Chapter 4

Evelyn could feel Graham becoming impatient.

He wanted Sophie removed so Evelyn would have no one useful beside her.

He wanted Fitzgerald Holdings weakened so she would lose her family's protection.

What was the point? He feared the ending from his dream, yet he couldn't stop himself from following the same path.

To avoid making him suspicious, Evelyn returned home obediently that evening.

She hadn't expected Mara to be seated at the dining table.

When Evelyn entered, Graham brought her soup that he had cooled in advance.

"To celebrate Mara securing the contract, I promised to bring her home for dinner."

Only then did Evelyn notice the large king crab on the table.

Evelyn loved crab, but it often worsened her circulation and stomach pain.

For her health, Graham had once agreed that they would only eat it when celebrating one of Evelyn's major contracts.

Now he had given that private ritual to another woman.

Evelyn had thought her heart was already numb, but a dull ache still spread through it.

She lowered her head and focused on her soup so she wouldn't have to watch them.

Mara had no intention of leaving her alone.

"Graham, does Ms. Fitzgerald dislike having me here? She hasn't touched the crab.

"Maybe I should never have accepted the project. Ms. Fitzgerald didn't need to apologize. I'm used to being treated badly."

Graham peeled the most tender piece of crab meat and placed it on Mara's plate.

"Evie, stop making things difficult for her."

Evelyn had just undergone a procedure. Eating rich shellfish was the last thing her body needed.

"And if I refuse?"

Graham looked at her as though she were a sulking child.

"Then I can feed you myself.

"We used to do that all the time, remember?"

Evelyn's throat tightened.

She picked up the crab and forced it into her mouth in large bites.

Where Graham couldn't see, Mara smiled triumphantly at her.

Graham watched Evelyn eat obediently, but felt no satisfaction.

It seemed as though she were deliberately rejecting his closeness.

Soon after finishing the crab, severe cramps twisted through Evelyn's abdomen.

Graham pulled her out of bed. "Evie, come to the gala with me."

"Take Mara."

He frowned. "Stop sulking. You're Mrs. Prescott."

"I'm not sulking. My stomach truly hurts."

Concern flashed through Graham's eyes when he saw how pale she was.

Then his expression hardened again. "You used to pretend you were sick when you wanted to skip class."