Chapter 29

Tristan jolted in shock, grabbing Nathan's jacket to cover his face as he scrambled toward the car. "Get in! Damn it! Your ex-wife absolutely destroyed me today!"

Once inside, Tristan hastily dressed while muttering under his breath. "Your ex is a total femme fatale. Ruthless. Heartless. I never stood a chance."

Nathan's expression darkened at his words. With slender fingers, he pulled out a cigarette and lit it. The smoke curled around him, casting shadows over his unreadable gaze.

Outside, Evelyn and Natalie followed Sebastian out of the Velvet Lounge. Their smug smiles widened when they spotted the two men in the car.

Sebastian sauntered forward, leaning casually against the window. His lips curved into a playful smirk. "Mr. Whitmore, it was just a friendly bet. No hard feelings, right? We're still pals?"

Tristan trembled with fury. "Easy for you to say! You weren't the one running around naked! My reputation is ruined—I'll be the laughingstock of the city!" He groaned, burying his face in his hands. "But I brought this on myself. No one to blame but me."

Earlier, when Tristan had hesitated to strip, Sebastian had given him a cold, assessing look. "If Evelyn had lost, would you have let her walk away?"

The answer was obvious.

So Tristan had been stripped bare. Now, he refused to even look at Sebastian, turning his head away with a haughty huff.

Nathan's sharp gaze locked onto Sebastian. His voice was dangerously low. "Mr. Hart, are you settling a score for Evelyn today?"

Sebastian chuckled. "Mr. Blackwood, you can't be serious. Evelyn won fair and square. A man of your stature shouldn't be a sore loser." He tapped the window lightly, then smirked. "You didn't expect her to win, did you? Three years of marriage, and you still don't know her at all. To you, she was always worthless." His grin turned devious. "But don't worry—you won't need to know her anymore. To us, she'll always be extraordinary."

Nathan's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Mr. Hart, you're not seriously interested in her, are you?"

Sebastian laughed openly. "Absolutely. I plan to pursue her. And I should thank you—if you hadn't let her go, I wouldn't have this opportunity."

Nathan's jaw tightened. He turned away, his face unreadable.

Tristan, unable to take another second, snapped, "Enough talking! Just drive, Nathan!"

Nathan slammed on the gas, speeding away. Tristan shot him a sideways glance. "You're pissed, aren't you? What's the big deal? So Sebastian likes Evelyn—why does that bother you?"

Nathan ignored him. "Worry about your own scandal. Those photos are going viral."

Tristan groaned. "This is the second time she's humiliated me! Why did you even marry her? There are plenty of women out there—why her?" He shook his head. "We all pitied you. Thank God we never treated her like one of us."

The car screeched to a halt. Nathan's knuckles whitened on the steering wheel. His chest tightened uncomfortably.

They never treated her as one of us?

"Get out," Nathan ordered, his voice icy.

Tristan blinked. "What? Why?"

"I'm going to the office. You're in the way."

Grumbling, Tristan stepped out. As he stood in the cold wind, watching the car disappear, he realized Nathan wasn't heading toward his office at all.

Meanwhile, Isabella strutted over, triumphant. "Tristan Whitmore finally got what he deserved. That man doesn’t learn until he’s flat on his back."

Natalie nodded. "If we didn’t put him in his place, he’d keep thinking Evelyn was weak."

Isabella frowned. "But when did Evelyn get so good at poker dice?"

Natalie and Sebastian exchanged amused glances. Natalie grinned. "When she was studying in France, she had a falling-out with her family. They cut her off, and she ended up working undercover at a high-stakes underground casino."

Isabella's eyes widened. "No way."

Natalie nodded. "She learned everything under the table—and made a fortune. When William found out, he panicked and begged her to quit. Compensated her with an unlimited black card."

Isabella whistled. "Damn. I should’ve gone to school with her."