Chapter 247

The scene unfolded like a twisted comedy. The so-called "golden child" swooping in to save the rebound? I pressed my lips together, biting back the laughter threatening to spill out.

Evelyn Sinclair—once the overlooked, now the center of this absurd spectacle—stood frozen, her fingers still curled around the champagne flute. Nathan Blackwood’s piercing gaze locked onto her, his presence commanding the room as effortlessly as ever. The air between them crackled, thick with unspoken tension.

Victoria Hayes, ever the serpent in silk, slithered closer, her crimson lips twisting into a smirk. "How noble," she drawled, voice dripping with mock admiration. "The prodigal heir, rushing to defend his true love."

Nathan didn’t flinch. "Some things," he said, voice low but razor-sharp, "are worth protecting. Even from their own mistakes."

A murmur rippled through the crowd. Evelyn’s cheeks flushed, but her chin lifted. "I don’t need saving," she countered, though her voice wavered just enough to betray her.

Nathan’s lips quirked. "Don’t you?"

The challenge hung between them, electric.

Then—laughter. Bright, unexpected, cutting through the tension like a blade. Serena Whitmore, Evelyn’s ever-loyal agent, stepped forward, her grin sharp. "Oh, this is rich. The great Nathan Blackwood, playing knight for a woman who left him." She tilted her head. "Tell me, darling—did you rehearse this speech, or does martyrdom come naturally to you?"

Nathan’s jaw tightened, but before he could retort, Evelyn moved.

She set down her glass with deliberate calm. Then, eyes blazing, she stepped toe-to-toe with Victoria. "You want a show?" she whispered, voice lethally soft. "Fine."

A beat of silence. Then—

Evelyn snatched the champagne bottle from the nearest waiter and upended it over Victoria’s perfectly styled head.

Gasps. Shouts. Victoria’s shriek of outrage.

Evelyn didn’t blink. "Consider that my vow," she said, loud enough for everyone to hear. "Next time, I won’t miss."

And with that, she turned on her heel and walked out—leaving Nathan, the crowd, and the dripping, sputtering Victoria in her wake.

The doors swung shut behind her.

Silence.

Then—

Nathan laughed.