Chapter 32

Evelyn hesitated, her grip tightening on the phone. The last thing she wanted was to step back into Nathan’s world—not after everything that had happened.

But Leonard’s plea tugged at her.

She sighed. "Fine. I’ll drop something off."

Leonard’s relief was palpable. "Thank you, Evelyn. He’s at the Black Industries headquarters."

After hanging up, Evelyn stared at her reflection in the kitchen window.

Why was she doing this?

She didn’t owe Nathan anything.

Yet, despite herself, she found her hands moving, pulling out ingredients from the fridge.

Old habits died hard.

As she packed the food into a container, her phone buzzed again.

An unknown number.

She answered cautiously. "Hello?"

A smooth, unfamiliar voice replied, "Miss Hartley, we need to talk."

Evelyn’s pulse spiked. "Who is this?"

The voice chuckled darkly. "Let’s just say… someone who knows more about Nathan Black than you do."

Her breath hitched.

What game was this?

And why did it feel like she was being pulled back into a storm she’d fought so hard to escape?

Evelyn's lashes fluttered as she replied, "What if I order him some gourmet delivery instead?"

A beat of silence stretched on the other end before Leonard's weary voice came through. "That won't do, Evelyn. Nathan's too particular. He won't touch takeout. Don't trouble yourself—if you're swamped, I'll handle it."

Evelyn exhaled sharply. Leonard had backed her into a corner.

"Fine, I'll take care of it. You should rest, Leonard. Your health comes first," she conceded, recognizing his unspoken motive—to bridge the chasm between her and Nathan.

Leonard's relief was palpable. "Thank you, Evelyn. Just make sure he eats. He forgets meals when left to his own devices."

"Understood," she said tersely.

After hanging up, Evelyn informed Grace she was stepping out and left Sterling Holdings.

Luckily, a Michelin-starred bistro was just blocks away. She selected an array of dishes before heading to Black Enterprises.

At the sleek corporate tower, she bypassed the main elevators and strode toward the CEO's private lift. Without hesitation, she pressed her thumb to the biometric scanner.

Beep. Beep.

The doors slid open.

Evelyn's breath hitched. Her fingerprint still worked. She'd assumed Nathan would have purged her access by now.

Leonard had registered her print years ago, back when she'd personally prepared Nathan's lunches. But after just two deliveries, Nathan had coldly ordered her to stop.

Undeterred, she'd continued cooking—only to transfer the meals into upscale takeout containers, instructing secretaries to deliver them anonymously. The memory made her lips twist wryly.

Unbeknownst to her, the lobby buzzed with speculation.

"Who was that?" a receptionist hissed. "She just accessed the CEO's elevator!"

"His wife?"

"Impossible. HR said Mrs. Black is... substantial. That woman was a knockout—all legs and cheekbones."

Oblivious, Evelyn stepped off the elevator and approached Nathan's office. His secretary blinked in shock before stammering, "Miss, do you have an appointment?"