Chapter 252

The morning sun cast golden streaks across the penthouse as Evelyn Sinclair stirred awake, her fingers brushing against the empty space beside her. Nathan Blackwood had already left for his early meeting, leaving only the faint scent of his cologne lingering in the air. She stretched, her muscles still humming from last night’s passionate encounter, and reached for her phone.

A message from Lillian Graves, her ever-efficient assistant, popped up:

"The script revisions are in. Preston Whitmore wants to discuss them with you before noon. Also, Vanessa Sterling is making headlines again—something about a leaked video with Harrison Montgomery. The media is having a field day."

Evelyn groaned. Vanessa Sterling was nothing but trouble, and Harrison Montgomery’s marriage to Natalie Whitaker was already hanging by a thread. She typed back:

"Schedule the meeting with Preston. And keep me updated on the Harrison mess—Natalie doesn’t deserve this."

As she swung her legs off the bed, her gaze landed on the framed photo on the nightstand—Nathan and her at last year’s charity gala, his arm draped possessively around her waist. A smile tugged at her lips. Despite the chaos of their lives, he was her constant.

Her phone buzzed again—this time, an unknown number.

"You think you’ve won, Evelyn? The game has just begun."

Her blood ran cold. The message was unsigned, but the venom behind it was unmistakable. Victoria Hayes. Nathan’s scheming secretary, who had been quietly removed from Blackwood Industries after her attempts to sabotage Evelyn’s relationship with Nathan came to light.

Evelyn’s grip tightened around her phone. Victoria wasn’t one to make empty threats.

Before she could react, another notification flashed—this time from Nathan.

"Meeting ran late. Dinner tonight? I’ll make it worth your while."

The warmth in his words eased the tension in her shoulders. She typed back:

"Only if you promise no interruptions this time."

His reply was instant.

"No interruptions. Just you and me."

Evelyn exhaled, pushing Victoria’s threat to the back of her mind. Whatever game Victoria was playing, she wouldn’t let her win.

But as she headed to the shower, a nagging thought lingered—Victoria had resources. And if she was bold enough to reach out directly, she wasn’t acting alone.

The real question was: Who was backing her?

"Wait a minute. What's that on your neck?" Evelyn asked bluntly, her sharp gaze locking onto the faint red marks.

Vivian turned to look. The sight sent a jolt through her—it was eerily familiar.

Gwendolyn was already scratching at her skin, her discomfort obvious. "It's nothing. Just an allergic reaction. Excuse me."

With that, she hurried away.

"An allergy? To alcohol?" Vivian frowned. "She must have a sensitive constitution."

Evelyn found it odd too. In all their past gatherings, she had never seen Gwendolyn drink.

Instinctively, she activated her system for a quick scan.

Vivian returned to her old friends, venting about how Grayson had treated Gwendolyn as nothing more than a replacement—something she found utterly cruel and heartless.

The group exchanged uneasy glances. Grayson's behavior was despicable, but Vivian's reaction was... unexpectedly intense.

While lost in her system's data stream, Evelyn barely noticed Nathan rising from his seat. He guided her back down and gently wiped the spilled wine from her fingers with a napkin.

No way. This can't be a coincidence. Evelyn's eyes widened.

Nathan, long accustomed to Evelyn's racing thoughts, remained unfazed.

Both allergic to lemons. Nearly identical features. Could Vivian have a long-lost sister? Evelyn's brow furrowed. This feels like some cliché drama plot.

Even Nathan couldn't maintain his composure now. The mounting evidence made it impossible to dismiss as mere chance.

But he'd never heard of the Moore family losing any members. An illegitimate child? Vivian's parents adored her—their love story was legendary in high society.

As Nathan pondered, Evelyn dug deeper into her system.

She recalled the initial twist involving Sophia and Liam. Sometimes, if the truth was buried, the system required exhaustive searching to uncover it.

Earlier, when she'd scanned Gwendolyn and Vivian, she'd only skimmed surface details. Now, she scrutinized every piece of data.

Gwendolyn's records are straightforward. Parents died young in a car accident. No traceable relatives. Raised in an orphanage. She remembers her mother—looks just like her, so biological connection confirmed. But Vivian...

Evelyn's breath hitched.

Oh my god. Vivian's current mother isn't her biological one.

Nathan stiffened beside her, his mind racing to the same conclusion.

