Chapter 300
The morning sun cast golden rays through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Evelyn Sinclair’s penthouse, illuminating the sleek marble countertops in her kitchen. She sipped her coffee, the rich aroma mingling with the crisp morning air. Today was the day—the final confrontation with Victoria Hayes, the woman who had orchestrated so much chaos in her life.
Evelyn’s phone buzzed. A message from Lillian Graves, her ever-loyal assistant: "Everything is set. The board meeting starts in an hour. Are you ready?"
Her fingers hovered over the screen before typing back: "More than ready."
A soft knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. Nathan Blackwood stood there, his dark eyes intense, his jaw set in that familiar, determined way. "You’re not going alone," he said, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation.
Evelyn arched a brow. "I didn’t ask for backup."
Nathan smirked. "You didn’t have to."
The tension between them was electric, a silent understanding passing between them. They had been through too much—betrayals, secrets, near-death experiences—and yet, here they were, standing side by side.
Victoria Hayes had underestimated them both.
Evelyn set her coffee down. "Fine. But don’t interfere unless absolutely necessary."
Nathan’s lips twitched. "Wouldn’t dream of it."
The boardroom was packed when they arrived. Victoria sat at the head of the table, her perfectly manicured fingers steepled, a smug smile playing on her lips. "Ah, Evelyn. So nice of you to finally join us."
Evelyn didn’t bother with pleasantries. She strode forward, dropping a thick file onto the table. "Before we begin, I think everyone should see this."
Victoria’s smile faltered. "What is this?"
Evelyn flipped the file open, revealing a series of incriminating documents—emails, financial transactions, even recorded conversations. "Proof of your embezzlement, your blackmail, and your attempts to sabotage Sinclair Enterprises."
Gasps filled the room.
Victoria’s face paled, but she quickly masked her shock with a laugh. "This is absurd! These are clearly fabrications."
Nathan stepped forward, his voice low but commanding. "We have witnesses. Digital forensics. Even your own assistant has turned against you."
Victoria’s eyes darted to Lillian, who stood near the door, her expression unreadable.
Evelyn crossed her arms. "It’s over, Victoria. Resign now, or face criminal charges."
For a moment, the room was silent. Then, Victoria’s composure shattered. She slammed her hands on the table. "You think you’ve won? You have no idea what’s coming."
Evelyn didn’t flinch. "Try me."
Victoria stormed out, but the damage was done. The board members exchanged uneasy glances before one of them cleared his throat. "Ms. Sinclair… it seems we owe you an apology."
Evelyn exhaled slowly. The battle was won—but the war wasn’t over yet.
Nathan leaned in, his breath warm against her ear. "Told you we made a good team."
She shot him a sidelong glance. "Don’t get cocky."
His grin was infuriating. "Wouldn’t dream of it."
But as they left the boardroom, Evelyn couldn’t shake the feeling that Victoria’s parting threat had been more than just empty words.
Something darker was coming.
And she would be ready.
Meanwhile, Marcus was utterly repulsed. The mere thought of Adriana—his stepmother who had shared his father’s bed—made his stomach churn. I’d rather walk through fire than entertain such a disgusting proposal!
Though Adriana was close to his age, she might as well have been a withered crone in Marcus’s eyes. The idea of touching her sent shivers of revulsion down his spine.
Yet Adriana had found his Achilles’ heel. She didn’t spell it out, but Marcus knew—if he refused, she’d expose the truth about Vivian’s role in her miscarriage.
If Ralph ever discovered Vivian had caused Adriana to lose the baby, Marcus had no doubt his father would unleash hell. The Brooks family prized their bloodline above all else. They’d brand Vivian a curse, a blight on their legacy, and…
Marcus’s expression darkened like a storm cloud. I won’t let Vivian suffer for this.
I need to play along—for now.
Adriana watched him with wounded doe eyes, her gaze a mix of longing and sorrow—but no anger.
“I’ll give you time to consider,” she murmured, voice trembling. “But we can’t wait forever. If we delay, suspicions will rise even if I do conceive.” She pressed a hand to her chest. “Marcus, I’ve compromised so much already. You can’t treat me like this. I have feelings too.”
Reject her! Call her out for this insanity! Evelyn’s mental scream was razor-sharp.
The Blackwoods exchanged puzzled glances. Why is Evelyn so invested in this?
Marcus’s jaw clenched. After a weighted pause, he gritted out, “Fine. I’ll think about it. You’ll have my answer after the wedding.”
Adriana’s lips curled in a fragile smile. She nodded, and Marcus bolted from the room like the hounds of hell chased him.
The Blackwoods tensed—until Evelyn’s scathing inner monologue cut through the silence.
Marcus, you absolute fool. You actually considered it?!
Nathan’s brows knitted. No. He’d never agree. He cut ties with his own father without hesitation. This makes no sense.
Then came Evelyn’s derisive mental scoff.
Oh, he’s stalling, alright. But his mind’s already made up. If push comes to shove, he’ll vanish with Vivian right after the wedding—no goodbyes, no looking back. The Brooks legacy? The fallout? He couldn’t care less. Vivian’s his only priority.
Relief washed over the Blackwoods. Smirks tugged at their lips.
Classic Marcus.
Nathan found it strange. If that were truly the case, why was Evelyn so visibly distressed?
Suddenly, he felt her stir in his arms, attempting to pull away.
