Chapter 274

The morning sun cast golden streaks across Evelyn Sinclair's penthouse as she sipped her coffee, scrolling through her phone. A smirk tugged at her lips—another scandal had erupted overnight in the entertainment world.

"Oh, this is delicious," she mused, her fingers pausing over a particularly juicy headline.

"Seraphina Delacroix Caught in Love Triangle—Sebastian Hart Spotted Leaving Her Hotel at Dawn!"

Evelyn’s laughter bubbled up. "And here I thought last week’s drama was peak entertainment."

Her assistant, Lillian Graves, breezed in with a tablet. "You’re in a good mood," she noted, eyeing Evelyn’s amused expression.

"Wouldn’t you be if you saw this?" Evelyn turned the screen toward her.

Lillian’s eyes widened. "Wait—Sebastian Hart? Isn’t he dating Isabelle Laurent now?"

"Was dating," Evelyn corrected, tapping the article. "Apparently, Seraphina couldn’t resist revisiting old flames. And Adrian Cross? Oh, he’s furious."

Lillian shook her head. "This industry never disappoints."

Evelyn leaned back, savoring the chaos. "The best part? This isn’t even the biggest secret I’ve heard today."

Lillian arched a brow. "Do I want to know?"

Evelyn’s grin turned sly. "Let’s just say… someone very high-profile is about to have their private messages leaked. And it’s going to ruin more than just a relationship."

Meanwhile, across town, Nathan Blackwood scowled at his phone.

Breaking: Harrison Montgomery’s Affair Exposed—Vanessa Sterling Speaks Out!

His jaw clenched. "Damn it."

His brother, Julian, glanced over. "Problem?"

Nathan exhaled sharply. "Harrison’s idiocy is about to blow back on us. His wife is Natalie Whitaker—Senator Whitaker’s daughter."

Julian whistled. "That’s not just a scandal. That’s a political nightmare."

Nathan’s phone buzzed—a message from Marcus Donovan.

Marcus: "We need to talk. Now."

Nathan’s stomach dropped. This was worse than he thought.

Back at Evelyn’s penthouse, her phone lit up with an encrypted notification.

Unknown: "You’ll want to see this before it goes public."

Attached was a video—one that made Evelyn’s breath hitch.

"Oh… this changes everything."

Her fingers flew across the screen.

Evelyn: "Who else has this?"

The reply was instant.

Unknown: "Just you. For now."

Evelyn’s pulse raced. This wasn’t just gossip.

This was leverage.

And she knew exactly how to use it.

Evelyn's inner monologue left the Blackwoods utterly stunned.

What? Caleb is setting a trap to frame his fiancée and Lucas?

They couldn't fathom why Caleb would orchestrate such a scheme. Had his disdain for Lucas grown so intense that he'd use his own fiancée as a pawn?

Yet, this confirmed one thing—Caleb had no idea Lucas harbored feelings for Beatrice. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have planned it this way.

Nathan’s expression darkened as he pieced together the deeper implications of their scheme.

"That’s odd. Beatrice just texted saying she’d be here soon. Why is she taking so long to change?" Vivian kept glancing at her phone, eager to gossip with Beatrice about Caleb’s underhanded move.

After all, Beatrice despised media attention.

The others were also waiting for Lucas, but there was still no sign of him.

Meanwhile, Evelyn was frantic. Time was slipping away, and she couldn’t think of a plausible excuse. Grabbing Nathan’s arm, she blurted, "I feel a bit lightheaded. Come with me to rest for a moment."

Just then, Nathan’s phone lit up.

His eyes flicked to the screen as he played along with Evelyn—then his pupils constricted. He answered immediately.

"Help…"

A weak voice came through, but before the plea could finish, the call cut off abruptly.

Seeing the couple rush toward the east wing, the Blackwoods tensed but exhaled in relief. The three of them huddled in a corner, deciding to stay put—they might be needed later.

They assumed the crowd was gathering to catch Lucas and Beatrice in a compromising position, so they needed to keep an eye on Caleb and those reporters.

Their gazes flicked to Penelope in the distance, chatting and laughing with others, Luna by her side.

What kind of mother is she? they thought bitterly. Lucas deserves better.

Hurry, the break room in the east corridor—third one… third one… We need a reason to barge in.

Evelyn’s thoughts raced frantically.

Then Nathan’s voice cut through her panic.

"Evelyn, something’s wrong. Lucas and Beatrice—they’re in—"

Evelyn was still desperately searching for an excuse to enter that room when she heard the muffled groan. Instantly, her heart leaped with relief.

Wow, he actually resisted? I was certain Mrs. Hillis slipped Lucas something strong. How did he hold on and even call for help?

