Chapter 294

The morning sun cast golden rays through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Evelyn Sinclair’s penthouse, illuminating the sleek marble countertops of her kitchen. She sipped her coffee, the rich aroma mingling with the crisp scent of fresh-cut flowers on the table.

Her phone buzzed—a message from Nathan Blackwood.

"We need to talk. Tonight. My place."

Evelyn’s fingers tightened around her phone. The last time Nathan had summoned her like this, it had been about the scandal with Victoria Hayes. What now?

She exhaled sharply, setting her cup down with a clink.

Across town, Nathan stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows of his office, his reflection a stark contrast against the city skyline. His jaw was set, his usual composed demeanor fraying at the edges. The board meeting had been a disaster—Victoria had made sure of that.

His phone lit up with Evelyn’s reply.

"Fine. But this better be good."

A smirk tugged at his lips. She never made things easy for him.

Meanwhile, Victoria Hayes adjusted the diamond bracelet on her wrist, her lips curling into a satisfied smile as she scrolled through the latest headlines. "Blackwood Empire in Turmoil After Shocking Boardroom Leak."

Perfect.

She had spent months planting the seeds of doubt, manipulating the media, and now, Nathan’s carefully constructed empire was beginning to crumble. And Evelyn? She was just collateral damage.

But Victoria hadn’t accounted for one thing—Evelyn wasn’t the type to go down without a fight.

As evening fell, Evelyn arrived at Nathan’s penthouse, her heels clicking against the polished floors. He was waiting for her, his back turned, his broad shoulders tense.

"You’re late," he said without turning around.

"I had things to do," she retorted, crossing her arms. "What’s so urgent?"

Nathan finally turned, his piercing gaze locking onto hers. "Victoria’s playing a dangerous game. And she’s dragging you into it."

Evelyn scoffed. "Since when do you care?"

His expression darkened. "Since always."

The air between them crackled with unspoken tension.

Then, his phone buzzed—an alert. He glanced at the screen, his jaw tightening.

Evelyn frowned. "What now?"

Nathan’s voice was grim. "She just leaked another file. This time, it’s about you."

Evelyn’s stomach dropped.

Victoria had crossed a line.

And now, the real war was about to begin.

Vivian's teasing remark sent the group into peals of laughter.

"So, your marriage with Nathan is actually blissful?" she prodded, winking at Evelyn.

Evelyn froze, her cheeks flushing as she struggled to respond. Her gaze flickered to Nathan, whose usually stormy gray eyes now shimmered like liquid mercury under the moonlight. When she looked closer, she could see her own reflection in them - a sight that made her pulse quicken unexpectedly.

Right now... this isn't so terrible.

Nathan's chest tightened with emotion. Before he could stop himself, his fingers intertwined with hers in a possessive grip. The sudden contact made Evelyn's breath hitch.

Why is he holding my hand out of nowhere?

Though he heard her silent question through their bond, Nathan didn't release her. Instead, he feigned nonchalance and smoothly changed the subject.

"Mother, Father, and Sophia are waiting. We should hurry." With that, he quickened his pace while maintaining their joined hands, effectively leaving their companions behind.

Only when certain they wouldn't be followed did Nathan slow to a leisurely stroll, savoring these stolen moments walking hand-in-hand with his wife. After all, three very persistent chaperones awaited them at the car.

Meanwhile, the Blackwood trio exchanged puzzled glances - what could possibly be taking the couple so long?

During the ride home, conversation inevitably turned to the Winters family scandal. The revelations spanned generations, more shocking than any aristocratic gossip in recent memory.

The Blackwoods' admiration for Evelyn grew exponentially. Without their precious Evelyn, countless lives might have been destroyed.

Yet they couldn't voice their gratitude aloud. Instead, they shot Nathan disapproving looks. Since he'd technically facilitated the truth's exposure, the Winters would likely shower him with thanks.

Tsk—he's stealing his wife's credit!

