5

Chapter 5 — No Good Choices

Evelyn didn’t sleep. Long after the lights in the Sinclair Estate had gone out, a single office remained illuminated. Her office.

She sat behind her desk, still wearing the cream-colored silk blouse she had changed into after taking off her wedding dress. The room was quiet except for the faint ticking of the antique clock mounted on the wall. In front of her lay a blank sheet of paper. At the top, she wrote two words.

My Options.

She stared at the page for several moments before writing the first line.

Marry Arthur Morrison.

She paused. If she agreed, the Sinclair Group would stabilize. Investors would calm down. Her father would be satisfied.

In return…She would spend the rest of her life in a marriage she had never chosen. She drew a line through it.

The second option.

Reject the marriage.

She already knew the consequences. Richard would remove her as heir. The board would support him.

Sophia…Would inherit everything Evelyn had spent years building. Not because she had earned it but because Evelyn had refused to become another business transaction.

She leaned back in her chair. That wasn’t entirely true. Sinclair Group wasn’t just an inheritance. She had worked there since university. Built departments. Negotiated acquisitions. Expanded overseas partnerships. She had sacrificed weekends. Birthdays. Holidays. Even her relationship.

Walking away wouldn’t simply mean losing money. It would mean abandoning a company she had poured years of her life into. Her pen hovered over the paper once more.

Fight.

She stopped writing. Fight… How? The board stood behind Richard. The media only knew fragments of the truth. She had no allies powerful enough to challenge him.

Evelyn admitted something to herself….She was trapped.

A soft knock interrupted her thoughts.

“Come in.”

The door opened. Lena stepped inside carrying a tablet and a folder.

She looked exhausted.

“So do you,” Evelyn thought.

“You should’ve gone home.”

Lena smiled awkwardly.

“I was about to.”

“But this arrived.” She placed the folder on the desk. “It was marked urgent.”

Evelyn glanced at the envelope. There was no sender’s name. Only a black embossed logo. A soaring hawk. She recognized it instantly.

Hawthorne Capital.

Her brows knit together.

“Lena…”

“Yes, Miss?”

“When did this arrive?”

“About twenty minutes ago.”

Evelyn opened the envelope.

Inside was a single sheet of paper.

Miss Evelyn Sinclair,

Hawthorne Capital requests the pleasure of meeting with you regarding a potential business matter of mutual interest.

Tomorrow. 10:00 a.m.

Our headquarters.

No signature. Just a time. And beneath it…One name. Sebastian Hawthorne. Evelyn read it twice. Then a third time.

Lena watched carefully.

“Should I decline?”

Evelyn didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she looked toward the rain-speckled window. The Hawthorne family.

After everything that had happened yesterday…Why would Sebastian Hawthorne want to meet her? Business? Curiosity? Or something else entirely?

“What do we know about Hawthorne Capital?” she asked.

Lena blinked.

“Financially?”

“Everything.”

Lena opened the tablet.

“They’re the largest investment and acquisition firm in the country.”

“They’ve completed twelve acquisitions this year.”

“Zero failed investments.”

“They’re known for hostile takeovers.”

She hesitated before adding, “And… Mr. Hawthorne has never personally requested a meeting with anyone outside his executive circle.” Evelyn raised an eyebrow.

“Never?”

Lena shook her head.

“According to the business press, no.”

Silence settled over the office. Richard had offered her a cage disguised as duty. Now…The man whose family had become entangled in hers was requesting a private meeting. Coincidence?

Evelyn didn’t believe in coincidences. She believed in motives. She folded the letter neatly and slipped it back into the envelope.

“Tell them I’ll be there.”

Lena looked surprised.

“Really?”

Evelyn stood and walked toward the window overlooking the sleeping city. “If someone as calculating as Sebastian Hawthorne wants to see me…” A faint smile touched her lips.

“I’d like to know why.”

Outside…The rain continued to fall. Somewhere across the city… Another office remained lit long after midnight.

