Chapter 124

Evelyn emphasized the words "twenty days" with a mocking lilt to her voice.

Serena's expression remained unshaken. "So what?" she shot back, defiance dripping from every syllable. "Until Nathan and I are officially divorced, I'm still his wife. And you, Miss Cole, are nothing more than a homewrecker!"

A storm of emotions twisted Evelyn's delicate features as she glared at Serena. "Who are you calling a homewrecker, Mrs. Black? Nathan loved me first."

Serena's laugh was light, almost breezy, as she countered, "Nathan and I are still legally bound, our marriage recognized and protected by law. And you, Miss Cole? You're just a ghost from his past—nothing more."

Evelyn's lips trembled, pressing into a thin line as she struggled to refute the undeniable truth in Serena's words.

Serena's composure didn't waver, her poise unbroken. "Once the divorce is finalized, you're free to chase after Nathan all you want. Do whatever your heart desires then. But until that day comes, I expect you to respect my marriage and stay away from him."

Her serene expression suddenly sharpened, her gaze turning glacial as she delivered a cutting warning. "Miss Cole, consider this your only caution. If I catch you summoning Nathan at odd hours or delivering meals to him like today, I won't hesitate to act. Don't test me."

With that, Serena turned sharply on her heel and stepped into the elevator without so much as a backward glance.

Evelyn stood frozen in the hallway, the world around her blurring as Serena's words echoed relentlessly in her mind. Her face paled, then flushed with the heat of humiliation and fury. The sheer power Serena held over her—simply by virtue of being Nathan's lawful wife—gnawed at her like a relentless beast.

Because Nathan and Serena were still married, Serena had every right to act as she did. And Leonard—oh, how Evelyn's resentment toward him burned at that moment! But as her initial rage began to ebb, a sliver of realization crept in. Only twenty days remained until the divorce was finalized. She reassured herself silently—soon, the tables would turn.

Once she was Nathan's wife, once the law was on her side, she would ensure Serena tasted the same bitter humiliation she had suffered.

Just as the thought crossed her mind, her phone chimed, snapping her back to reality. She pulled it out and read the message, her face draining of color in an instant.

"Meet me tomorrow night at ten, Room 3202, Sumner Hotel. Don’t be late."

Evelyn's hands trembled as she clutched her phone, the words glaring back at her like an omen of doom.

The message was terse, devoid of warmth, and it sent a chill down her spine.

She recognized the number immediately—it was him, the last person she expected to hear from now, the one who could unravel her already precarious world with a single word.

Her pulse hammered in her chest, a cold sweat breaking across her forehead as she processed the gravity of the summons.

With an unsteady breath, she steeled herself and walked away, her mind racing with dark possibilities.

Meanwhile, Serena sat calmly at the coffee table in Nathan's office, her focus entirely on her meal as if the outside world had ceased to exist.

Nathan, seated at his desk, cast her a fleeting, indifferent glance before returning to his work.