Chapter 171

Evelyn met his gaze without flinching, her tone unwavering. "And what if I refuse?"

Nathan's piercing eyes darkened, his expression turning glacial in an instant.

A slow, knowing smile curved Evelyn's lips. "Mr. Black, you're constantly seen with Serena. Yet you ignored my request to stay away from her. If you can't follow your own rules, what gives you the right to demand that of me? Isn't that hypocritical?"

Nathan's jaw tightened, his silence heavy.

Then, a thought struck Evelyn. She tilted her head, her voice laced with challenge. "Or is it that seeing me with another man bothers you? Does it make you jealous, Mr. Black? Or angry?"

A flicker of irritation crossed Nathan's usually impassive face, as if her words had struck a nerve. Yet, his composure remained intact, his emotions expertly masked.

A moment later, his lips curled into a cold smirk. "Associate with whomever you please. Just ensure you don’t disgrace the Black family name or embarrass me."

With that, he brushed past her, heading toward the bathroom.

Evelyn stood frozen, her heart twisting. She hadn’t expected his words to sting, yet they did.

After a deep breath, she turned and retreated to another bathroom to shower.

Later, stepping onto the balcony, she called Ethan.

"Home already?" His deep, velvety voice greeted her.

"Yeah," she replied softly.

A pause. Then, she added, "Ethan, I'm sorry about today's mess."

His chuckle was light, dismissive. "Why apologize? You didn’t cause it."

"Still, I was the one who brought them along," she said, frustration creeping into her voice.

"You can't control others' actions," he reassured her.

After a beat, he asked, "Does your cousin have feelings for me?"

It had been obvious—Celeste’s infatuation was impossible to miss.

"Yeah," Evelyn admitted, embarrassment coloring her tone.

Ethan laughed, the sound edged with amusement.

She quickly added, "But don’t worry. I’ve made it clear she shouldn’t bother you. If she tries using me as an excuse to get close to you again, tell me immediately."

"I will," he promised.

Then, his voice turned firm. "And even if she tries, she won’t get near me."

Relief warmed Evelyn’s voice. "Good."

After a moment, she continued, "Could you let Marcus and Olivia know I’ve been swamped with work? I’ll visit them as soon as I can."