Chapter 268

Mind Games and Whispered Secrets

Evelyn Sinclair's fingers tightened around her coffee cup as she leaned against the kitchen counter, her gaze distant. The morning sunlight streamed through the windows, casting golden streaks across the marble surfaces, but her mind was far from serene.

"Oh, this is too good," she thought, biting back a smirk. The mental chatter around her had become an endless stream of scandalous revelations, each more tantalizing than the last.

Nathan Blackwood, ever the composed businessman, strode into the room, his tailored suit immaculate as always. He paused when he saw her expression—the slight curve of her lips, the mischievous glint in her eyes.

"What’s got you looking like the cat who got the cream?" he asked, pouring himself a cup of black coffee.

Evelyn tilted her head, feigning innocence. "Just enjoying the morning."

Nathan arched a brow. "You’re plotting something."

She laughed, light and airy. "Me? Never."

But inside, her mind was a whirlwind of secrets.

Victoria Hayes, his ever-loyal secretary, had been skimming funds from company accounts for months.

Serena Whitmore, Evelyn’s own agent, was secretly negotiating a deal behind her back.

And Nathan’s first love, Cassandra, was back in town—with a child who bore an uncanny resemblance to him.

Oh, the drama.

Evelyn took a slow sip of her coffee, savoring the bitter warmth. She could practically feel the tension simmering beneath the polished surface of their lives.

Nathan studied her for a long moment before shaking his head. "You’re impossible."

She grinned. "You love it."

He exhaled, but the corner of his mouth twitched. "Against my better judgment."

The moment was interrupted by the sharp buzz of Evelyn’s phone. A message from Lillian Graves, her assistant, flashed across the screen:

"You need to see this. Now."

Attached was a grainy photo—Nathan, standing outside a luxury hotel, his arm wrapped around a familiar blonde.

Evelyn’s pulse spiked.

Cassandra.

Her fingers hovered over the screen, torn between fury and fascination.

Nathan frowned. "What is it?"

She locked the phone with a click, forcing a smile. "Nothing important."

But inside, her mind was already racing.

Game on.

Evelyn was certain it wasn’t her fault. She was merely an innocent gossip enthusiast, a passionate sharer of juicy tidbits who thrived on being the first to know.

Yet, the person on the receiving end of this particular revelation was utterly stunned.

Silence stretched on the other end of the line once more.

But anyone could sense the volcanic fury simmering beneath that quiet.

.

Lucas wasn’t the only one blindsided. Even Nathan was left speechless upon hearing the news. When Nathan had walked into the room earlier, there had been no obvious signs of impropriety between the two, so he hadn’t suspected a thing. He’d only found it odd that they were together at such an unusual hour.

Now, the truth hit him like a freight train, and disgust coiled in his gut.

"Lucas," Nathan cautioned, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. "Don’t do anything reckless."

When Lucas finally spoke, his voice was rough with suppressed rage. "Thanks for the heads-up. I’ll deal with them personally."

The call ended, and Evelyn mused aloud, "Lucas is furious. Honestly, who wouldn’t be? Finding out your own sister is being treated like a lover by your cousin—blood-related or not—it’s downright vile."

"There’s more to it than that," Nathan said.

Evelyn arched a brow. "Enlighten me."

She didn’t bother checking her system for details. Nathan was always more than happy to indulge her love of gossip.

"Caleb and Lucas have been rivals since childhood. They’ve never gotten along—no brotherly affection whatsoever. Mrs. Harrison always favored Lucas, even naming him her heir. So Caleb developed a habit of stealing things from Lucas just to destroy them later. It was his way of getting back at him," Nathan explained.

Evelyn’s eyes widened. "Wait… so you’re saying Beatrice might’ve been—"

Nathan shook his head. "He hid it too well. Caleb had no idea."

A realization dawned on Evelyn. Maybe Lucas’s flawless deception had been to protect Beatrice all along.

"So Caleb’s sleazy behavior wasn’t just about lust? He was trying to mess with Lucas by making Luna his lover? What a joke. How could she be so easily fooled? Didn’t she realize the man she was with despised her own brother?" Evelyn scoffed.

Nathan sighed. "Lucas grew up with the Winters family, raised by the elders. Luna, on the other hand, lived with the Willis family. Same mother, but they were never close. Lucas only paid attention to her because their mother demanded it. Truthfully, Luna never liked him much."

"She doesn’t like her own brother but falls for a playboy like Caleb? Ugh… Did she hit her head or something?" Evelyn rolled her eyes.

Nathan smirked. "Some people have questionable taste."

Evelyn huffed. "Questionable is an understatement."

The car rolled to a stop, and Nathan turned to her, his expression serious again. "This isn’t just about revenge or twisted games. Lucas won’t let this slide."

