Chapter 98

One of the women gasped, her face draining of color as realization struck.

Evelyn observed them with effortless poise, her crimson lips curling into a knowing smirk. "Evelie," she said, her voice deliberate and smooth, "was the nickname Marcus and Olivia gave me. But my real name is Evelyn Hartley."

Each syllable was enunciated with razor-sharp precision, leaving no room for doubt.

The moment "Evelyn Hartley" left her lips, the air in the restroom turned frigid.

Felicity and her companions gaped at Evelyn, their eyes widening in stunned disbelief as they took in her transformation. It was staggering.

The woman standing before them—confident, radiant, and effortlessly elegant—bore no resemblance to the timid, overlooked girl they had once mocked. It wasn’t just her appearance that had changed; her entire presence exuded power.

Evelyn’s gaze locked onto Felicity, her expression cool and unreadable. "Ms. Chamberlain," she began, her voice slicing through the silence, "now that I’m here, tell me—have I changed enough for you?"

Felicity’s face paled before flushing crimson with humiliation as she recalled her earlier insults.

Her lips quivered, her voice barely a whisper. "I—I didn’t mean what I said. It was just nonsense—"

"I know I was wrong," she stammered. "Please, forgive me!"

The other women rushed to chime in, their voices trembling. "We’re so sorry!" one blurted.

"We’ll never speak badly of you again!" the other added hastily.

Evelyn’s smile deepened, though her eyes remained icy. "Apologies are easy," she mused, tilting her head. "But they don’t feel very sincere, do they?"

Panic flickered across their faces as they exchanged nervous glances.

Lila, sensing an opening, stepped forward with feigned concern. "Evelyn, they didn’t mean it. You don’t have to—"

"Quiet," Evelyn cut in, her voice sharp as steel. "I wasn’t speaking to you."

Lila’s expression stiffened, though a smirk curled inside her.

Go ahead, Evelyn, she thought. Show them exactly how ruthless you can be.

Felicity swallowed hard before whispering, "Then... what do you want us to do?"

Evelyn’s smile turned razor-thin. "Since you all seem so eager to slander me," she said lightly, "why not start by washing out those filthy mouths of yours? The sink is right there."

Shock rippled through them, their faces blanching in humiliation. But the fear of what Evelyn might do if they refused outweighed their pride.

After a tense pause, they shuffled toward the sink, turning on the faucets with trembling hands.

"Harder," Evelyn’s voice snapped like a whip, making them flinch. "What’s the matter? No strength left? Do you need me to help?"

Their scrubbing grew frantic, the sound of running water filling the silence.

Evelyn watched, her satisfaction hidden behind an unreadable mask.

This was only the beginning.