Chapter 354

"That's enough for now," Victor Sterling snapped before abruptly ending the call.

As the line went dead, Grace Monroe's eyes narrowed, her expression flickering with something unreadable. Her fingers, resting on the coffee table, curled into a tight fist before slowly relaxing again, her features smoothing back into practiced composure.

The next morning.

Leonard Grant had called Evelyn Hartley late last night, informing her they'd be spending the day at their countryside villa. Before dawn had properly broken, Evelyn had already packed her bags and was waiting for Leonard and the others to pick her up.

Just as Evelyn was about to leave her room, her phone buzzed unexpectedly. Seeing Gabriella Vega's name flash across the screen, a brief shadow crossed her face before she answered.

"Do you have the results?" Evelyn asked immediately, her voice tight.

"Yes," Gabriella replied. After a slight hesitation, she added, "There's no trace of any substances in your system."

Evelyn's brows drew together in surprise. "Nothing at all?"

Gabriella's voice was firm. "I ran multiple tests. Your bloodwork came back completely clean. Either whatever was in your system metabolized unusually fast, or..." She trailed off meaningfully.

Evelyn pressed her lips together, uncertainty flashing in her stormy gray eyes. Had she imagined the whole thing? Was it possible she'd simply had too much to drink that night?

"Evelyn," Gabriella said gently, "think carefully. Did you notice anything else unusual that night besides feeling drunk?"

Evelyn considered for a long moment before shaking her head. "No. Nothing specific."

"Then maybe..." Gabriella hesitated. "Maybe there wasn't anything in your drink after all? You'd been under a lot of stress lately. Maybe your tolerance was just lower than usual."

"Maybe," Evelyn murmured, though the word tasted bitter in her mouth. Despite the test results, something still felt off about that night. But with no evidence, she had no choice but to let it go—for now. Ending the call, she headed downstairs.

A sleek black limousine bearing the Grant family crest idled at the curb. As Evelyn slid inside, the powerful engine purred to life, carrying them toward the countryside estate. During the drive, Leonard turned to Evelyn with concern in his eyes. "How is Olivia doing?"

Evelyn knew he was asking whether Olivia Sinclair had been harmed during the staged robbery. She shook her head. "She's fine. The thief never even touched her."

"Thank God," Leonard exhaled, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "Lila has gone too far this time. To stoop to such measures!" His mouth twisted in disgust. "She's shamed the Prescott name." Leonard had never trusted Lila Sinclair. There had always been something calculating about her, and recent events had proven him right.

"The Caldwells have been so kind to you," Margaret Hayes remarked from the opposite seat.

Evelyn nodded, a genuine smile touching her lips. "I'm very fortunate to have them in my life."

Nathan Black remained silent throughout the exchange, though his piercing blue eyes kept drifting to Evelyn as if drawn by some invisible force. Leonard noticed the younger man's attention and hid a knowing smile, his mood lifting considerably.

Upon arriving at the villa, the group settled in briefly before Evelyn headed to the kitchen to prepare lunch. Leonard had mentioned during the drive how much he missed her cooking, and she'd promised to make them a proper meal. Keeping it simple, she focused on a few comforting family recipes.