Evelyn nodded. "I know. And honestly? I wouldn’t want to be in Caleb’s shoes right now."

A dark chuckle escaped Nathan. "Neither would I."

The atmosphere in the car shifted subtly as Nathan's gaze darkened. "It's common for half-siblings to have complicated relationships," he remarked, his voice low. "The competition for parental affection and the refusal to acknowledge each other's fathers often creates tension. The bond between Vivian and Gwendolyn is an exception, not the rule."

Evelyn recalled how inseparable the sisters were—always inviting her out under the pretense of celebrity chasing. "It really does depend on the individuals involved," she mused.

Nathan continued, his fingers tightening imperceptibly on the steering wheel. "With a ten-year age gap, Lucas naturally felt protective of Luna, treating her more like a guardian than a brother. But Luna? She was arrogant, disrespectful. Every time they met, she lashed out at him, treating him like an enemy. So no, I don’t believe she was tricked into being with Caleb."

This time, Nathan didn’t need to spell it out—Evelyn had already pieced it together.

Damn. So they were in cahoots, two villains conspiring to ruin Lucas. Unbelievable. Still, Nathan had given her one possible motive for Luna’s hostility.

Nathan’s jaw clenched. It’s not that I don’t know. Lucas just never talks about it. And I won’t betray his trust by revealing what he’s kept hidden. Besides, he—

His breath hitched, his grip on the wheel turning white-knuckled. For a split second, his mind blanked. But Evelyn’s relentless internal monologue beside him quickly snapped him back to reality.

Just because Ava despised Lucas, Luna mimicked her, inheriting that same disdain for her older brother.

Nathan scoffed inwardly.

Ava was another piece of work. Lucas’s traumatic birth had nearly killed her, leaving her with lasting resentment. Then, after her husband’s death, a fortune-teller claimed Lucas was the family’s curse. That sealed her hatred—so much so that she turned abusive until Mdm. Lydia intervened. The Winters family took Lucas in, but Ava, terrified he’d "curse" her to death, remarried. Even then, Lucas endured years of emotional neglect.

Nathan’s lips twitched as Evelyn’s thoughts continued.

This woman blamed Lucas for everything, acting like he owed her for her suffering. She’d guilt-trip him into cleaning up the messes Luna and the Willis family made. Thank God Lucas had enough self-respect not to be manipulated—he just did what was necessary. His relationship with his mother? A never-ending power struggle. A toxic mother, a bratty sister, and now Luna, engaged to another man. Poor Lucas. Handsome, capable, and utterly tragic.

Evelyn nearly laughed at her own assessment.

By then, they’d reached the mall.

She was used to Nathan opening the car door for her.

But this time, he unbuckled his seatbelt, then hers—and without warning, pulled her into his arms right there in the car.

The sudden embrace caught Evelyn completely off guard.

Nathan's arms wrapped around her so tightly she could feel the rapid rise and fall of his chest against hers. It was as if he were clinging to her like a drowning man to a lifeline, his grip desperate yet tender.

Evelyn, usually oblivious to subtle cues, couldn’t ignore the intensity of the moment. "What’s wrong?" she asked, her voice muffled against his shoulder.

"I just needed to hold you," Nathan murmured, his deep voice vibrating through her, sending shivers down her spine. The confined space of the car amplified the intimacy, making her pulse race.

A whirlwind of emotions swept through her. Is he… flirting with me? She bit back a laugh. We sleep in each other’s arms every night. But they say when you like someone, your heart does funny things—skips beats, flutters, pulls you closer. Am I really that irresistible?

The thought must have shown on her face, because Nathan’s lips twitched into an amused smile.

"I want to hold you like this forever," he whispered, his breath warm against her ear. "Never letting go."

Evelyn’s cheeks burned. Wow. The famously cold, ruthless CEO has turned into a complete romantic. And here I am, melting like butter.

If anyone else had heard her inner monologue, they might have accused her of ruining the moment. But to Nathan, her unfiltered thoughts were endearing—so much so that the tips of his ears turned pink.

As always, Nathan didn’t demand a response. He never pressured her. His words were simply an overflow of emotion before they returned to their usual rhythm.

He released her, stepped out of the car, and opened her door with practiced grace. Hand in hand, they strolled through the boutique-lined streets, chatting and laughing as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

It wasn’t until they’d picked out gifts and settled into a cozy café that Evelyn finally circled back to the earlier drama.

He actually did it! She grinned into her latte. Lucas punched Caleb, but of course, he was sneaky about it—hitting where no one could see. Caleb actually whimpered in pain. Serves him right! I bet Lucas still had some pent-up resentment in that swing. But Luna—ugh! How could she side with Caleb and slap her own brother? Unbelievable!