Chapter 91

Evelyn flashed a knowing smirk, her confidence radiating. Ever since the previous altercation, she had thrown herself into mastering self-defense techniques, determined never to be caught off guard again.

She sauntered toward the still-recovering Trenton, arching a brow in playful defiance. "Still think Natalie and I should join you for that drink?"

Trenton visibly flinched, his pride wounded. A flicker of resentment burned in his eyes, but he forced a tight-lipped smile and shook his head. "No, I—I wouldn’t dream of it."

Evelyn’s voice turned icy. "Then I suggest you leave. Now."

"Right. We’re going," Trenton muttered, his face flushed with humiliation.

His friends, nursing their bruises, scrambled to help him up, and they hastily retreated from the bar. As they disappeared into the crowd, Trenton shot one last venomous glance over his shoulder, silently vowing revenge for the disgrace Evelyn had dealt him.

With the confrontation behind her, Evelyn returned to her seat beside Natalie as if nothing had happened. The entire scene had sent a clear message to anyone else foolish enough to approach them—Evelyn wasn’t just a pretty face. She was a storm wrapped in silk, a rose with thorns sharp enough to draw blood.

Upstairs in the VIP booth, Nathan had settled back into his chair, his expression unreadable.

Theodore let out a low whistle, turning to Nathan with an impressed grin. "Damn. Didn’t know Evelyn could fight like that. You ever see that side of her before?"

Nathan took a slow sip of his whiskey, his gaze lingering on Evelyn below. "No."

The truth was, he’d never bothered to look. The old Evelyn had been nothing more than a shadow in his periphery. But this version—confident, unyielding, electrifying—had caught his attention in a way he hadn’t expected. A strange curiosity stirred within him, an itch to unravel the layers of this woman he’d once dismissed.

Though his face remained impassive, his eyes kept drifting back to her.

Serena noticed. Her grip tightened around her glass, jealousy coiling in her chest like a venomous snake. She had seen the way Nathan watched Evelyn—like she was a puzzle he suddenly wanted to solve. No. She wouldn’t let Evelyn steal him away.

Determined to reclaim his attention, Serena downed her drink in one go, then reached for another.

Meanwhile, Dylan sat frozen in his seat, his emotions a tangled mess.

Evelyn had been breathtaking just now—commanding, fearless, magnetic. She was everything he admired. And yet, the bitter irony gnawed at him. Why did she have to be Evelyn? The same woman he had once scorned, belittled, and pushed aside.

If only she were just Marcus’s goddaughter. If only things were simpler.

An uncomfortable silence settled over the group, thick with unspoken tension.

Finally, Theodore cleared his throat, eyeing Serena with concern. "Hey, maybe slow down. You know you can’t handle your liquor."

Serena waved him off with a tipsy laugh. "Relax. I know what I’m doing."

Theodore exchanged a glance with Nathan, shaking his head. Love—or whatever this mess was—always complicated things.

Downstairs, Natalie’s infectious laughter had lifted Evelyn’s spirits. But then, Natalie’s expression grew serious, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Evelyn… what if Mrs. Sterling comes after you? What if she demands an apology?"

Evelyn’s fingers tightened around her glass.

She had no answer.