Chapter 184

The morning sun cast golden streaks across the penthouse as Evelyn Sinclair stirred beneath silk sheets. Her phone buzzed insistently on the nightstand, dragging her from the edges of sleep. She blinked at the screen—Serena Whitmore, 7 missed calls.

Her agent never called this early unless it was urgent.

Evelyn sat up, rubbing her temples. The remnants of last night’s champagne still lingered in her veins, a dull throb behind her eyes. She swiped to answer.

"Finally!" Serena’s voice crackled through the line. "Where have you been? The studio’s in chaos. Nathan Blackwood just pulled out of Midnight Sonata."

Evelyn’s breath hitched. "What?"

"Some last-minute conflict with his schedule. Preston Whitmore is furious. They want you to convince him to stay."

Her fingers tightened around the phone. Nathan had been the reason she’d signed onto the project in the first place. Their chemistry during the table read had been electric—enough to make even the jaded crew members pause.

But convincing Nathan Blackwood of anything was like trying to tame a storm.

"I’ll talk to him," she said, though the words tasted bitter.

Serena exhaled in relief. "Good. Because if he walks, the entire production collapses. And Vanessa Sterling’s already circling like a vulture."

Evelyn’s stomach twisted. The thought of Vanessa—Harrison Montgomery’s scheming mistress—snatching the role made her blood boil.

She ended the call and tossed the phone aside, her mind racing. Nathan wouldn’t back out without a reason. And if she had to guess, it had everything to do with his family.

The Blackwoods were a tempest of secrets, and Nathan was the eye of the hurricane.

Nathan stood at the floor-to-ceiling windows of his office, the city sprawled beneath him like a glittering chessboard. His brother Julian’s text glared up at him from his desk:

Sophia’s in trouble. Again.

His jaw clenched. His sister’s reckless decisions were becoming a pattern—one that threatened to drag the Blackwood name through the mud.

The door creaked open behind him.

"You’re avoiding my calls," Evelyn said, her voice cool.

He didn’t turn. "I’ve been busy."

"Too busy for Midnight Sonata?"

Nathan finally faced her. Evelyn stood in the doorway, arms crossed, her emerald eyes sharp with accusation. She wore a simple black dress, her hair loose around her shoulders. Even angry, she was breathtaking.

"It’s complicated," he said.

She stepped closer, the scent of jasmine trailing her. "Uncomplicate it. The studio’s panicking. Vanessa’s waiting in the wings."

His expression darkened at the mention of Vanessa. "She’ll never get the part."

"Then don’t give her the chance." Evelyn’s voice softened. "What’s really going on, Nathan?"

For a moment, he considered telling her—about Sophia’s latest scandal, about the media vultures circling their family. But the words lodged in his throat.

Evelyn sighed. "Fine. Keep your secrets. But if you walk away from this film, you’re not just letting down Preston. You’re letting down us."

The weight of her words settled between them.

Nathan’s phone buzzed again. Another message from Julian: She’s at the Grand Hyatt. Room 1420.

He pocketed the phone, his decision made. "I’ll be at the studio by noon."

Evelyn studied him, as if trying to decipher the storm behind his eyes. Then, with a nod, she turned to leave.

But Nathan caught her wrist. "Evelyn."

She paused, glancing back.

"Thank you," he said quietly.

A flicker of surprise crossed her face before she pulled free. "Don’t thank me yet. You still have to face Preston."

The door clicked shut behind her.

Nathan exhaled, his grip tightening on his phone.

One crisis at a time.

The air grew thick with tension for a brief moment before the two most cheerful souls at the table broke the silence.

Runes. Have you fur

“We’ve only met a few times, right, Evelyn? Haha… I’m Vivian Grant. Do you remember me?”

Vivian happened to be seated beside Evelyn, her bubbly personality radiating warmth.

Everyone at the table was four to five years older than Evelyn, so Vivian spoke with the playful tone of someone teasing a younger sister.

Yet, Evelyn’s youthful, delicate features made her seem even younger than she was.

Vivian was the quintessential sheltered rich girl—naive, kind-hearted, and adored by everyone. The last time Evelyn had caused a scene and flipped a table, Vivian had nearly been caught in the crossfire, leaving her shaken. That she could still greet Evelyn with such enthusiasm now was a testament to Nathan’s influence and her own curiosity about Evelyn’s dramatic transformation.

“I’m Marcus Prescott, her boyfriend and your husband’s former college roommate.” Marcus wrapped an arm around Vivian’s shoulders, flashing a bright, carefree grin.

Outwardly, he seemed as easygoing as Vivian, but beneath the surface, he carried scars from his birth mother’s early death and the string of stepmothers that followed. Before meeting Vivian, he had been brooding and withdrawn. But one glance at her had changed everything, turning him into one half of their circle’s most infamous lovebirds.

From their college days to now, even weathering a long-distance relationship, their passion had never waned. They were the golden couple—everyone’s favorite pair, universally adored and blessed.

Seeing them together was like a burst of sunshine.

“Hello. I remember you both. Your relationship is still as strong as ever.”

Not bad. Aside from the nuisance of Marcus’s useless father forcing them to return for his latest wedding, this couple had no real worries. They were even discussing marriage plans.

