CHAPTER 4

EVELYN

“What did you just say?” Victor gasped, his sharp eyes studying me intently, searching for even the slightest hint of hesitation in my expression. “The Rothwell name is not something to joke about, Mrs. Clearwater. Don't make up some ridiculous story just to get out of this.”

“I'm not joking.”

Victor fell silent for a long moment. He stared at the card in his hand before looking me up and down with an entirely different expression, a mixture of shock and genuine amazement.

“If you're Carlisle Rothwell's only daughter,” Victor murmured, “why have you been living like an ordinary woman? Why have you allowed your husband to treat you like some cheap pawn on a chessboard? And why are you even using the Clearwater surname when that family is nothing compared to yours?”

I scoffed in disgust at his questions.

“Because I just wanted to be loved sincerely. I wanted to know what it felt like to be loved as an ordinary woman, not as the Rothwell heiress, surrounded by masks and business interests at every turn. I hid my identity because I wanted to know whether Adrian truly loved me for who I was. But in the end...” My voice faltered as the bitter truth sank in once more. “It was my own foolishness that destroyed me.”

When Victor saw that I was about to cry again, he pulled me into his arms.

“We should go inside. The night air could make you sick. We can continue this conversation after you've changed into something dry.”

Without waiting for my agreement, Victor guided me into his spacious, warmly lit private suite. He told me to sit on the velvet sofa, then fetched a bathrobe and a warm towel before leaving me to clean up and take a moment to steady my breathing.

A few minutes later, I emerged from the bathroom wearing a thick velvet robe. The fragile Evelyn Clearwater Rothwell who had stood beneath the cliffside terrace earlier had finally shed her tears. All that remained in my eyes was a cold flame, ready to burn anyone who dared betray me.

Victor stood by the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the sea, a glass of whiskey in his hand. When he noticed me, he turned around, his gaze sweeping over my appearance with a subtle hint of approval.

“Feeling better?” he asked calmly, holding out a glass of warm water.

I took it and sipped slowly.

“Much better,” I replied, my voice now steady and cold. “So, what's our next move? Are you going to... divorce Carleste as soon as this event is over?”

“Maybe. Maybe not. But at least I've already installed hidden cameras in their room. I can use the footage as evidence in court when the time comes.”

“What’s stopping you from divorcing her right away?”

“Because I still need her in my company. I can't afford to act recklessly, even if our marriage ultimately can't be saved.” Victor continued, then glanced toward the connecting door or wall between the rooms. “By the way, their room happens to be right next to ours.”

I narrowed my eyes. “What do you think they're doing right now?”

“Evelyn, are you telling me you want to make absolutely sure they're doing it?”

I let out a bitter chuckle. Despite my anger and disappointment in Adrian, I couldn't deny that jealousy still burned inside me whenever I imagined him getting intimate with Carleste.

“This is insane.”

Victor sighed, shifted toward the drinks cabinet, poured himself a glass of wine, and took a slow sip. As he watched me intently, my gaze unconsciously wandered over the man standing before me. His chiseled features, straight nose, and athletic build made me instinctively compare him to Adrian Blackwell.

Damn it, Carleste. How could that woman be so stupid? Why go to all the trouble of throwing herself into Adrian Blackwell's arms when she could have kept her own sophisticated, legitimate husband and charmed him instead?

As if he could read my thoughts, Victor set down his glass and took a step toward me.

“All right. Let's focus on you for now, Mrs. Rothwell. What's your plan?”

I met his gaze, determination burning in my eyes.

“I don't think I should act recklessly either. Just like you, I need to be careful. But maybe this would be a lot more fun if we played a little game with Adrian and Carleste.”

“What do you mean?” Victor asked, furrowing his brows.

He took another step closer, his intense gaze fixed on me. For a moment, my cheeks flushed.

It had been three months since Adrian had last given me any real attention in bed, and now I was beginning to understand why. My husband had been too busy satisfying his desires with Carleste.

“Victor, what if we made Adrian and Carleste squirm?” I asked coldly. “This party lasts ten days, doesn't it? Why don't we pretend to be in a relationship?”

Silence settled between us.

Victor studied me intently. “Explain exactly what you have in mind.”

“I mean, why don't we repay their infidelity in kind? If Adrian or Carleste questions our relationship, we can simply say, 'Isn't that the whole point of this partner-swapping party?' After all, they're the ones who insisted that this was all about having fun, without any feelings involved.”

Victor fell silent for a moment. His jaw tightened before the corners of his mouth lifted into a thin, dangerous smirk.

The idea made perfect sense. Carleste had underestimated him for far too long, while Adrian thought I was a foolish wife who would meekly accept his betrayal. This wasn't just a game. It was an opportunity to strike at both their egos in a way neither of them would ever see coming.

Yet instead of agreeing immediately, Victor stepped closer. His intense gaze made me instinctively retreat until my back touched the glass wall separating the suite from the balcony.

“Looks like you're starting to enjoy playing with me, Evelyn.”

His voice was low, sounding more like a challenge than a question.

I lifted my chin, determined not to back down.

“Isn't it a good idea?”

“It's a pretty good one.” His smile widened. “But if we want them to believe us, we can't do this halfway.”

Before I could respond, both his arms circled my waist. With one firm movement, Victor lifted me off the floor. Instinctively, I wrapped my legs around his waist to keep myself balanced.

“Victor!”

“Relax.” His eyes never left my face. “I still know where to draw the line.”

His infuriating confidence made me want to fire back a retort, but a sudden moan from the room next door interrupted me.

I froze.

Behind the wall separating our suite from Adrian and Carleste's room, their voices were becoming increasingly clear. Even the waves crashing against the shore that night couldn't drown them out.

Pain spread through my chest, mingling with the anger I'd been struggling to contain. Adrian hadn't even given me a chance to process his betrayal before he went right back to getting intimate with another woman.

Victor noticed the change in my expression. Then he tilted his head and leaned closer until his voice was audible only to me.

“You can hear them, can't you?”

I swallowed hard before meeting his eyes.

“Unfortunately, my hearing still works perfectly well.”

Victor chuckled softly. “Then stop thinking about them.”

“Do you really think it's that easy?”

“No.” His gaze briefly dropped to my lips before locking onto my eyes again. “But you can start by proving that bastard no longer has any power over you.”

My heart began to pound even harder. I knew Victor was challenging me, and the most infuriating part was that I didn't want to back down.

“Guide me through your plan, Victor.”

The corners of his mouth curved into an even wider smile, radiating the dangerous charm of a man who was used to ruling everything around him.

“Kiss me,” Victor said confidently. “Prove that Adrian was wrong when he thought you were too foolish and too loyal to a bastard like him.”