CHAPTER 3

EVELYN

Without giving me a chance to process what had just happened, a firm yet controlled hand closed around my wrist. Victor pulled me away from the pool area and the outdoor corridor, leading me swiftly away from the noise and commotion of the party.

We made our way along the exterior of the main building until we reached a secluded corner of an open terrace perched at the edge of a cliff, far from the other guests. Outside, heavy rain lashed the night, mingling with the roar of waves crashing against the rocks below. Fortunately, the spot where we stood was sheltered by the roof supported by massive wooden pillars, shielding us from the direct downpour. Even so, the lingering chill and salty sea spray carried by the wind still stung my skin.

Victor stopped at the far end of the railing, which overlooked the vast, open sea. He turned to face me, his sharp eyes fixed on mine beneath the dim glow of the pillar lights.

Noticing that the thin fabric of my evening gown had begun to feel cold against my skin, dampened by the wind and my cold sweat, Victor didn't hesitate to remove his tuxedo jacket. Before I could step back, he had already draped it over my bare shoulders.

The scent of citrus mingled with his warm, masculine fragrance, enveloping my trembling body.

“The night air on this cliff isn't kind to someone whose world has just fallen apart, Mrs. Clearwater,” Victor said quietly.

His voice was so calm, a stark contrast to the storm of anger and devastation raging inside my chest.

My tear-filled eyes fixed on him, demanding an explanation for what I'd just witnessed.

“So... can you explain why you didn't look the least bit surprised when you saw your wife kissing Adrian, my husband?” I demanded impatiently.

“Because I already knew.” Victor remained composed, slipping one hand into the pocket of his trousers beneath his dress shirt. “Carleste and I have no connection beyond what's written on paper. Our marriage was arranged by our families for business purposes from the very beginning.”

He paused briefly before continuing.

“We agreed to have an open marriage because I've never touched her. And your husband... he's just another fool who willingly walked into Carleste's trap.”

His words struck me like a vicious slap across the face.

“Oh, my God... How long has this been going on?”

“Three months. I don't know what makes Carleste so infatuated with Adrian, but this isn't the first time she's brought up your husband.”

“So...” My voice trembled violently. “You deliberately agreed to this partner-swapping party?”

“Because Carleste kept begging me until she was practically on her knees. Not because I'm as depraved as she is, but because I was curious about what she was really after. Besides, she was willing to introduce Adrian, her bedmate, to me in person.” Victor's lips curled into a faint, humorless smile. “The funny thing is, your husband didn't even bother with small talk before promising to hand you over to me in exchange for my investment.”

My eyes widened. My heart pounded as I struggled to believe what Victor was telling me.

“To put it simply, Carleste organized this party for her own benefit. And from the very beginning, I knew your husband had deliberately dragged you into this trap without your knowledge.”

My head began to spin. Suddenly, every rotten piece of this twisted puzzle fell into place. The shock was so overwhelming that my knees nearly buckled, and Victor instinctively caught me before I could lose my balance.

Victor studied me intently, his voice softening while retaining its firm edge.

“I'm not the kind of man who takes advantage of someone else's suffering, Evelyn. Especially when I know your husband intends to treat you like a commodity.”

I lifted my head and met his gaze.

“Then... why did you let this party happen?”

Victor let out a short sigh, his eyes turning cold.

“Because I need legitimate evidence to divorce Carleste and remove her from the company. This party will be her own downfall.”

I froze.

So Adrian hadn't simply been forced into this. My own husband was the one responsible. Without the slightest hesitation or remorse, he'd deliberately sold me to Victor to satisfy his ambition.

The tears I'd been holding back finally spilled over, mingling with the rainwater still clinging to my face.

“Damn it...” I rasped, slowly sinking down until my back rested against the cliffside railing. “Adrian is a complete bastard!”

Seeing me utterly shattered before him, Victor moved closer. He extended a steady hand and gently helped me rise from my slumped position, guiding me until my back was safely against one of the pillars. Then he let me cry, allowing my shoulders to shake with every sob.

“Cry as much as you need to, Evelyn,” Victor said in a low, soothing voice. “You have every right to be angry. But when you're done, don't waste another tear on someone who doesn't deserve it.”

Several minutes passed. Gradually, the storm of emotions inside me subsided, replaced by a blaze of anger far more dangerous than grief.

I wiped the remaining tears from my cheeks and straightened my back.

Then I slipped Victor's jacket from my shoulders, folded it neatly, and placed it on the pillar-side table. I looked straight into the eyes of the man standing before me, no longer showing even the slightest trace of fear.

“Then it seems we're in the same boat, Mr. Devereaux,” I said, my voice turning cold, firm, and commanding.

Victor raised an eyebrow, appearing both surprised and intrigued by my sudden transformation.

“Listen carefully,” I continued, lifting my chin and meeting his gaze without flinching. “My real name is Evelyn Clearwater Rothwell.”

The revelation I'd never even shared with my own husband slipped from my lips amid the roar of the waves that night.

Victor's calm expression instantly froze. His breath caught in his throat. For the first time, the world-renowned technology mogul who always seemed to have everything under control looked utterly stunned.

“Evelyn, I don't think this is the right time for jokes.”

“Would you like me to prove it?”

Without waiting for his response, I reached into my clutch bag, pulled out my phone, and held up a photograph for him to see.

Victor glanced at it before letting out a derisive snort.

“Photos on a phone can be manipulated in seconds, Evelyn.”

I withdrew my phone, then took out a titanium metal card engraved with white gold and placed it on the pillar-side table.

“Photos can certainly be edited, Mr. Devereaux,” I replied sharply. “But this card... can't.”

Victor lowered his gaze to examine the exclusive identification card belonging to the Rothwell family, equipped with a military-grade encrypted chip.

His calm expression froze once more, and his breath caught. For the first time, the world-renowned technology mogul who always held absolute control appeared completely taken aback.

“So...” Victor looked up at me, his expression utterly changed. “You're Carlisle Rothwell's daughter, the one the public has never been told about?”

“Yes,” I replied confidently. “And now... does my offer of cooperation still sound like a joke to you, Mr. Devereaux?”