The lovebirds thrived on praise for their relationship, so Evelyn’s words instantly warmed them to her.

Vivian beamed. “You two seem much closer now too.”

Nathan had been quietly listening to Evelyn’s thoughts when Vivian’s comment caught him off guard. A flicker of inexplicable joy sparked inside him.

His expression softened almost imperceptibly.

Others at the table had initially worried Vivian’s remark was too forward. But seeing Nathan’s reaction, they were stunned into silence.

To avoid earning Nathan's displeasure, Vivian had been carefully navigating the conversation—all for the sake of securing that generous alimony.

But Evelyn Sinclair understood her perfectly.

She’s dropping hints… but when Cassandra arrives later, won’t she be mortified realizing her mistake? They used to be so close. With her being so sweet and naive, it’ll be absolutely delicious watching her fluster in a few minutes. Hehe…

Nathan’s thoughts darkened.

Watching Vivian, who remained blissfully unaware, Nathan couldn’t shake the feeling that Evelyn was toying with her—though he had no proof.

Meanwhile, Marcus remembered Cassandra was due to arrive soon. To spare his girlfriend the impending awkwardness, he swiftly changed the subject. "Do you recall everyone else? I can reintroduce you."

Evelyn had already turned her attention to the others—there wasn’t much drama to be had with the couple in front of her.

"I don’t need introductions. I can manage," she said smoothly.

"It’s been a while. I’m Lucas Thornton."

The first to greet her was a refined gentleman in glasses. His expression was pleasant, his demeanor polished, but his gaze was unreadable. He sat beside Marcus, the only bachelor at the table.

Yet the moment Evelyn acknowledged him, her attention snapped to the woman seated diagonally across—a poised, elegant figure adorned with stunning yet understated jewelry.

The woman blinked in surprise, clearly caught off guard by the sudden scrutiny.

Lucas shifted slightly in his seat at the unexpected reaction.

"You remember Beatrice? Ah, right—you must’ve heard she’s about to become Lucas’s cousin-in-law. That’s why you looked at her, isn’t it? We’ll all be attending their wedding soon," Vivian said with a laugh.

Nathan recalled Evelyn’s earlier revelation—a man whose unrequited love is about to marry his cousin.

And speaking of cousins… Lucas’s cousin was indeed getting married. The bride? Their mutual friend, Beatrice Holloway.

Though they moved in the same circles, their relationships varied in closeness. Even back in university, Lucas and Beatrice had barely exchanged words one-on-one. After graduation, they only met at group gatherings—never privately.

So even after piecing it together, Nathan couldn’t be entirely sure.

Not until Evelyn’s thoughts echoed in his mind.

Holy hell. This is insane. Lucas has been secretly in love with Beatrice for nearly a decade, and yet in her eyes, they’re practically strangers. Worse—everyone in their circle thinks the same. Their so-called connection? Just a coincidence thanks to this arranged marriage. My God. Is Lucas some kind of undercover agent?

Shock flooded Nathan's system like a tidal wave.

So it's actually true! Nathan's mind raced. How could I have missed this for over ten years? And has everyone else been blind too? His thoughts spiraled. Why has Lucas been pining for Beatrice all this time without ever confessing?

Just then, Evelyn's internal monologue cut through his thoughts. Oh… So that's it? Her realization dripped with amusement. Good grief… I don't even know what to say. Well, let him watch the woman he loves marry someone else, then.

No, don't just leave it at that! Nathan nearly groaned aloud, his curiosity burning. What's the real reason?

For once, the usually composed Nathan Blackwood was desperate for gossip.

Both Lucas and Beatrice exchanged puzzled glances as Evelyn's gaze lingered on them, her expression unreadable yet undeniably strange.

Before they could question her, however, Evelyn's attention snapped elsewhere—someone had called her name.

"Hey, remember me?" Grayson Hart arched a brow, his tone hovering between casual and guarded. Evelyn had once torn into him, and clearly, the sting hadn’t entirely faded.

He half-expected her to falter under his scrutiny, to show even a flicker of discomfort.

Instead, Evelyn barely spared him a glance before zeroing in on the woman beside him.

Her intrigued inspection set him off instantly.

"What are you staring at?" Grayson demanded.

"Who’s this?" Evelyn asked, genuine curiosity lacing her voice.

"Gwendolyn Brooks," Grayson replied, deliberately omitting any mention of their relationship. He nudged the woman sharply, signaling her to greet Evelyn.

The atmosphere shifted immediately. Nathan, unable to resist, glanced over—and instantly understood what Evelyn had been mentally dissecting earlier.

Gwendolyn was young, but her makeup was oddly deliberate, as if she’d carefully crafted her appearance to resemble someone specific.

Evelyn’s thoughts spilled into Nathan’s mind again. Ohhh, so she’s the stand-in for his first love? Her amusement was palpable. Holy hell—a monthly salary of five hundred thousand? That’s… actually a pretty sweet gig! Wait—what? A burst of laughter echoed in her mind. Grayson actually thinks she’s taking the money to hide her real feelings for him because of their agreement! He forbade her from falling in love with him! Where the hell does he get this confidence? Pfft! Little does he know she’s almost saved up enough—she’s planning to ditch him after this month’s paycheck!

Nathan barely suppressed a smirk.