Chapter 228

The morning sun cast golden streaks across Evelyn Sinclair's penthouse as she sipped her jasmine tea, her fingers absentmindedly tracing the rim of the porcelain cup. A wicked smirk played on her lips—today was going to be deliciously entertaining.

Across the city, Nathan Blackwood adjusted his cufflinks in the mirrored elevator of Blackwood Tower, unaware that his every thought was an open book to the woman he'd been trying to outmaneuver for months.

"Board meeting at nine... Victoria's report better be flawless, or heads will roll. And that deal with Holloway—need to renegotiate the terms before Preston catches wind of it."

Evelyn nearly choked on her tea. Oh, this is too good. Nathan's internal monologue was practically gift-wrapped for her amusement. She leaned back, savoring the mental image of the notoriously unshakable CEO sweating over a spreadsheet.

Then came the real gem.

"Why the hell did Genevieve insist on family dinner tonight? Unless she’s finally dumping Damian—thank God. That man’s more plastic than his credit limit."

Evelyn’s laughter echoed through the penthouse. She’d pay good money to see Nathan’s face if he knew she knew his private disdain for his sister’s boyfriend.

Her phone buzzed—a text from Lillian Graves, her ever-efficient assistant.

Lillian: Serena says the Vanity Fair interview’s moved to 3 PM. Also, Harrison Montgomery’s team wants you for his wife’s birthday gala. Drama alert: Vanessa Sterling’s hosting.

Evelyn’s grin turned feline. Natalie Whitaker and Vanessa Sterling under one roof? The claws would be out before the champagne was poured.

She was about to reply when Nathan’s thoughts hijacked her attention again—this time, laced with something far more intriguing than corporate scheming.

"Sinclair’s wearing that red dress in the Vogue spread. Should’ve bought the whole damn magazine just to burn it. Distraction’s a liability."

Evelyn’s pulse stuttered. Oh, Nate. If only you knew how transparent you are.

Downing the last of her tea, she made a decision. Tonight’s family dinner? She’d crash it in that dress. Let him choke on his hypocrisy.

And if Damian happened to "accidentally" spill wine on Nathan’s $10,000 suit? Well, some bonuses came in unexpected packages.

The revelation came faster than expected—partly due to Nathan Blackwood's efficient team, but mostly because Daniel Wright had been living like a ghost since returning home. His days were spent either groveling before his girlfriend's family or sneaking off to luxury hotels with Amelia Bennett.

Such illicit affairs always left the clearest paper trail. When Nathan ordered an investigation, his men knew exactly what to look for. Within hours, every hotel receipt and security footage landed in his inbox.

Hearing Evelyn Sinclair's mental warnings was one thing. Seeing his childhood friend being played for a fool was another. Nathan exhaled sharply, the weight of betrayal pressing against his ribs.

Noticing Nathan's intense focus on his phone, Evelyn leaned closer. Though the videos remained unpaused, the thumbnails told the damning story.

A thrill shot through Evelyn's veins. Perfect. The dominoes are falling exactly as planned. With Nathan's sharp mind, he must've pieced everything together by now.

After pocketing his phone, Nathan turned to Daniel with uncharacteristic gravity. "We need to talk. Privately."

Daniel blinked at Nathan's solemn tone. Though confused, he rose without protest.

The Blackwood family exchanged curious glances, teasing them about secretive behavior.

A direct confrontation? I wonder how Daniel will take it. Not that I should enjoy his misery... but damn, I'd pay to see his reaction. Despite her usual boldness, Evelyn hesitated to intrude.

Nathan surprised her by grasping her wrist. "You're coming too," he declared, pulling her along before she could protest.

The Blackwoods collectively held their breath as the trio disappeared into the study. The sudden silence was deafening—without Evelyn present, her entertaining inner monologue vanished.

Meanwhile, Daniel's frown deepened. Between Nathan's stormy expression and Evelyn's poorly concealed excitement, dread coiled in his stomach. "What's this about?" he demanded.

Nathan unlocked his phone and slid it across the mahogany desk. The screen displayed a hotel surveillance still—Daniel's arm wrapped around Amelia's waist as they entered an elevator. The timestamp read yesterday afternoon, when Daniel had claimed to be at a business lunch.

Evelyn bit her lip, vibrating with barely restrained anticipation. Showtime.

Daniel Wright's face went utterly blank, his stunned gaze fixed on Nathan Blackwood and Evelyn Sinclair.

"An illegitimate child? Ethan? That high school bully who tormented Amelia? He's my half-brother? And he had the audacity to show up today?"

Evelyn had never heard Daniel's voice so unsteady before. The shock must have hit him like a freight train.

Unfortunately, this was only the beginning.

Daniel's expression darkened, the vein on his forehead pulsing violently as he struggled to rein in his emotions. He trusted Nathan implicitly—there wasn’t a shred of doubt in his mind.

The revelation that his father had betrayed his mother for over two decades was a crushing blow. He wasn’t worried about his own pain—no, what terrified him was the thought of his mother ever finding out.

Daniel shut his eyes briefly, exhaling sharply. "Nathan, Evelyn… I appreciate the honesty. But I need you both to keep this quiet for now. I’ll handle it myself."