The following morning…Hawthorne Capital stood like a monument of glass and steel in the heart of the financial district. Forty-eight floors. Countless awards. One of the most influential companies in the country.

Evelyn stepped out of her car and looked up at the towering building. People bustled in and out through the revolving doors, dressed in tailored suits and carrying briefcases. Life here hadn’t stopped because of yesterday’s scandal. Business never did.

“Miss Sinclair.”

Lena appeared beside her.

“I’ve rescheduled your afternoon meetings.”

“Thank you.”

“And…”

She hesitated. “The press has been waiting outside Sinclair Group since six this morning.” Evelyn gave a small nod.

“They’ll get bored eventually.”

Lena smiled despite herself.

“I hope so.”

Together, they entered the lobby. The receptionist looked up immediately.

“Good morning, Miss Sinclair.”

“I’m here for a ten o’clock appointment.”

“Of course.”

The receptionist pressed a button beneath the desk. “Mr. Hawthorne is expecting you.” No paperwork. As though her arrival had been anticipated down to the minute. A man in a charcoal suit approached.

“Miss Sinclair.”

He offered a polite bow.

“I’m Nathan Brooks, Mr. Hawthorne’s executive assistant.”

“This way, please.”

They crossed the expansive lobby toward a private elevator. Nathan pressed his access card against the scanner. The elevator doors slid open. Instead of pressing one of the numbered buttons…He scanned another card. The elevator continued upward. Past the executive floors. Past the boardrooms. Until it finally stopped. Nathan stepped aside.

“The CEO’s office.”

The doors opened onto an entire private floor. Minimalist Añd Elegant. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the entire city skyline. The atmosphere was quiet. Almost intimidating.

Nathan led her toward a pair of double wooden doors before stopping. “He’ll see you now.”

With a gentle knock, he pushed the doors open. The office was larger than most luxury apartments. Bookshelves lined one wall. A grand piano occupied another. There were no unnecessary decorations. Everything served a purpose.

Standing before the windows with his hands in his pockets was Sebastian Hawthorne. He didn’t turn immediately. Instead, he finished reading the document in his hands before placing it neatly on his desk. Only then did he face her.

“Miss Sinclair.”

His voice was calm. As though yesterday’s wedding had never happened.

“Mr. Hawthorne.”

Neither offered condolences. Neither mentioned Ethan. Neither acknowledged the scandal that had connected their lives. It felt less like two strangers meeting… And more like two executives beginning negotiations.

Sebastian gestured toward the seating area.

“Please.”

Evelyn sat.

A housekeeper quietly appeared with a tray.

“Coffee?”

Sebastian asked.

“No, thank you.”

“I’ll have one.”

The housekeeper nodded and disappeared as silently as she had arrived. For a moment… Neither spoke. Sebastian studied her. She had changed out of her wedding dress. Changed her hairstyle. Changed her expression. But one thing remained the same. Her composure.

“You recovered quickly.” Evelyn met his gaze. “I had no choice.”

“No.” He nodded once. “You didn’t.”

Silence settled between them again. Then Sebastian picked up a folder from the coffee table. “I assume your father has already spoken to you.” Evelyn’s eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly.

“…About what?”

“Arthur Morrison.” Her heartbeat skipped. She kept her expression neutral.

“You seem well informed.”

“The business world is small.”

He slid the folder toward her. Without opening it, Evelyn asked, “Why are we discussing my personal affairs?”

Sebastian leaned back slightly. “Because your father moves quickly.” “And Arthur Morrison accepted surprisingly quickly.” Evelyn’s fingers rested lightly on the folder.

“So you’ve been paying attention.”

“I pay attention to anything capable of changing the balance of power.” His answer was immediate. A genuine flicker of curiosity crossed Evelyn’s face.

This man…Was unlike anyone she’d ever met. He wasn’t trying to comfort her nor was he judging her. He was simply…Assessing the situation and somehow…She had become part of it.