Upon arriving home, everyone dispersed to their respective social circles.

The switched-at-birth scandal had already ignited every elite circle it touched, far surpassing previous high-society gossip. Not only was the situation itself sensational, but the Winters family's indifferent response only fueled the flames.

"Madam Lydia must have teams manipulating public opinion across all social tiers," Nathan observed as he emerged from the bathroom, towel-drying his hair upon hearing Evelyn's musings.

By now, he'd practically moved into her room completely—his toiletries mingled with hers, his wardrobe gradually taking over her closet space. Their cohabitation had become an unspoken reality.

This was proof of his tireless dedication.

Done.

But to the other Quirks, it was almost embarrassing. Despite pouring his heart into this for so long, they were still just sharing a bed platonically—something no one would ever believe.

When Evelyn spotted Nathan emerging, she immediately complained, "Tell me, why are netizens still obsessed with me when tonight's scandal is so much juicier?"

Nathan leaned in to look, only to find her scrolling through social media on his work computer. Amidst the explosive drama of the Winters family's tangled web of grudges and love, her name was trending almost as much as theirs.

Truly, she was the stuff of legends.

One comment read: Evelyn, why are you always at the scene?

Another asked: How many more secrets are hidden in Evelyn’s gossip vault that we don’t know about?

A third remarked: Evelyn’s fans get front-row seats to the drama. No surprise—her scandals are wilder than fiction.

The next declared: This level of fame is what other celebs dream of. Only Evelyn’s fandom gets to party like this.

And yet another proclaimed: Evelyn is the undisputed Gossip Queen of Ancient Gregan!

Comments like these flooded the feed.

Then came a list of past incidents where Evelyn had been present when scandals broke. It seemed some labels just wouldn’t fade.

If this keeps up, people will start avoiding me at events. Sure, watching drama unfold through the system is fine, but it’s nothing like being right there in the thick of it.

Evelyn felt genuinely wronged.

Even though Nathan had already contacted Isabelle in advance to steer public opinion, it was nearly impossible to curb the fans’ enthusiasm.

He could only pat her head reassuringly. "Don’t worry. Any event you want to crash, I’ll take you."

He was, without a doubt, the first CEO to wield his power in such an unconventional way.

Evelyn burst into giggles.

The next day, the Winters family arrived bearing lavish gifts to express their gratitude toward Nathan. But he immediately redirected the praise to Evelyn, insisting it had been her idea all along.

Though Lucas hadn’t fully recovered his spirits, he still managed a smile. "No need to explain. Your devotion to your wife is legendary in our circle, so the gifts we brought were always meant for Evelyn."

And he was thorough. Having noticed Nathan’s past gift selections for Evelyn, he had chosen items perfectly tailored to her tastes—things she could cherish, yet still practical.

Evelyn Sinclair couldn't contain her delight as she examined the luxurious cars one by one that evening, her lips curling into an uncontainable grin.

Soon after, Beatrice Holloway arrived bearing gifts of gratitude for saving her life.

Days later, whispers spread like wildfire—the Bennett family was determined to prosecute Penelope Collins. It was inevitable: prison awaited her, and it wouldn’t be a brief stay.

The Reed family’s business empire had once thrived through Lucas Thornton’s connections. But when he publicly withdrew his support, their financial foundation crumbled overnight. Like rats abandoning a sinking ship, Victor Reed fled the country, leaving Penelope penniless. His sole act of mercy? Taking their daughter, Luna Morgan, who had spiraled into psychological distress from the trauma.

Penelope’s own family disowned her, claiming ignorance of her crimes and refusing any future assistance.

No one stepped forward to save her. Only rumors remained—of her daily fits of hysteria, of her unraveling mind. Yet with the Bennetts pressuring the authorities, there was no chance she’d escape punishment by feigning insanity.

