Chapter 76

Evelyn hastily changed her outfit, grabbed her purse, and rushed to the parking lot. Spotting Nathan’s sleek black car, she yanked the door open and slid into the passenger seat. The moment she shut the door, the engine roared to life, and they sped off.

As the city blurred past the windows, Evelyn turned to Nathan. "Just drop me off at the Sterling estate. You don’t have to stay. I won’t tell Leonard you were there."

Nathan’s grip on the steering wheel tightened, his brows knitting together. "Even if you don’t say a word, my father will find out. You know how he is."

Evelyn bit her lip, considering. Leonard’s obsession with pushing them together was no secret. She sighed and fell silent for the rest of the ride.

When they arrived at the Sterling mansion, they stepped out together. Victor Sterling, sprawled on the living room sofa, shot up like a spring the moment the door opened. His face twisted in fury as he stormed toward Evelyn. "You ungrateful little—!"

His tirade died in his throat when he noticed Nathan standing beside her. Grace, trailing behind Victor, froze mid-step, her eyes widening at the sight of Nathan. Then, with practiced ease, she plastered on a bright smile. "Evelyn! Mr. Black! What a lovely surprise!"

Victor swallowed hard, his demeanor shifting instantly. "M-Mr. Black! To what do we owe the pleasure?"

The irony wasn’t lost on Evelyn. Despite being Nathan’s father-in-law, Victor still addressed him with stiff formality, his tone dripping with deference. Knowing Nathan’s indifference toward Evelyn, Victor treaded carefully around him.

Nathan’s lips curled into a faint, unreadable smile. "I’m here to have dinner with Evelyn."

Victor’s face lit up with exaggerated enthusiasm. "Of course, of course! Please, make yourself at home!" He practically bowed as he ushered Nathan further inside.

Once seated, Nathan turned to Victor, his tone deceptively light. "You seemed to have something urgent to say to Evelyn earlier. What was it?"

Victor paled, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.

Just then, footsteps echoed from the staircase.

"Dad, is Evelyn back?" Lila’s honeyed voice floated down.

She descended gracefully, her smile faltering for a split second when she spotted Nathan beside Evelyn. A flicker of something dark passed through her eyes before she recovered, her expression melting into warm delight. "Evelyn! Nathan! What a wonderful surprise!"

Her performance was flawless, but Evelyn didn’t miss the way Lila’s fingers twitched at her sides.