Chapter 71

Evelyn hurried toward Nathan, her face lighting up with a practiced smile. "Mr. Black, are you here to see Serena? I can take you to her."

Nathan regarded her with an icy stare. "Do you have something to say to me? Spit it out."

Though momentarily thrown by his frosty demeanor, Lila kept her smile in place, though it wavered slightly. "Actually, I wanted to ask a favor. Could you pass along a message to Serena for me? Even though she secured her position at Grandview General Hospital with the deputy director’s help, she should know her skills aren’t up to par. The hospital conducts strict monthly evaluations, and failing them could lead to termination. It would be humiliating for her to be fired."

She paused, pressing her lips together before continuing in a tone dripping with false concern. "Mr. Black, please tell Serena it might be better if she resigned voluntarily. That way, she could focus on improving her skills and maybe return later, more prepared. Relying on connections alone won’t keep her at Grandview General."

Nathan listened, his expression unreadable. Then, a faint smirk curled his lips, his eyes glinting with derision. "And what exactly are you implying?"

Lila faltered for a second before recovering. "Oh, nothing specific! I just hoped you could relay this message to Serena for me. That’s all."

"Really?" Nathan let out a low, humorless chuckle. "You and Serena work in the same hospital, yet you’re asking me to deliver this little warning? What am I, your personal messenger?"

His voice dropped to a dangerous timbre as he continued. He knew all too well how Evelyn, despite her kindness, had been manipulated by Lila—betrayed time and again by the sister who pretended to care while scheming behind her back.

Lila’s smile stiffened. After a beat, she sighed dramatically. "Serena won’t listen if it comes from me. But she’ll take it seriously if it’s from you, Mr. Black. She always listens to you."

Nathan’s lips twisted into a cold, mocking smile. "Miss Sinclair, don’t waste your concern on Evelyn. As long as she’s my wife, who would dare dismiss her?"

Lila’s eyes widened in shock, her carefully constructed mask slipping. She had assumed Nathan shared her disdain for Evelyn. But now…

Nathan looked at her with undisguised contempt. While he didn’t particularly care for Evelyn, he despised manipulation even more.

Lila’s transparent attempt to use him to undermine Evelyn only fueled his irritation. Seeing right through her ploy—her thinly veiled effort to tarnish Evelyn’s reputation and sway his opinion—Nathan felt nothing but disgust.

Without another word or even a glance in her direction, he turned and walked away. His imposing figure cut through the hallway with effortless authority, leaving Lila seething in his wake.