Lost in thought, she reached the third break room.

To her surprise, the door wasn’t locked—likely left that way to make catching them in the act easier. With a quick twist of the handle, it swung open.

A pained growl echoed from inside.

Evelyn and Nathan exchanged a glance before rushing in.

The sight that greeted them made them exhale in relief. Beatrice lay on the bed, unharmed except for slightly rumpled clothes.

Lucas, however, was curled on the floor, clutching a broken vase shard. Blood dripped from his palm where the sharp edges had cut deep. He was using pain to fight the drug’s effects, clinging to his last shreds of control.

The gruesome sight made Evelyn’s respect for him rise.

He’s resisting even now? Pathetic, but impressive.

Nathan hauled Lucas up and dragged him to the bathroom, dousing him with cold water to shock his system back to clarity.

Meanwhile, Evelyn tried shaking Beatrice awake, but the woman remained dazed, her consciousness too clouded to respond.

"Nathan, what now? Call the police? Or an ambulance?" Evelyn asked urgently.

Before Nathan could answer, Lucas—now slightly more coherent—gritted out, "No. Too obvious. It’ll look like we’re guilty even if we’re not. We can’t give them what they want."

Seeing the agony twisting Lucas’ face, Nathan nodded. "I’ll arrange a private doctor. But we need to move—now."

Evelyn’s inner voice screamed in alarm.

Oh no. They’re coming to catch us. What do we do?

Outside, the heir announcement should have begun by now. Lydia had waited endlessly for Lucas, growing more impatient by the minute. Calls to him went unanswered.

Frowning, she sent someone to search for him.

Then Caleb approached the Winters family table, where Lydia sat. "Where’s Beatrice? I can’t find her, and she’s not answering. I wanted to introduce her to my friends."

The Winters exchanged confused glances—none had seen Beatrice in a while.

The trap was closing in.

The soft murmur of a feminine voice suddenly cut through the hum of conversation. "I think I just saw Lucas following Beatrice to the break room. They must be discussing something private. But they've been in there for quite a while now."

The speaker was none other than Luna Morgan, her words dripping with feigned innocence. The moment they left her lips, whispers erupted among the guests.

What could Lucas Thornton possibly have to discuss alone with his future sister-in-law?

Beside her, Penelope Collins tugged at Luna’s sleeve urgently. "What nonsense are you saying? Lucas isn’t even close with her!"

But her defensive tone only fanned the flames of speculation.

Caleb Moore’s expression darkened instantly. Without hesitation, he turned on his heel and strode away.

The moment he moved, the entertainment reporters—disguised as guests—sprang to their feet, their excitement barely contained.

Vivian Moore’s face paled as she sensed trouble brewing. She quickly stepped forward, blocking Caleb’s path. "Beatrice is resting upstairs. Oh, and Caleb, I assigned Lucas some tasks earlier. He probably hasn’t yet. Maybe you could go help him?"

She wasn’t entirely sure what was happening, but she wasn’t a fool. Something was clearly wrong, and making a scene would only make it worse.

Yet when Caleb shrugged her off without a word, she knew—this was about him. Her stomach twisted with dread.

By then, Caleb was already leading a small crowd down the corridor, his strides sharp with purpose.

The onlookers, oblivious to the truth, exchanged knowing glances.

"What’s going on? More drama?"

"Of course! Evelyn is here today!"

"Should we follow and see?"

"Judging by the looks of it, they’re about to catch someone red-handed!"

Some trailed after the group, while others whispered excitedly. Evelyn Sinclair’s presence had a way of igniting the room’s appetite for scandal. Normally, they might have stayed out of it—but today, they wanted front-row seats.

A small group near the back exchanged alarmed looks. They could only catch fragments of the gossip—something about Lucas and Beatrice being caught in a compromising situation.

"Is Caleb out of his mind? What could possibly be happening between those two?" Vivian Moore muttered in disbelief.

"Something’s off. This feels like a setup." Daniel Wright stood abruptly, realization dawning. "Nathan and Evelyn…"

"They said they were going to rest. Do you think there’s actually something scandalous going on?" Marcus Prescott asked, his voice low.

The tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife.

The revelation left them stunned.

Vivian gasped, her hand flying to cover her parted lips.

Daniel, however, felt an odd sense of relief wash over him. If they're involved, this situation can't be as bad as it seems.

The thought made him scoff at himself. Since when had he started believing in such things?

Still, worry gnawed at them. The idea of Beatrice and Lucas being in a secret relationship was absurd—unless they'd been set up. And with Caleb's suspicious decision to invite reporters...

They exchanged a glance. No time to waste.

Without another word, they rushed after the others, determination fueling their steps.

The game was on.