Chapter 4: The Mask falls away.

Evelyn POV

The fury burning in my chest threatened to consume me whole, but I forced myself to take a deep breath. Losing control at this moment was not ideal. I needed to be strategic, calculated, and smart —everything I’d never been in my previous life.

I inhaled deeply, finally forcing myself to remain calm as I interrupted my stepmother’s incessant chatter.

“That’s enough,” I said quietly, interrupting her. Her mouth snapped shut in surprise, clearly not expecting to be cut off mid-lecture.

I arranged my features into an expression of docile obedience, a mask I’d worn for three years and could still slip into like a familiar coat. “You’re right, Victoria. I need to speak with Adrian privately and apologise for my outburst.”

Her eyes lit up immediately. Even her iron grip on my arm loosened as she nodded with satisfaction.

“Of course, darling! Go quickly! But first, you must change out of your clothes and fix your makeup. Adrian mustn’t see you looking so dishevelled, and remember to smile. You must make Adrian happy, no matter what!”

“Always,” I said calmly. “I’ll speak to him first, then I’ll... fix myself.”

“But Evelyn—” she started to protest, reaching for me again.

“I said I’ll handle it,” I cut her off, my voice carrying just enough edge to make her pause. For a moment, confusion flickered across her features, as if she was seeing me clearly for the first time.

Then I turned and walked away before she could recover, leaving her standing there with her mouth half-open.

I could feel dozens of eyes tracking my movement as I made my way across the ballroom towards where Adrian stood.

He was standing at the massive French windows overlooking the garden with his back to me, lost in thought, so he didn’t see me coming.

But before I could get close, Adrian’s bodyguard stepped into my path, blocking my way. Marcus, I just remembered his name. Adrian’s loyal guard, who’d never shown me an ounce of respect, even when I was supposed to be his boss’s fiancée.

“Miss Bennett,” Marcus said with barely concealed disdain, his bulk blocking my view of Adrian’s completely. “Mr Whitmore is very busy at the moment. It’s not convenient for him to see you now.”

Not convenient. As if I were an unwanted visitor instead of the woman whose engagement party this was supposed to be.

“I need to speak with him,” I said firmly, not backing down the way I had countless times before. “It’s important.”

Marcus’s expression grew more impatient, his jaw tightening as he looked down at me. “I’m afraid that’s not possible. Mr Whitmore specifically requested not to be disturbed. Please leave.”

We argued back and forth, his refusals growing more dismissive with each exchange. I could see the growing impatience in his eyes, the way his hand twitched toward the radio clipped to his belt as if he was considering calling for backup to deal with me.

The realisation filled my heart with bitterness: this was exactly how it had been in my previous life.

Even though I’d given up all my dignity to please Adrian, even though I’d moulded myself into his perfect accessory, Adrian had still been annoyed by my very existence. His staff treated me like an inconvenience because that’s exactly how their boss saw me.

All of this was happening in front of Adrian’s circle; his friends and family members who’d watched me embarrass myself for three years. They were probably enjoying the show, watching the desperate substitute get put in her place by a mere bodyguard.

But I wasn’t that woman anymore.

I straightened my spine and lifted my chin, fixing Marcus with the kind of glare I’d learned from watching Margaret Whitmore command a room.

“Today is my engagement party with Adrian,” I said, “That means I am officially becoming his fiancée. I suggest you think very carefully about how you speak to the future Mrs Whitmore.”

Instead of the deference I expected, Marcus’s expression grew even more disdainful. A cruel smile played at the corners of his mouth as he leaned closer, his voice dropping to a malicious whisper.

“Don’t you know?” he said, clearly relishing the opportunity to deliver what he saw as a reality check. “Recently, those breakfasts you’ve been so eagerly sending to Adrian? He throws them away without even looking. When you show up at the company looking for him, he’d rather work overtime than see you.”

His words stung deeply, filling me with shame and rage, but I maintained my composure, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing me flinch.

