Chapter 323

"Where the hell are you?! Ignoring my calls and texts for days—have you abandoned your own mother too?!" Margaret Evans' hysterical shriek pierced through the phone.

Nathan Evans glanced at his phone impassively. "Business trip. Busy."

"Get your ass home now! If you're not back today, don't ever step foot in this house again!"

The line went dead.

Nathan's brow furrowed as he grabbed his coat and headed to the family estate.

The sound of shattering porcelain greeted him in the foyer.

"Mother."

Margaret whirled around, her perfectly made-up face contorted with rage. "So you remember you have a mother?!"

She stormed forward in stilettos. "Look at the trash you've been dating! That bitch Chloe Valentine was bad enough, but her mother's a complete lunatic! She spat in my face today—in front of everyone!"

Nathan's eyes turned glacial.

"I warned you about Chloe! But no, you had to keep seeing her. Now she's had a miscarriage and blames us—"

"Miscarriage?" Nathan interrupted sharply.

Margaret gaped. "You didn't know?"

Nathan stood frozen, fingers trembling slightly.

Then his lips curled into a cold smile. "Good."

That child should never have existed.

Margaret took a shuddering breath. "Her mother crashed my luncheon today. The whole social circle knows now. If your father finds out—"

At the mention of Vincent Evans, her voice shook.

"Clean up your own mess!"

She scrubbed furiously at her arms as if still smelling the assault.

——

Meanwhile, Evelyn Langley curled on her sofa reviewing lab data.

The fluorescent lights softened her profile.

Her phone buzzed.

"Evelyn! I found it!" Sophia Laurent's excited voice chirped through the receiver.

Evelyn blinked. "Found what?"

"You know...that thing we discussed last time..." Sophia dropped to a whisper. "The fake boyfriend."

Evelyn choked on air. "Who?"

"You should probab—"

The call cut off abruptly.

Sophia glared at her screen flashing "Julian the Asshole" before answering. "What now?!"

Outside the alley, Julian Roscente crushed his cigarette beside a Maserati. "What took so long? I've waited thirty minutes!"

Sophia smirked. "That how you ask for favors?"

Julian gritted his teeth.

Remembering her black belt in taekwondo, he forced a grin. "Please, Soph. Desperate times."

With a huff, Sophia yanked the car door open.

"One time only."