I see. This is absolutely outrageous. So, when Vivian was just a child, she witnessed her biological mother having an affair and running away with another man. She was so young, so desperate, clinging to her mother’s skirt, begging her not to leave. In a frantic moment, her mother shoved her away—hard—sending Vivian tumbling down the stairs. Even as she lay injured, bruised and bleeding, she still reached out, fingers trembling, trying to grasp her mother’s hand. But her mother, tears streaming down her face, whispered an apology and pulled away. Vivian could only watch, helpless, as her mother vanished into the night with her lover. The scars left behind weren’t just physical—they ran soul-deep. Evelyn’s expression darkened.

Nathan, noticing Evelyn’s simmering fury, glanced at Vivian—bright, vivacious, laughing without a care in the world. No one would ever guess the pain she carried.

No wonder the elder Moores had been furious, forcing Mr. Moore into a second marriage. They’d never approved of his first wife—Vivian’s mother—to begin with. He’d fought tooth and nail to marry her, only to be betrayed in the worst way. After that, his spirit shattered. He stopped resisting, stopped caring—his only concern was his daughter’s well-being. Hmm. It seemed he’d been reluctant about his new wife at first, given the circumstances. But then, unexpectedly, she turned out to be kind. She nursed Vivian back to health, cared for her like her own. In the end, Vivian accepted her stepmother before her father ever did—even calling her Mom. Yet, Mr. Moore still hadn’t moved on. He kept searching for Vivian’s birth mother—not because he wanted her back, but for closure.

Then, one day, he told Vivian her mother had died years ago. Would you like to visit her grave?

Vivian refused instantly. I only have one mother.

Meanwhile, her stepmother, out of love for her, had chosen never to have children of her own. Their bond was unbreakable. Vivian had long since buried the memory of her so-called real mother. Evelyn exhaled sharply, lost in thought.

Suddenly, Nathan had a realization. Earlier, when Gwendolyn had that allergic reaction, even Evelyn had spun wild theories. But Vivian? Not a single suspicion.

Was she subconsciously rejecting anything tied to her birth mother? Was her mind shielding her from the truth?

But this was Vivian—bold, fearless, sharp as a blade. Could she really be oblivious?

Meanwhile, the deeper Evelyn dug, the more uneasy she grew.

Both Vivian and Gwendolyn had lost their mothers. That alone was chilling.

Even if their mothers had different names… Gwendolyn’s age… The timeline of Vivian’s mother’s disappearance… Damn. The pieces fit. Was the universe really this cruel? Evelyn was so absorbed she barely registered the voices around her.

"Evelyn? Evelyn?" Vivian tilted her head, puzzled.

Nathan smirked. "She’s in her own world."

Vivian grinned. "Adorable. So this is your type, huh?"

"Doesn’t matter what she’s like. I’d love her anyway."

Vivian burst into laughter.

Evelyn ignored them. Because she’d just uncovered the truth.

Damn. They really were half-sisters—same mother, different fathers.

As Nathan chatted with Vivian, his gaze flickered. Then, slowly, he turned to Vivian, disbelief flashing in his eyes.

Vivian Moore let out a carefree laugh before suddenly turning serious. "By the way, that girl—Gwendolyn Brooks—is she really a fan of Evelyn Sinclair?"

Nathan Blackwood gave a slow nod.

"How old is she?" Vivian asked, her tone casual, though she avoided meeting Nathan’s gaze.

Nathan studied her for a moment, his brow creasing slightly. "I heard she just turned twenty."

Vivian’s lashes fluttered briefly before she schooled her expression.

Meanwhile, Evelyn had regained her composure and was eager to share the latest gossip with Nathan. But when she noticed Vivian standing unusually close to them, she froze, guilt flickering through her.

If this had been any other long-lost sibling situation, Evelyn would’ve gone out of her way to help them reconnect. But Vivian’s circumstances were… complicated.

After all, Vivian’s mother had cheated, abandoned her, and started a new family with her lover. Gwendolyn might be innocent, but Vivian was even more so.

Given the messy history, even though Vivian was known for her grace, Evelyn couldn’t predict how she’d react to Gwendolyn.

Vivian seemed to shake off whatever thoughts had troubled her, offering Evelyn a bright smile. "What’s on your mind?"

Evelyn fumbled for words. "Just wondering if things will get chaotic when Grayson Hart shows up later."

Vivian’s expression remained indifferent, as if Grayson’s name meant nothing to her.

After some light conversation, Vivian tugged Beatrice Holloway toward the pool for a swim. But her strokes were erratic, and she soon climbed out, restless.

"I need a drink. Where’s that girl? Why isn’t she here yet?" Vivian abruptly broke the silence. "Could it be a bad allergic reaction? I should check on her."