Chapter 368

Chasel's pupils dilated as if struck by an insult to his very soul. His porcelain skin flushed crimson, lips trembling before he managed to choke out, "Excuse me?"

"Has Dr. Bright spent so long overseas that he's forgotten his native language?" Evadne's gaze sharpened like honed steel, her smile laced with unspoken dominance. "Shall I translate for you?"

Few women wielded such a smile—one that blended regal command with reckless daring, effortlessly crushing Chasel's rebellious aura beneath its weight.

"Are you implying I refused Thaddeus because I couldn't cure him?" His jaw clenched.

"Is there another explanation?" She shrugged.

"Ridiculous!"

Chasel slammed the table, rattling the teacups. "Have you forgotten my reputation abroad eclipses even Dr. Eve's? I've tackled impossible cases, snatched lives from Death's grip—he toasts me! And you dare question my skills?"

Evadne merely watched, silent, savoring his unraveling composure.

Then, like a fox catching its own tail, Chasel leaned back with a smirk. "Ah, almost fell for your bait, Ms. Ashbourne. Your tactics might work on vain men, but I don’t chase pride."

"Of course. A man of principle." Her tone dripped irony. "Yet Thaddeus Abernathy isn’t just another wealthy patient. His philanthropy has saved thousands. Surely you’ve heard of his foundation?"

She paused, startled by her own words.

Even divorced, praising Thaddeus came unnaturally easy. Strip away the heartbreak, and he was exceptional—flawless, save for love. No wonder she’d adored him for thirteen years.

"Your flattery changes nothing." Chasel crossed his arms. "You dragged me here against my will. That’s not respect—it’s tyranny. I’m leaving. Try stopping me, and I’ll call the police."

As he turned, Evadne sipped her tea. "Pity. Even Dr. Eve failed. I thought you might succeed."

He froze. "Dr. Eve treated him?! Why would she—"

"Bother?" Evadne’s cup hit the saucer with a sharp clink.

"Nothing! She’s my idol!" Chasel’s voice turned reverent. "Though we’ve never met, her brilliance is unmatched. Her surgical breakthroughs would take others decades to replicate."

Evadne rubbed her chin. If only he knew.

"A man Dr. Eve deemed worth saving," she pressed. "Do you really doubt his character? Or are you questioning hers?"

Moral blackmail? Perhaps. But with this slippery fox, she’d use every weapon.

Chasel exhaled, pulling a chair back. "...Fine. For her, I’ll examine him."

A smirk tugged Evadne’s lips. "On behalf of Dr. Eve, thank you."

Elvis Ashbourne wasn’t one to idle. Home for a rare visit, he reverted to old habits—sleeping by day, prowling by night.

"People will think you’re a vampire," Arnold teased when Elvis dragged him to a bar.

They chose a shadowed booth, but anonymity was futile. The Ashbourne brothers attracted stares like moths to flame. Women approached relentlessly, forcing them into a drinking game: one shot per interruption.

By midnight, Elvis was done. When a brunette pressed against him, he dodged and flashed his phone. "My wife. Gorgeous, isn’t she?"

Arnold choked on his whiskey. The screen showed Evadne.

"Elvis!" Arnold hissed. "Using your sister as a shield? That’s twisted!"

"Why hide her?" Elvis drained his glass, bitterness seeping into his grin. "Unlike that cheating bastard who took her for granted."

Arnold sighed. "Thaddeus?"

"Who else?" A cigarette dangled from Elvis’s lips. "I don’t get why she’s helping him. He deserves to rot."

"Think of it as rescuing a stray."

"Will Chasel agree?"

"With Evadne involved? Definitely."

Elvis exhaled smoke. "Before I leave, maybe I’ll sneak into the OR and—" He drew a finger across his throat.

Arnold paled. "Don’t. You’ll start a war."

"Relax. Joking." Elvis stood, swaying slightly. "Need to sober up."

He vanished into the pulsating dance floor, where strobe lights painted the crowd in neon. Women pressed close, but one scent cut through the haze—familiar, intoxicating.

A body collided with his. Soft. Warm.

Under the flickering lights, he squinted—then stiffened.

"E-Evadne?!"

No. This woman had a beauty mark above her brow. Evadne would never wear this cloying perfume.

Recognition struck.

Her. The woman from his time abroad. The one he couldn’t forget.

"Handsome, you know me?" She draped her arms around his neck, breath hot against his skin. "I don’t know you... but I like your approach."

Elsie Archer smiled, drunk and daring.