Chapter 253

Evelyn froze mid-step, her brows arching in surprise. Huh? Shouldn't his response have been something like, "You're welcome, it was nothing"?

Nathan Blackwood truly didn’t play by conventional rules.

Suppressing the urge to roll her eyes, Evelyn kept her expression composed, offering him a polite but distant smile.

"I merely did what was necessary." With that, she turned to leave.

Nathan’s voice halted her retreat. "Believe me or not, what happened that night with Victoria had nothing to do with me." His jaw was tight, his tone laced with frustration.

Since when did Nathan Blackwood—ruthless, untouchable—care about justifying himself? Yet here he was, insistent on clarifying something so trivial.

The memory of Evelyn’s distrustful gaze that night haunted him. It had cut deeper than any blade, leaving him grappling with an unfamiliar helplessness—the agony of being shut out of her world, of her no longer believing a single word he said.

Evelyn’s shoulders stiffened imperceptibly.

She had nearly forgotten about that incident after Bennett’s investigation. To her, the truth didn’t matter anymore. Nathan’s sudden insistence on explaining himself was baffling.

"Mr. Blackwood, whether you were involved or not is irrelevant now. The matter is over." Her tone was cool, final. She walked away without another glance.

The plagiarism scandal had concluded, leaving the so-called Professor Meyer disgraced and publicly condemned.

The real thief behind the stolen chip turned out to be Meyer’s young lover—an intern at Kingsley Tech and a classmate of Genevieve Dawson’s. The police had swiftly arrested her.

Meanwhile, the bankruptcy proceedings for the Charleston branch had begun. Charles Sterling, refusing to accept defeat, stormed Sterling Tower repeatedly, demanding to see William and causing a scene.

"How dare you do this to me? I’m a Sterling!"

Evelyn sat in her office, a half-eaten dessert forgotten in front of her. The sweetness had turned to ash in her mouth.

Bennett studied her expression. "Should I have security remove him? The staff have been wanting to suggest it for a while."

But out of deference to Evelyn’s familial ties, no one had dared.

Evelyn’s gaze dropped to the photos Charleston’s authorities had sent her. Her expression darkened.

"Let him in."

Bennett hesitated but obeyed without question.

"I thought you’d be too ashamed to face me!" Charles barged in, his unshaven face haggard, his eyes bloodshot. "Evelyn, have you no conscience?"

Evelyn poured him a cup of tea and set it on the table with deliberate calm.

"Uncle Charles, I have unfortunate news for you."

He froze at her icy tone.

"As of ten minutes ago, the financial team at the Charleston branch discovered all company funds have vanished. Every property and stock under your name has been liquidated."

His face paled.

"You don’t have a single cent left to pay your investors."

Charles hadn’t even taken a seat. His body locked in place before he erupted into violent coughs, his face flushing crimson.

"You’re lying!"

Evelyn projected the photos onto the wall, forcing him to confront the evidence.

"While you were here throwing tantrums, your mistress and stepdaughter emptied your accounts and fled."

The images showed the two women with a burly middle-aged man—Genevieve’s father and Margaret’s husband—sneaking through an airport. The implications were damning.

Charles recognized the man instantly. He had investigated him after Evelyn’s warning at her birthday gala.

Yet here he was, making a fool of himself while they escaped with his fortune.

Evelyn watched the rage and humiliation twist his features. The fire was stoked perfectly.

"Uncle Charles," she said smoothly, "my father is willing to cover your debts—on one condition."

She let the silence stretch before delivering the final blow.

"You withdraw from all Sterling Corporation businesses, including the shares you secretly purchased."

Her smile was razor-sharp. "Immediately."