“You have no weight in Adrian’s heart,” Marcus continued, his smile growing wider. “So how could you possibly become the future Mrs Whitmore?”

He paused, letting that sink in before delivering his final blow. “Mr Whitmore has never given you a second thought. Miss Clarke is the only one who holds that place in his heart. My advice? Don’t humiliate yourself any further and accept reality. Go back where you came from. In our hearts, Isabella Clarke is the real Mrs Whitmore.”

Hearing Marcus’s words, I finally understood how ridiculous my previous life had been. 

Every gesture I’d thought showed love and devotion had been nothing more than an annoyance to Adrian. I’d been the clingy ex-girlfriend who couldn’t take a hint, the pathetic substitute who kept trying to win a game where I’d never even been a real player.

But knowing that didn’t make me want to back down. If anything, it made me more determined. I met Marcus’s mocking eyes coldly and said with a firm tone.

“Regardless, I must see Adrian now. Move aside.”

Marcus was getting frustrated seeing that every attempt to make be cower had failed. “Miss Bennet, if you continue causing trouble and don’t leave immediately,” he said, his voice dropping to a dangerous growl, “I won’t hesitate to remove you forcefully.”

A bitter laugh escaped my lips. A bodyguard was actually threatening me, the most important person at this engagement party. The sheer audacity of it highlighted exactly how weak and timid I must have been in my previous life for him to disrespect me to this extent.

I was beginning to get annoyed by the whole thing.

“Are all of Adrian’s bodyguards  so lacking in manners?” I retorted icily.

Marcus blinked in surprise, momentarily stunned by my boldness. Clearly, this was not the timid Evelyn he had grown used to.

Taking a step toward him, I continued before he could recover, letting my voice rise just enough to ensure the growing audience behind me could hear every word.

“Have you forgotten your place? I may not be Adrian’s wife yet, but I remain Evelyn Bennett from the Bennett family, and my family is not to be trifled with. We’re also a respectable family here, with our influence and connections. Even Adrian wouldn’t dare speak to me the way you just did.” I paused, letting my gaze sweep over him. “Yet, here you are, a mere bodyguard daring to threaten me?”

The colour drained from Marcus’s face as my words sank in. He’d overstepped badly, and we both knew it. In front of witnesses, he’d threatened the daughter of a prominent family at her engagement party. His job security had just become very questionable.

His expression faltered immediately. His earlier arrogance was suddenly replaced with caution.

“I... Miss Bennett, I apologise,” he stammered, bowing his head in a display of submission that should have felt satisfying but only highlighted how far I’d fallen in everyone’s eyes.

In my previous life, I’d been so desperate to please Adrian that I’d extended that same eager-to-please attitude to everyone around him. I’d never raised my voice to his staff, never demanded the respect due to my position, never stood up for myself even when they treated me like dirt.

Now I live only for myself. And if someone tried to bully me, I would fight back with everything I had at my disposal.

But his apologies were too late now.

I deliberately raised my voice, ensuring it was loud enough for everyone in the banquet hall to hear me.  

“It seems the Whitmore family are not being honest about forming an alliance with my family,” I said, putting just enough hurt and disappointment in my tone to sound like I was wronged. “If this is how your staff treats a Bennett, perhaps we should reconsider this entire arrangement. Maybe it would be better to call off this marriage altogether.”

As soon as the words left my mouth, I heard the sound of slow, deliberate applause coming from somewhere behind Marcus.

Marcus stepped aside immediately, and I saw Adrian approaching me with his characteristic unhurried strides. His grey eyes were fixed on me with an intensity I’d never seen before, and the corner of his mouth curved into a smirk.

“I could tell something was off with your earlier,” he drawled coldly. “And now here you are, finally showing your true colours.”

He stopped just close enough that I could smell his expensive cologne,

“Finally stopped pretending, haven’t you, Evelyn?”