Chapter 70

Nathan Blackwood knew with chilling clarity that if they didn’t handle this crisis perfectly, the fallout would be disastrous. He needed to pull Harrison Montgomery aside immediately to regroup, but just as he moved to do so, a sharp cough from Marcus Donovan stopped him cold—reminding him they still had an audience.

Frustration burned through Nathan like wildfire, yet he swallowed it down. Picking another fight with powerful figures now would only make things worse.

"Our apologies," Nathan said smoothly, his tone dripping with practiced diplomacy. "We acted without thorough investigation. Ms. Sinclair, please accept our sincerest regrets."

But the response from the other side was ice-cold dismissal. Nathan had no choice but to yank Harrison back to reality with an urgent tug on his arm. Harrison, jolted by the sudden pull, felt humiliation and fury rise in his chest like a storm.

How dare Evelyn, a mere rookie, demand such groveling from him? He was Harrison Montgomery—a celebrated actor, his reputation leagues above hers. What had she even lost from this misunderstanding that warranted such spectacle?

His pride had been trampled one too many times tonight. Yet under Nathan’s relentless pressure, he finally gritted out, "I’m sorry. I misunderstood."

The room held its breath. A revered actor humbling himself before a newcomer? Unheard of.

The attendees were riveted, their gazes flickering between Evelyn’s composed demeanor and Harrison’s visible struggle. Some, however, thought Evelyn had pushed far enough. Why drag this out?

But Evelyn wasn’t done.

She exhaled slowly, her voice calm but unyielding. "I’m a forgiving person. Despite being wronged, I don’t hold grudges. But one person still hasn’t apologized, so I can’t say this matter is fully resolved."

Silence.

Hold grudges? Harrison nearly choked. She started this!

Nathan had to physically steer him away before he snapped.

The planned promotional shoot for Harrison’s team collapsed. Other groups filmed as scheduled, but no one cared—the scandal had stolen all attention.

Online, chaos reigned. Die-hard fans clung to denial, but neutral observers feasted on the downfall of a once-beloved star and his mistress. Harrison and Vanessa Sterling’s past, once romanticized, now stank of deceit. Netizens dissected every rumor, their commentary growing harsher by the minute.

Back at the Blackwood estate, the evening was spent dissecting the scandal. Evelyn multitasked—chatting, scrolling, snacking—while the others pretended not to hang on her every word. After all, firsthand accounts were far juicier than tabloid speculation.

"Half the internet’s screaming insults. And some still believe in their innocence?" Evelyn scoffed. "Are their eyes just for decoration?"

The family leaned in, eager.

"Did Vanessa actually pull the suicide card?"

Gasps.

"Fake, obviously. A ploy to manipulate Harrison."

Evelyn’s lips curled in disgust. "She claimed her ‘unstable emotions’ made her lie. Blaming mental health? Did she even see a doctor? If Harrison buys this, he’s dumber than he looks."

The room vibrated with outrage.

"She threw herself at him, kissed him—and he didn’t push her away! After forever, he finally mumbled some crap about his heart belonging to Natalie. Disgusting."

Nathan’s grip on his glass tightened.

"So that’s it? A kiss, some ‘love confession,’ and suddenly Vanessa’s forgiven for everything she did to Natalie? And he had the nerve to call Natalie from Vanessa’s room? Thank God she didn’t answer—she was in a coma from medication complications! But Harrison assumed she was ignoring him? The hypocrisy!"

The Blackwoods seethed, though they’d never met these people. No wonder the internet was furious.

Then—

"Oh, this is rich." Evelyn’s eyes flashed. "Maxwell actually suggested Harrison blame everything on Natalie, divorce her, and marry Vanessa to ‘fix’ this. The audacity!"

A collective gasp.

Meanwhile, on Vanessa’s balcony, Maxwell Thornton laid out his plan with cold precision.

"Divorce Natalie. Make her publicly admit fault. Then marry Vanessa. It’s the only way out."

Harrison recoiled. "Are you insane? I only threatened divorce to scare Natalie into backing down! I never actually—"

But the damage was done.

And the world was watching.