Chapter 82

Nathan's lips curled into a mocking smirk as he regarded Evelyn with narrowed eyes. "Seems my intervention was entirely superfluous."

At that moment, Evelyn's phone buzzed sharply.

She glanced at the screen—Victor Sterling's name flashed across it. Without hesitation, she swiped to decline. Almost immediately, another call came through, this time from Grace Monroe. She rejected that one too. Then, like an unrelenting storm, notifications flooded in—message after message, until finally, her phone fell silent.

Nathan's sharp gaze flickered toward her. Drawing a slow breath, Evelyn unlocked her phone, her jaw tightening as she scanned the texts.

Victor's furious words glared back at her:

"Evelyn! How dare you defy me? Return home NOW—you have five minutes!"

"Apologize to Lila this instant! Do you think Leonard Grant's favor makes you untouchable?"

"Are you even still my daughter? What kind of monster have you become?"

"What filthy life did you lead abroad to turn out like this?"

A cold laugh escaped her as she exited the chat, only to see Grace's messages waiting.

"Evelyn, please, don’t be stubborn. Just come home and apologize. Lila won’t stay angry, and once she forgives you, your father will too."

"For once, listen to me. Do this."

Her fingers trembled slightly around the phone. Grace’s pleas were like shards of glass twisting in her chest. After a long moment, she pocketed her phone and stared blankly out the car window, emotions churning violently beneath her calm exterior.

Nathan watched her from the corner of his eye, his expression unreadable. The rest of the drive passed in suffocating silence.

When they arrived at the Grant estate, they retreated into their usual routines—Evelyn to her work, Nathan to his. To an outsider, she might have seemed unaffected. But that night, sleep refused to come.

By morning, the shadows beneath her eyes betrayed her restless night as she headed to the office.

Meanwhile, at the Grant mansion, Leonard sat poised on the sofa, his sharp gaze fixed on the unexpected visitors—Victor Sterling and Lila Sinclair.

"Speak," Leonard prompted, his voice calm but edged with authority.

Victor didn’t hesitate. "Mr. Grant, family matters should stay private, but I’m at my limit. My daughter Evelyn—she’s gone too far this time. She’s cruel."

He lifted Lila’s hand, displaying the angry red burn. "Look what she did."

Leonard’s brow furrowed slightly, though he remained silent.

Beside him, Margaret leaned forward. "What happened?"

Victor’s voice darkened. "Evelyn attacked Lila—twice. During dinner, Lila was serving soup. Evelyn let the bowl slip on purpose, scalding her. The soup was boiling. Lila didn’t even cry out—she begged me not to blame Evelyn. But then Evelyn threw another bowl at her, making it worse."