Chapter 60

The whispers in the room grew louder as the tension thickened. Meeting alone with a married man like Nathan—imagine the scandal if this got out!

Evelyn stood frozen, her heart pounding. Olivia Sinclair, usually composed, shot Beatrice Waltham a glare so icy it could have frozen the champagne in her glass. A nearby socialite, sensing the brewing storm, discreetly tugged at Beatrice’s sleeve, urging her to stop. Beatrice complied outwardly but smirked inwardly, amused by Olivia’s obvious discomfort.

Across the room, Ethan Caldwell let out a derisive laugh after hearing Dylan Reeves’ self-righteous speech. He fixed Dylan with a look of pure disdain. "Who told you Evelyn’s last name was Reeves? And who claimed Evelyn was even her real name?"

Dylan and Serena Cole exchanged confused glances. What was Ethan implying?

"Evelyn, come here," Olivia called, breaking her silence for the first time. Evelyn moved gracefully through the crowd of elite women, stopping beside Olivia. Olivia gently adjusted a loose strand of Evelyn’s hair before turning to Nathan, her voice cool and deliberate. "Nathan, perhaps you’d like to properly introduce her to everyone?"

The room fell silent, all eyes shifting to Nathan. He met their gazes without flinching, his voice steady and firm. "She is Evelyn Black."

The moment the words left his lips, the impact was immediate. Dylan and Serena looked as if they’d been struck by lightning, their faces draining of color. They stared at Nathan, mouths agape, unable to form a coherent response.

After a long, suffocating silence, Serena finally found her voice, though it trembled. "Nathan… what did you just say? Who is she?"

Nathan didn’t hesitate. "She is my wife. Evelyn."

The revelation sent shockwaves through the room. Not just Dylan and Serena, but every socialite present was rendered speechless. Olivia’s goddaughter—Evelyn—was the elusive Mrs. Black? It was too unbelievable to process.

Beatrice’s smile turned brittle, her shock evident. "That’s impossible! How can she be Evelyn?"

Dylan exploded, his voice laced with disbelief. He turned to Evelyn, taking in her undeniable beauty. To him, she bore no resemblance to the woman he remembered. How could this poised, elegant figure be the same Evelyn he had once dismissed?

Blinded by denial, Dylan blurted out, "Evelyn was plain, overweight, with that hideous birthmark on her face. There’s no way this woman is her!"

Olivia’s and Ethan’s expressions darkened instantly. "Mind your words, Dylan," Ethan snapped, his tone glacial. After a beat, he added mockingly, "What? Did you expect Evelyn to stay exactly as you remembered her? Birthmarks fade, people change—or is this your pathetic way of coping with the fact that she never wanted you?"

Dylan’s face burned with humiliation. He opened his mouth to retort, but no words came. The truth was too bitter to swallow. Years ago, he had looked down on Evelyn, finding her beneath his notice. Yet here he was, hopelessly infatuated with her now. The irony was cruel.

Before Dylan could muster a response, Ethan delivered the final blow. "Why don’t you call your uncle now, Mr. Reeves, and confirm whether there’s a Dr. Evelyn Hartley in the Cardiac Surgery Department at Grandview General?"

Dylan clenched his jaw so hard it ached. He had nothing left to say.