Marcus had messed up! Did he not realize walls had ears? Vivian had overheard everything from the adjacent room!
The Blackwoods exchanged stunned glances. What?
Nathan recalled the mansion’s layout when they first arrived. Each upstairs room had its own balcony—wide open spaces where voices could easily carry if the doors and windows were left unsealed.
With the wedding festivities keeping everyone downstairs, the rooms remained empty. Marcus and Adriana must have known which ones were vacant, so they hadn’t bothered to close the balcony door.
Fate had a cruel sense of humor.
Marcus had left in such a hurry that he hadn’t noticed Vivian in the next room. She had been silently weeping on the balcony for some time now. No, I can’t just stand by and let this misunderstanding fester. I’ve always despised unresolved drama in those cheesy romance shows. I need to find them both and force them to confront this. Vivian is too pure-hearted—she won’t be able to hide her devastation.
The Blackwoods, too, found the situation unbearable. Though meddling in others’ affairs wasn’t their style, they couldn’t ignore this.
“I—” Evelyn was still scrambling for an excuse when Nathan spoke first. “Wherever you want to go, I’m coming with you.”
Their eyes met, and inexplicably, Evelyn felt she didn’t need to hide anything from him. “I’m going to find Vivian and Marcus,” she admitted.
Nathan… he’s someone I can trust with secrets.
The thought flickered through her mind without justification, but since he didn’t press further, she decided to let him accompany her.
With his sharp intuition, he might uncover the truth instantly. If he took the lead, no one would question how she knew things she shouldn’t.
Pulling her to her feet, Nathan smoothly excused them from the gathering, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.
Perfect. She’s starting to rely on me. That means I matter to her. This is progress.
Marcus had left with the bride, so Vivian would undoubtedly be in the bridal suite—she had come looking for him, after all. A quick inquiry led them straight to her.
She was upstairs. With staircases on both ends and an elevator available, they didn’t cross paths with Marcus, who was descending the opposite way.
Evelyn remained composed. She knew Vivian was still hiding in that room, quietly breaking down. And she wasn’t about to let her suffer alone.
They both froze in their tracks, locking eyes for a brief, tense moment.
"Is that…?" Evelyn wasn’t entirely certain. She had only caught a fleeting glimpse of the man’s sharp side profile.
"That’s Liam, Marcus’s uncle." Nathan’s tone carried an odd edge as he took in Liam’s stormy expression before the man disappeared into the room.
And then, Evelyn pieced it together. Damn. He was eavesdropping from the next room this whole time? Marcus, you really need to be more careful.
Nathan was speechless.
The Blackwoods exchanged confused glances. Who was eavesdropping?
Evelyn’s curiosity flared. Is he going to confront Adriana? I need to see this…
Nathan pulled Evelyn toward the room where Vivian was.
He had intended to knock, but the door wasn’t fully closed. Sensing something was off with Liam and not wanting to alert him, Nathan pushed the door open and strode inside with Evelyn in tow.
At that moment, Vivian was still on the balcony. Her expression was one of stunned disbelief, as if she had just heard something earth-shattering. She was so shocked that she didn’t even react when the two of them suddenly appeared in the room.
Meanwhile, Evelyn’s mind was racing.
Oh my God. These two are involved! Liam thinks Adriana’s child is his. He just found out the baby was gone and overheard them discussing having another one to replace it—now he’s barged in demanding answers! What kind of mess is this?!
Evelyn Sinclair stood frozen, her breath catching as the shocking revelation unfolded before her. She never anticipated this tangled web of relationships would reveal such a scandalous connection.
Across the room, the Blackwood family struggled to maintain their composure, their expressions a mix of disbelief and horror.
What?
The youngest son of the Prescott family’s patriarch?
Involved with his own brother’s new wife?
At first, everyone had assumed Vivian was merely delusional, desperate to cling to Marcus.
But now, the truth was undeniable—there had been something far more illicit between in-laws.
Just then, the reception was drawing to a close, and Grayson Brooks returned to the main hall. His face was dark with irritation, muttering under his breath.
No doubt, he was furious at his son and brother for abandoning their duties, leaving him—a man in poor health—to entertain guests alone.
Strangely, Grayson didn’t notice the pitying glances the Blackwoods kept throwing his way.
After all, it was tragic—his new wife had betrayed him so brazenly.
Meanwhile, Evelyn was piecing together the fragments of gossip swirling around her. The most frustrating part? She hadn’t even met Adriana yet, leaving crucial gaps in the story.
But Nathan Blackwood was already a step ahead. With a knowing glance, he guided her toward the balcony.
Vivian Grant seemed to have regained her senses, her lashes still damp with tears. As she opened her mouth to speak, Nathan silenced her with a subtle shake of his head.
Fortunately, Vivian was still too naive, too lost in her own emotions to question their sudden appearance. If anything, she looked eager to eavesdrop.
Her mind was consumed by one thought—Marcus considering having a child with someone else.
Next door, Liam Carter was demanding answers about the same matter.
Vivian knew she was the one who had set this disaster in motion. She was prepared to beg for Adriana’s forgiveness, to offer any compensation—but when it came to Marcus?
She refused to let him go.
Yet doubt gnawed at her.
She trusted Marcus’s loyalty. She knew he loved her.
But what if… he also longed for something—or someone—else?