Chapter 257

The morning sun filtered through the sheer curtains of Evelyn Sinclair's penthouse, casting a golden glow over her coffee cup. She took a slow sip, savoring the rich aroma, when suddenly—

"Oh my god, did you hear about Nathan Blackwood and that actress?"

Evelyn nearly choked. The voice wasn’t from her phone or the TV—it was inside her head.

She froze.

Since when could she hear other people’s thoughts?

The mental chatter continued, sharp and vivid. "Rumor has it he spent the entire weekend at Seraphina Delacroix’s villa. His poor fiancée has no idea."

Evelyn’s grip tightened around her cup. Nathan—her Nathan—cheating? Impossible.

But then another thought slithered in, this one dripping with venom. "Of course he’d stray. Men like him always do. Just ask his ex, Vanessa Sterling."

Evelyn’s blood ran cold.

She had to find out if this was real. If her mind had somehow become a receiver for the world’s juiciest gossip, she’d use it.

And if Nathan was guilty?

Well.

She’d make sure he regretted it.

Gwendolyn's sudden appearance sent a jolt of panic through Grayson's system. He cleared his throat hastily, forcing a casual tone. "Nothing important. Just catching up."

The guilt gnawed at him. The last thing he wanted was for Vivian to discover his secret conversation with Gwendolyn.

"Gwendolyn. I need your answer," Grayson pressed, his voice laced with unspoken meaning.

To the oblivious onlookers, his words were cryptic. No one else had any clue what they were discussing.

Grayson was certain Gwendolyn would keep their exchange private. After all, it wasn’t exactly something to brag about. She’ll take my offer seriously once she’s alone. She might be hurt now, but she’ll realize this is the best deal she’ll ever get—love, security, a family. The only thing missing is my public acknowledgment. That’s a small price to pay for everything else I’m offering.

Smug satisfaction settled over him. He’d solved his problem neatly. No more using Gwendolyn to make Vivian jealous. Now, he could focus entirely on winning Vivian back.

Confident, he turned to Vivian, his guard lowering as he prepared to speak.

But Vivian didn’t even glance at him. Instead, her brows furrowed as she locked eyes with Gwendolyn. "What’s going on? What was he saying to you?"

The crowd assumed Vivian was suspicious of Gwendolyn trying to steal Grayson away.

Only Evelyn and Nathan knew the truth—Vivian had already received the DNA results confirming Gwendolyn was her half-sister.

Wow. Protective already. She’s not angry—she’s thrilled she found her sister. Classic Vivian. Evelyn smirked.

Nathan chuckled under his breath. Her generosity never fails to impress.

Gwendolyn, however, missed the warmth in Vivian’s tone. Her chest burned with disgust.

It wasn’t just Grayson’s revolting proposal. It was the fact that he’d plotted to deceive a woman like Vivian—keeping Gwendolyn as his dirty little secret. The realization made her sick.

She’d once excused his behavior, thinking his obsession with Vivian drove him to extremes. But now? He was just another manipulative liar.

The gratitude she’d felt for his high-paying job? Gone.

Ignoring Vivian’s question, Gwendolyn fixed Grayson with a sharp glare. "I don’t need time to think. My answer is no."

Grayson blinked. "What?"

Just as Grayson was about to lose his patience, Gwendolyn spun around and pulled Vivian aside. "He claims he wants to reconcile with you, marry you someday, and then expects me to be his dirty little secret. The audacity of this man—wanting to have his cake and eat it too!"

Her voice rang out sharply, slicing through the hum of conversation. The entire venue fell into stunned silence.

Everyone froze. They couldn’t believe Grayson had actually said those words to Gwendolyn—let alone that she’d exposed him so boldly in front of everyone.

No one had expected Gwendolyn to air such scandalous laundry in public, but the fact that she did proved one thing: she wanted nothing to do with his twisted proposal.

Before this, the crowd had assumed Gwendolyn was hopelessly infatuated with Grayson. They’d thought her earlier outburst was just an act—a desperate ploy for attention.

But Grayson had spent so long carefully crafting his image, subtly manipulating perceptions, that when Gwendolyn dropped this bombshell, the cognitive dissonance hit like a freight train. The guests stood there, mortified, their toes curling in secondhand embarrassment.

Some considered leaving, but the allure of juicy drama was too strong.

They held their breaths, waiting for the fallout.

Evelyn instinctively clung to Nathan, her eyes wide with feigned shock. "What? Grayson would never do something like that!"

Nathan let her cling to him, but his grip tightened slightly, ensuring she didn’t topple off her chair in her exaggerated reaction.

The expressions on Grayson’s friends’ faces were priceless. They knew he had a wild streak, but this? This was beyond reckless.

Vivian was their friend too. If Grayson had genuinely fallen for Gwendolyn, fine. But to humiliate Vivian while chasing Gwendolyn? That was unforgivable.

Vivian stood frozen for a full thirty seconds, processing the words.

Then, mechanically, she turned to Grayson, who stood there like a deer in headlights.

This absolute moron actually thought he could play us both?

The realization hit her like a slap. She’d been an idiot for ever loving him. Not only had she tarnished her own reputation, but she’d dragged her little sister into this mess.

Her feelings toward Gwendolyn had always been complicated. Discovering they were sisters had been thrilling, but the circumstances—her mother’s affair—left a bitter taste. Still, nothing could outweigh the joy of finding family.

Now, guilt surged through her. Because of her past with Grayson, Gwendolyn had suffered.

How dare this spineless bastard scheme against us? How dare he hurt my sister?

Rage burned through her veins. Without giving Grayson a second to react, she lunged forward, her arm swinging—

The sharp sound of skin meeting skin echoed through the room as Evelyn delivered two swift slaps, sending Grayson stumbling backward until he collapsed onto the floor.

Done.

Grayson pressed a hand to his stinging cheek, his expression one of utter disbelief. He couldn’t comprehend how things had spiraled so completely out of his control. His gaze snapped toward Gwendolyn, his voice laced with accusation. "Have you lost your mind? Who told you to reveal everything? Do you even want to be with me anymore?"

Good grief. Evelyn shook her head in exasperation. Those slaps clearly weren’t enough to knock sense into him.

"What’s wrong? Suddenly too cowardly to own up to your actions?" Gwendolyn’s fury only intensified at his words. "Be with you? Why don’t you scrape the delusions out of your brain and take a good, hard look at yourself? What on earth makes you think I’d ever be interested in a self-absorbed fool like you? Stop living in your fantasy world. I’ve never had feelings for you. How many times do I have to say it before it sinks in? Are you just dense, or do you refuse to listen? If you keep harassing me, I will call the police!"

The tension in the room thickened as everyone absorbed her words.

In the past, no matter how harshly Gwendolyn had rejected him, Grayson had always dismissed it as sarcasm or anger. When questioned by others, he’d smugly claimed she was just throwing a tantrum—that deep down, she still cared.

But now? She had stripped him bare, leaving no shred of his pride intact.

"You’ll regret this," Grayson spat, his voice trembling with wounded pride.

"Gwendolyn couldn’t have been clearer, yet you still think this is some kind of lover’s quarrel?" Vivian scoffed, stepping forward. "I never realized just how deranged you were. Tell me—what does she have to do to prove she wants nothing to do with you? Or are you so narcissistic that no matter what she says, you’ll twist it into some twisted fantasy where she’s still pining for you? Get help, Grayson. You’re not in love—you’re obsessed."