had to sting, no matter how understanding he was.

Even if Alexander was tolerant enough to overlook it, the whispers would follow them.

The thought made her stomach churn.

She needed to act fast.

Evelyn straightened in her seat, determination hardening her features. "You're right. I'll make sure everyone sees how much I adore him."

Claire grinned. "That's the spirit. Now, let's plan your grand romantic gestures."

Evelyn nodded, already mentally drafting a list.

She would chase Alexander Whitmore with the same fervor she once wasted on Ethan Caldwell.

This time, she wouldn't fail.

The consequences would be catastrophic.

How would the elite circles and Alexander's business associates view him?

Why should such an extraordinary man endure whispered insults because of me?

He might dismiss it once or twice, but what about when it becomes relentless?

Wasn't this essentially planting a ticking time bomb in our marriage?

I had to act before the situation spiraled out of control.

I needed to make one thing crystal clear—I would marry no one but Alexander Whitmore.

This served two purposes.

First, it would please him.

Second, even if gossip persisted, the narrative would shift.

People would focus on my relentless pursuit of him, not the fact that his wife was a woman Ethan Caldwell had discarded.

There was a world of difference between those two versions of the story.

But a new dilemma emerged.

How could Evelyn Carter convincingly fall for Alexander and launch her passionate campaign to win him?

The stakes were higher than ever.

Every move had to be calculated, every step deliberate.

Because this wasn’t just about love—it was about rewriting our future.

Rushing after him now would be a terrible idea. It would seem too sudden, too desperate. No one would buy it.

Evelyn needed to think this through carefully.

She was still a short distance from her apartment at Willowbrook, but the narrow street forced her to get out of the car.

Claire pulled over to the curb.

Then the sky opened up.

Without an umbrella, Evelyn was drenched within seconds. By the time she reached her building, her clothes clung to her skin, her hair plastered to her face.

She paused outside the door, shaking water from her sleeves.

Once Claire saw her safely inside, she turned the car around and drove off.

Across the street, a vintage car sat idling by the curb.

Alexander remained motionless behind the wheel, his gaze fixed on the spot where Evelyn had vanished.

Chasing after him out of the blue would never work. It was too sudden—no one would buy it.

Evelyn needed to think this through carefully.

She was still a short distance from her apartment, but the narrow street couldn’t accommodate cars. Claire pulled over, and Evelyn had no choice but to walk the rest of the way.

The moment she stepped out of the car, the sky opened up.

Rain poured down in heavy sheets. Without an umbrella, Evelyn was drenched within seconds. By the time she reached her building, her clothes clung to her skin, her hair plastered to her face.

She paused outside the entrance, shaking the excess water from her sleeves.

Claire waited just long enough to see her safely inside before driving off.

Across the street, a vintage car sat parked beneath the dim glow of a streetlamp.

Alexander remained inside, his gaze fixed on the spot where Evelyn had vanished into the rain.