CHAPTER SEVEN: The Audacity of a Cheating Man

Evelyn’s POV

I had officially decided that Adrian Vale was trying to kill me.

Not physically, of course. Although, considering the size of his apartment, I wouldn’t be surprised if he had a dungeon somewhere.

No, he was trying to kill me with embarrassment.

Because how exactly was I supposed to sit across from a man I’d practically begged to kiss me the previous night and pretend everything was normal?

I stared at my reflection in the bathroom mirror “You’re an adult, Evelyn. Act like one.”

My reflection looked unconvinced.

I’d showered, brushed my teeth twice, and changed into the clothes Mrs. Whitmore had apparently washed and pressed for me. My headache had reduced to a dull throb, but my dignity was still missing.

I checked my phone to see twelve missed calls from Daniel and three messages.

I locked the screen. “Not today, Satan.”

I picked up my bag and headed downstairs, except downstairs wasn’t exactly downstairs, it was an enormous staircase leading into what looked like the private residence of a European royal family.

There were paintings on the walls, a chandelier that probably cost more than my entire education, and windows so tall I wondered whether Adrian employed someone specifically to clean them.

I was halfway down when I heard his voice. “She’s awake. She’ll be joining us.”

Who the hell was us? I followed the sound into a dining room and stopped dead.

“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me.”

The table was enormous and covered in food, the were pancakes, waffles, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, fresh fruit, croissants, toast, pastries, several different juices, and at least three dishes I couldn’t identify.

It looked like a five-star hotel had decided to relocate its breakfast buffet into Adrian’s dining room.

Adrian sat at one end of the table, scrolling through something on his tablet.

He looked up. “Good morning. Again.”

I stared at the food. “Are we expecting the entire population of Manhattan?”

He followed my gaze. “No.”

“Then why is there enough food here to feed a small country?”

“Breakfast.”

“Adrian, this isn’t breakfast.”

He set his tablet down. “Sit down, Evelyn.”

I looked at the chairs, there were at least twelve. “Where?”

He indicated the chair beside him. “I saved you a seat.”

I blinked. “You saved me a seat?”

“Would you prefer to stand?”

“No, I just…” I glanced at the empty chair. “Never mind.”

I sat and pushed a glass of orange juice toward me.

“Drink.”

“Do you always give orders at breakfast?”

“Only when necessary.”

“That must be exhausting for everyone around you.”

“Yet you keep coming back.”

Before I could think of a suitable insult, an elderly woman entered the dining room carrying a fresh plate of toast.

She had silver hair neatly pinned into a bun, kind brown eyes, and the sort of expression that made me immediately think of warm hugs and homemade soup.

“Good morning, dear,” she said.

I smiled.

“Good morning, are you Mrs. Whitmore?”

“That would be me.”

I immediately stood. “Oh, thank God. I wanted to thank you.”

She looked surprised. “Thank me?”

“For last night. Adrian told me you helped me change and looked after me.”

Her expression softened. “Oh, sweetheart. You had a very difficult evening.”

My throat tightened. “That’s one way to put it.”

She placed the toast on the table. “You don’t have to thank me. Mr. Vale was quite worried about you.”

I turned toward Adrian who was suddenly very interested in his tablet.

“Was he?”

“Mrs. Whitmore,” Adrian said.

She smiled innocently. “Yes, sir?”

“Breakfast.”

“Of course, sir.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Worried, huh?”

“Eat your food.”

Mrs. Whitmore chuckled. “He wouldn’t let me leave until he was certain you were comfortable.”

“Mrs. Whitmore.” Adrian warned.

“And he checked on you several times.”

I grinned. “Several?”

Adrian put his tablet down. “Does nobody in this house understand the concept of privacy?”

Mrs. Whitmore patted my shoulder. “Enjoy your breakfast, dear.”

She walked away, looking far too pleased with herself and I turned toward Adrian.

“So.”

“No.”

“You were worried about me.”

He picked up his coffee. “You were intoxicated and emotionally distressed, concern seemed appropriate.”

“That’s almost sweet.”

“Don’t get used to it.”

I laughed and reached for a pancake and for a few minutes, things felt strangely normal.

Adrian complained about an email he’d received from the Singapore investors. I told him it was Saturday and he needed professional help if he couldn’t survive one breakfast without discussing work.

He told me to stop talking and eat.

I told him to stop being bossy but he passed me the syrup anyway, it was ridiculous how comfortable it felt.

Until my phone started ringing, I glanced at the screen and saw it was Daniel calling, my smile disappeared.