Exhausted, he spoke his piece—only for Nathan to cut in, "That’s not even the worst of it."

Daniel froze, staring at Nathan in disbelief. His father’s secret love child wasn’t the main issue? What could possibly be worse?

Evelyn winced. "Brace yourself."

A cold dread seeped into Daniel’s bones.

Nathan pulled out his phone, tapped a few times, and Daniel’s device buzzed as several videos came through.

"I had my suspicions about him," Nathan admitted, voice low. "So I dug deeper. What I found… wasn’t just an affair. If it were just that, I wouldn’t have dropped this bomb on you today."

Daniel frowned. The timing had been odd. The truth about Ethan could’ve waited until after the wedding.

But then he unlocked his phone—and his blood ran cold.

The thumbnails alone made his breath hitch.

He played them, one after another.

His vision blurred red. His entire body trembled, his grip on the phone tightening until the screen cracked under the pressure.

When he finally looked up, his face was pure fury.

He actually—

Evelyn hesitated. Something about Daniel’s reaction felt… off.

"Why didn’t she tell me? Why... the child..." Daniel's voice cracked, his words dissolving into fragments of disbelief.

Nathan frowned slightly, realizing Daniel was too distraught to think clearly. He cut straight to the point. "If you investigate, you’ll likely find discrepancies in how far along she is. Think back—were you even involved with her during that time?"

Daniel staggered as if struck, his entire body trembling. He wasn’t stupid. The truth hit him like a freight train—the child wasn’t his. It belonged to his half-brother, Mason. Amelia had only used him as a cover.

Then, Nathan relayed what he’d pieced together from Evelyn’s earlier observations, framing it with cold logic. "I suspect Mason knows about the pregnancy. This could be his play for the Ford fortune. Even if he doesn’t inherit, his child will."

No man could stomach such betrayal. Daniel’s rage burned white-hot.

Evelyn studied him cautiously before murmuring, "Do you want to call off the wedding?"

It was as if her words snapped him out of a trance. Without warning, Daniel bolted from the room.

His expression was terrifying—unhinged, murderous.

Before Evelyn or Nathan could react, he was already gone.

I thought he’d handle this quietly to save face. But he’s going straight for them? Are the cheating pair about to get exposed in front of everyone?

Excitement flared in Evelyn’s chest. She grabbed Nathan’s arm, dragging him toward the commotion erupting outside.

The scene they stumbled upon was chaos.

From across the hall, they saw Daniel had already knocked Mason to the ground with a single brutal punch.

The impact sent a tooth flying. Blood smeared Mason’s lips as he lay dazed, barely registering the next blow before Daniel hauled him up by the collar and struck again—harder, wilder.

Gasps rippled through the crowd.

Victor shouted for someone to intervene, but Sophia was faster, throwing herself between them.

Daniel froze mid-swing. No matter how furious, he’d never hit a woman.

"Move!" he snarled.

"Mr. Wright!" Sophia snapped, shielding Mason. "This is your wedding. What possible excuse do you have for this?"

The air crackled with tension.

Evelyn’s pulse raced.

This is about to get so much worse.

Sophia Reed's eyes burned with fury, her fingers curling into fists as she stood protectively in front of Mason Wright, shielding him from Daniel Wright's wrath.

"This has nothing to do with you—move!" Daniel snarled, his voice sharp as a blade.

"You call yourself a cop?" Sophia shot back, refusing to yield an inch. "Since when do officers assault people without reason?"

Around them, guests quickly intervened, pulling Daniel away before the situation escalated further.

Serena Collins steadied her son, her grip firm on his arm. "Daniel, what in the world has gotten into you?"

Victor Reed's gaze darted to Mason, relieved to see he was still conscious despite the blow. Then, his expression darkened as he turned on his son. "Explain yourself! Attacking a guest at your own wedding—have you lost your mind?"

Daniel's jaw clenched, his glare icy. "A guest?" He pointed accusingly at Mason. "You're calling him a guest?"

Before he could continue, a voice called out from the second-floor balcony.

Daniel turned to see Amelia Bennett standing there, her face pale, tears shimmering in her eyes.

From this distance, he couldn’t tell who she was looking at—but the sight of her silenced him. Swallowing his rage, he turned back to his father, his voice low and dangerous. "That man is not welcome here."

"Daniel?" Serena gasped, stunned by her son's behavior.

His teeth ground together. "Mom, you don’t remember, do you? He was the one who made my high school years hell. He tormented Amelia."

Evelyn Sinclair and Nathan Blackwood, who had followed the commotion, exchanged a glance. Something wasn’t adding up.

Why would Daniel attack Mason publicly instead of handling this discreetly? And if he was going to expose him, why not reveal the full truth—that Amelia had been cheating with Mason? Was it pride? Did he really think he could salvage this wedding by hiding the scandal?

Nathan frowned, just as confused.

The Blackwood family watched the scene unfold, equally baffled. Was Daniel really planning to bury the truth to save face?

Good grief, Evelyn thought, shaking her head. Daniel, you absolute fool.