Chapter 489

Nathan's jaw tightened visibly. "You don't trust me?" His voice was low, edged with frustration.

At the traffic light, Evelyn slammed the brakes and turned to face him. Cold determination flashed in her eyes. "We're divorced, Nathan. It's over."

Nathan leaned back against the seat, unfazed. "Divorce papers don't erase history. We can always start over."

Evelyn let out a sharp, humorless laugh. "There's no 'we' anymore. That ended the day you signed those papers."

Her words struck like a blade. Nathan's expression darkened, his fingers curling into fists. He studied her profile—the stubborn set of her jaw, the way she refused to meet his gaze. "You don't get to decide that alone," he countered.

Evelyn's grip on the steering wheel tightened. Without another word, she pulled over the moment the light turned green. "We're not going the same way. Get out."

Nathan exhaled sharply but didn’t argue. He stepped onto the curb, the door clicking shut behind him. Before he could turn around, Evelyn’s car sped away, leaving him standing in the wake of her defiance.

Watching her taillights disappear, Nathan smirked despite himself. Being dumped on the side of the road? That was a first.

Later that afternoon, Evelyn was sorting patient files when Lila’s excited squeal cut through the quiet of the office. "Mom! What are you doing here?"

Evelyn looked up to find Diana Prescott standing near the nurses' station. Dressed in a tailored plum suit, her dark hair swept into an elegant chignon, Diana carried herself with effortless poise. She smiled warmly at Lila. "I had some free time and thought I’d finally see where you work. Brought treats for your team."

Lila beamed, immediately snatching a macaron from the lavish spread being unloaded by Diana’s attendants. The other doctors murmured appreciative thanks.

"Mrs. Prescott, you’re too kind!"

"Please, have a seat!"

The staff’s deference was palpable—everyone knew Diana’s lineage as the eldest daughter of Soling’s prestigious Sinclair family.

One doctor, oblivious to the tension, called out, "Dr. Hartley, your mother’s here! Aren’t you going to say hello?"

Evelyn froze mid-signature, her pen digging into the paper. Lila’s face twisted with fury. "If you don’t know the facts, keep your mouth shut!" she snapped. "That’s my mother!"

The emphasis on "my" hung in the air like a slap. The room fell silent, glances exchanged in confusion. Did that mean… Evelyn and Lila weren’t sisters?

Setting the file aside, Evelyn approached Diana with measured steps. "Hello, Diana."

Diana gave a curt nod. "Help yourself to the refreshments," she said, her tone carefully neutral, her smile never reaching her eyes.