Chapter 232

All eyes were fixed on Evelyn Sinclair, the beloved daughter of the Sterling family, filled with envy and admiration.

Alexander Sterling smiled warmly as he approached his sister.

Evelyn turned her head slightly, raising an eyebrow. "Was this part of the program? I don't recall this being scheduled."

Alexander maintained his composed demeanor. "Of course not." Then his gaze shifted slightly.

He noticed a man descending the grand staircase across the room. His tone lightened. "But I believe I know who arranged this."

"Who?" Evelyn followed his line of sight.

Her body tensed immediately. Sebastian Hart stood there in a custom-tailored tuxedo, his devilish smile radiating undeniable charm.

In his hands, he carried an enormous bouquet of delicate roses - their meaning unmistakable. His gaze burned with intense affection as he moved toward Evelyn.

Evelyn felt her pulse quicken. It was too late to escape now. A tingling sensation ran down her spine.

The crowd began murmuring excitedly.

Tonight's events kept getting more dramatic. First Nathan Blackwood's extravagant gifts, now this from the Hart family's second son.

The surprises weren't over. Across the room, Victoria Ashford watched the scene unfold, her face draining of color. All attention was focused on Sebastian.

Maintaining perfect composure, Evelyn stood her ground as he approached.

Her eyes flickered with warning. Sebastian moved closer, his expression betraying nervousness. The entire room held its breath.

This had all the makings of a proposal! "Is Sebastian Hart really going to propose? What a shock! But didn't Nathan Blackwood just show his interest with those gifts? Both men are incredible catches."

"I wonder who Evelyn will choose." When Sebastian finally reached her, Evelyn could no longer remain passive.

She felt hundreds of eyes watching, including Nathan's piercing gaze from the crowd. His icy stare sent shivers down her spine.

Evelyn stepped forward gracefully, meeting Sebastian with a polite smile.

As he raised the bouquet, she swiftly interrupted in a voice only he could hear, laced with quiet threat: "If you dare kneel, I'll break both your knees."

Sebastian froze. The joy in his eyes evaporated, replaced by gloomy disappointment.

"Hmph! Just as I suspected - Sebastian came to ruin my party," Evelyn thought.

"Mr. Hart!" A trembling female voice cut through the tension.

Victoria Ashford, CEO of Ashford Enterprises, stepped forward. "Aren't you taking this joke too far?" Everyone knew Sebastian only had eyes for Evelyn.

Victoria, who usually hid her feelings so well, had finally lost her composure - a shocking sight indeed.

Sebastian seemed startled.

He hadn't even noticed Victoria's presence. Her words fell on deaf ears as he reluctantly spoke under the crowd's intense scrutiny: "Happy birthday, Evelyn. Wishing you... all the best."

Lucas Sterling burst into laughter. "'All the best'? That's quite the birthday wish!" Alexander shot him a silencing glare.

The crowd waited with bated breath... but nothing more happened. Evelyn accepted the bouquet with a satisfied smile.

"Thank you, I appreciate the gift." Sebastian lowered his head, hiding his disappointment. Lucas quickly diverted everyone's attention while Evelyn seized Sebastian's sleeve and pulled him away, oblivious to Victoria's mixed expression of frustration and relief.

When they reached a private room, Evelyn released him. "Sebastian Hart, what the hell were you thinking?"

The usually playful Sebastian looked uncharacteristically sincere, clearly hurt by her reaction - though not devastated. This was only the beginning. "I wanted to surprise you!" Unfortunately, Evelyn had seen through his plan immediately.

Today would have been perfect... what a waste. "Surprise? You nearly gave me a heart attack!" Evelyn glared at him, crossing her arms.

Their close friendship allowed for blunt honesty. She wasn't trying to embarrass him, but the outcome he'd hoped for was impossible.

Sebastian's charming smile returned, dazzling as ever. "You stopped me this time, but don't expect me to be so obedient next time."

Evelyn's temper flared. "Hart, I'm nothing like your usual type. Why this sudden obsession?" All his exes had been sweet, docile girls - completely opposite to Evelyn's strong personality.

Was he just looking for something different? Sebastian paused before laughing. "How could they compare to you? None of them ever truly moved me."

Evelyn had no interest in his romantic history. She raised a hand to stop him. "I don't care about your dating life. After all these years, we can only ever be friends."

"You're jealous!" Sebastian declared confidently, eyes shining.

Evelyn was speechless. How could she deflate his ego without crushing him completely? She tossed her hair back. "Forget it. I'm going back downstairs."

But as she turned, Sebastian grabbed her arm. "Your zipper's undone..."