Chapter 354

Evelyn Sinclair arched a delicate brow, her lips curling into a knowing smirk as she glanced at Ethan Caldwell.

"We didn’t come here to ruin your bachelor party," she said smoothly. "We’ll leave as soon as he gets what’s owed to him."

Ethan let out a low chuckle, but before he could respond, Celeste Rousseau cut in, her voice trembling with suppressed fury.

"Mr. Caldwell," she hissed, "whatever disagreements we had in the past, this is my engagement celebration. My fiancé is Gregory Thornton, heir to the Thornton Group. His friends are all influential figures. Do you really think you can afford to make enemies here?"

The thinly veiled threat hung in the air—a warning that Ethan was out of his depth.

Evelyn’s amusement deepened. So, the docile facade had cracks after all.

Even Gregory seemed taken aback by Celeste’s sudden aggression. She had always played the sweet, demure fiancée.

The room fell silent.

Someone had even cut the music.

Ethan, however, remained unfazed. If anything, his smirk only grew more pronounced.

"Threatening me?" He scoffed. "You always thought I was just some broke explorer, didn’t you? That’s why you stole my money and ran off to latch onto a trust-fund baby?"

"Shut up!"

"What?"

Celeste and Gregory spoke at the same time—one in panic, the other in stunned disbelief.

Celeste clutched Gregory’s arm desperately. "Gregory, don’t listen to him! He’s lying! I don’t even know him! After everything we’ve been through, you trust me, don’t you?"

Gregory’s tense expression softened slightly, swayed by her pleading.

But Ethan’s laughter turned sharp, edged with bitterness.

"Mr. Thornton, take my advice—don’t be as gullible as I was. If you believe her, you’re just the next fool in line."

Gregory’s face darkened.

On one side stood Celeste, the woman he’d painstakingly wooed.

On the other stood Ethan Caldwell, standing beside Evelyn Sinclair.

Logic told him not to trust anyone associated with Evelyn. But instinct whispered that something was off.

Gregory gave Celeste’s hand a reassuring squeeze before fixing Ethan with a cold glare.

"You’d better have proof for what you’re accusing her of. If this is slander, I won’t let it slide—no matter who’s backing you."

His gaze flickered briefly to Evelyn, a silent warning.

Ethan didn’t flinch.

"That tie clip she gave you? The $60,000 one?" He smirked. "She bought it with my money—before we even broke up. Did she tell you she worked hard for it? Studied late nights?" His tone was flat, matter-of-fact.

Gregory stiffened.

Because that was exactly what Celeste had claimed.

Celeste paled. "Gregory, don’t—"

Evelyn’s cool voice cut through the tension. "What’s wrong? Too guilty to let him hear the rest?"

Celeste’s breath hitched. When she met Evelyn’s gaze, it felt like staring into a blade—sharp, unrelenting.

She looked away instantly.

Ethan continued, unfazed. "Don’t take my word for it, Mr. Thornton. Check the records. Every gift—scarves, watches, even that ridiculous gold-plated mug—came from my account. While I was on assignment, she drained $300,000 from my card. Thought that was all I had. Took the money and left."

A beat of silence.

Then—

"Celeste," Gregory said slowly, his voice dangerously calm. "Is this true?"