Adrian noticed immediately. “Again?”

I nodded. “He’s persistent.”

“He’s been calling since last night.”

“Apparently.”

I rejected the call, Adrian watched me for a moment before returning to his coffee and then the phone rang again.

I declined, thirty seconds later, another call.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake.”

Adrian raised an eyebrow. “Would you like me to have someone deal with that?”

I looked at him. “What does that mean?”

“Whatever you need it to mean.”

“That sounds vaguely illegal.”

“Only vaguely?”

I almost smiled and my phone rang again and again, I knew ignoring him wouldn’t make him disappear. Eventually, I would have to deal with him, our apartment, the wedding arrangements, and the absolute disaster he’d made of my life.

Maybe I should just get it over with. “I’m going to answer.”

Adrian’s expression became serious. “You don’t have to.”

“I know.”

I picked up the phone and pressed accept. “Hello?”

“EVELYN!”

I immediately pulled the phone away from my ear. “Jesus, Daniel. Stop shouting.”

“Where the hell have you been?”

I closed my eyes. “Good morning to you too.”

“Don’t do that. I’ve been calling you all night!”

“I noticed.”

“Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been?”

I laughed. “Worried?”

“Yes, worried! You disappeared! You wouldn’t answer your phone!”

“Well, forgive me for not wanting to have a conversation with the man I caught fucking my best friend.”

Across the table, Adrian stopped eating.

Daniel went quiet and then he sighed.

“Eve, please. We need to talk.”

“We really don’t.”

“Where are you?”

“Why?”

“Because I want to see you.”

“That’s unfortunate.”

“Evelyn!”

“Work,” I snapped. “I went to work.”

There was a pause. “Work?”

“Yes, Daniel. That place I apparently spend too much time at.”

“You went back to the office?”

“Yes.”

“At night?”

“Yes.”

“And where did you sleep?”

I hesitated, Adrian was watching me now. “At work.”

He paused before continuing. “You slept at the office?”

“That’s what I said.”

“With Adrian?”

I frowned. “What?”

“Was Adrian Vale there?”

My stomach tightened. “what exactly are you asking me?”

He laughed. “Oh, come on, Evelyn.”

“What?”

“Don’t play stupid.”

I sat up straighter. “Excuse me?”

“You expect me to believe you ran straight to your boss after what happened last night and nothing happened?”

For a moment, I genuinely couldn’t speak. “You cannot be serious.”

“Answer the question.”

“Are you insane?”

“Have you been sleeping with him?”

The dining room went silent and Adrian slowly lowered his coffee cup.

I stared at my phone. “What did you just say?”

“You heard me.”

“Daniel, I caught you in our bed with Sienna.”

“And now you’re spending the night with Adrian fucking Vale!”

I felt something hot and furious rise inside me. “You don’t get to question me!”

“Maybe I should’ve questioned you a long time ago!”

My mouth fell open. “What?”

“Six years, Evelyn. Six years of you putting that man before me. Every dinner, every holiday, every fucking anniversary, Adrian needed something.”

“He’s my boss!”

“That’s what you keep saying!”

“Because it’s the truth!”

“Is it?”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing and Daniel’s voice became bitter. “Maybe Sienna was right.”

I went cold.

“About what?”

“About you.”

My fingers tightened around the phone.

“What about me?”

“That you were never really committed to us.”

I stared straight ahead and he continued.

“That you were always looking for an excuse to be around him. That you cared more about Adrian Vale than your own fiancé.”

“Daniel, stop.”

“And now I know why.”

My heart began pounding. “Don’t.”

“You’ve been fucking him, haven’t you?”

I felt Adrian move beside me but Daniel didn’t stop.

“That’s why you were never home. That’s why you always stayed late. That’s why you acted like I was unreasonable whenever I complained.”

Tears burned behind my eyes. “You cheated on me,” I whispered.

“Maybe I wouldn’t have needed Sienna if my fiancée hadn’t been busy fucking her billionaire boss!”

Something inside me broke, I opened my mouth, but no words came out and before I could even process what had happened, Adrian’s hand appeared beside my face.

He took the phone from my trembling fingers.

“Adrian—”

He raised one finger gently, asking me to wait and the brought the phone to his ear.

His expression was terrifyingly calm.

“Daniel.”

Adrian leaned back in his chair. “I’ve been listening to this conversation, and I think you’ve said quite enough.”

I stared at him and his grey eyes had gone cold.

“From this moment forward,” he continued, his voice dangerously quiet, “anything you have to say to Evelyn, you say to me.”