With Luna gone, the crime of drugging someone fell solely on Caleb Moore, who suffered the consequences. Though eventually released, the Bennetts decided to exile him overseas—keeping him alive only because he was Richard Bennett’s last remaining bloodline.

Not long after, the Bennetts hosted a grand ceremony to formalize an adoption, a bold statement to the world: their family remained unshaken, their power unbroken.

This time, Evelyn and Nathan Blackwood attended together. The event proceeded flawlessly, devoid of scandal.

But gossip still found its way to them—courtesy of Marcus Prescott.

Though the public remained unaware, Marcus spared no thought for his father’s humiliation, sharing the news freely among friends.

Shocking. Grayson Brooks had destroyed his health chasing the illusion of restored virility. Wait—his new wife is pregnant. Why would he need those pills? Then it clicked. He’d taken them for her, but the lingering effects backfired spectacularly once he stopped. Tsk. Tsk. Evelyn’s mind raced with implications.

Marcus sneered. "His body’s ruined. Not impotent, but he’ll never father another child. His only heirs are me and that unborn baby. He’s lost to everyone else forever. Karma, don’t you think?"

"Don’t say that," Vivian Grant chided, her tone sharp.

Marcus quickly softened under her reproach.

The others hesitated to comment but couldn’t resist wondering—would the wedding still proceed as planned, given his hospitalization?

Marcus shrugged. "No idea."

Later, it was confirmed: the ceremony was postponed a week—Adriana Laurent wasn’t feeling well.

The morning sun filtered through the silk curtains of Evelyn Sinclair's penthouse, casting a golden glow over the luxurious bedroom. Nestled among plush pillows, Evelyn absently traced circles on her slightly rounded belly, a secret she had yet to share with the world. Pregnancy had forced her to trade her usual whirlwind schedule of red carpets and exclusive parties for quiet mornings at home—a change she was still adjusting to.

Her phone buzzed incessantly on the nightstand, a relentless stream of notifications from her assistant, Lillian Graves. With a sigh, Evelyn reached for it, scrolling through the latest Hollywood headlines. A smirk tugged at her lips as she spotted a particularly juicy piece about Seraphina Delacroix's latest scandal—another messy breakup, this time with Sebastian Hart.

"Honestly, Seraphina," Evelyn murmured to herself, shaking her head. "You’d think she’d learn by now."

Just then, the door creaked open, and Nathan Blackwood strode in, his tailored suit immaculate as always. His sharp gaze softened when it landed on her. "Still in bed?" he teased, perching on the edge of the mattress. "I thought the great Evelyn Sinclair never slept past eight."

She shot him a mock glare. "Blame your child. I’m officially on bed rest, according to my doctor."

Nathan’s expression turned serious as he gently brushed a stray curl from her face. "You’re sure you’re okay with keeping this quiet for now?"

Evelyn hesitated. The media would have a field day if they found out—Nathan Blackwood, Hollywood’s most elusive bachelor, was not only off the market but expecting a baby with the infamous "Gossip Queen" herself. The thought of the headlines made her stomach churn—or maybe that was just morning sickness.

"For now," she conceded. "But I’m not hiding forever. The second this baby’s born, I’m giving the world the exclusive of the century."

Nathan chuckled, leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead. "Of course you are."

Before he could say more, Evelyn’s phone lit up again—this time with a call from Preston Whitmore. She groaned. "If this is about another script rewrite, I swear—"

Nathan snatched the phone before she could answer. "Not today," he said firmly, silencing the call. "You’re officially off-duty."

Evelyn arched a brow. "Since when do you get to decide my schedule?"

"Since you decided to carry my child," he shot back, smirking.

She rolled her eyes but didn’t argue. Instead, she settled back against the pillows, watching as Nathan moved to the window, his silhouette framed by the Los Angeles skyline. A rare moment of peace—one she knew wouldn’t last.

Because in Evelyn Sinclair’s world, secrets never stayed buried for long.

And this one?

It was the biggest of them all.