Chapter 13. The Mistress’s Crown

Inside the car, Daniel tried to reassure her. “Don’t worry, Mrs. Sinclair. Mr. Reed will take care of everything.”

Evelyn didn’t answer. Her eyes were fixed on the heavy iron gates of the Callahan estate. How could she have ever fallen in love with Lucas, a man who now looked so weak, selfish, and powerless in front of Sebastian?

A few moments later, Sebastian slid into the car. “Drive.”

“Yes, Mr. Reed.”

The black sedan pulled out of the affluent Boston neighborhood. The road ahead stretched endlessly, though the journey had just begun.

Evelyn turned to him. “What did you say to them back there?”

“I told them the contract between Reed Group and the Callahans only recognizes one person in charge,” Sebastian replied flatly.

She went quiet for a moment before suddenly letting out a short laugh.

His brow furrowed. “What’s so funny?”

“They think I cheated on Lucas, don’t they? And that all it takes is one project to fix everything? Do you think I can just be bought and sold like that? To people like you, to the rich, everything has a price tag, doesn’t it?”

Sebastian’s frown deepened. Before he could respond, Evelyn turned her face back toward the window.

“You can drop me off at any hotel,” she said coolly.

“Get some rest first,” was all he said.

Like a hedgehog curling into itself, she shut down again. “Thank you.”

Exhaustion weighed on her body. She leaned back in the seat, staring blankly at the skyscrapers flashing past the glass.

Her mind drifted to the past. Back then, she had studied at one of Boston’s top universities before joining Callahan Group straight after graduation. Soon after, she married Lucas. From the outside, everyone thought she was lucky, that her life had skyrocketed to the top. But only she knew how hard she had fought. Slowly, even her college friends had faded away, leaving her more isolated with every passing year.

The car glided smoothly down the road. From the rearview mirror, Daniel caught a glimpse of Evelyn asleep, curled up in Sebastian’s jacket. He tried to keep his expression neutral, though inside he was shaken. In all his years working for Sebastian, he had never seen him care about anyone like this—never mind giving up his own jacket, when he was known to be almost obsessive about germs.

“Mr. Reed, we’re almost at the hotel. Should I wake Mrs. Sinclair?” Daniel asked cautiously.

“Keep driving,” Sebastian said calmly.

Daniel blinked but obeyed, steering the car onto the city loop.

Evelyn woke a few hours later, rubbing her eyes and glancing at the time. “We’re not there yet? It’s already two o’clock. Didn’t we leave the Callahans’ at eleven?”

“Traffic,” Sebastian said evenly.

Daniel pressed his lips together, saying nothing. At this hour, Boston traffic was rarely that bad.

Evelyn gave a slow nod, still confused.

“For now, stay here. If you need anything, call me,” Sebastian told her once they finally arrived.

Surprised, she nodded politely. “Thank you.”

Sebastian had already arranged everything. The moment she stepped inside, the hotel manager greeted her and escorted her to the suite prepared in advance.

Evelyn pulled back the curtains, revealing a sweeping view of Archy Park, a patch of green in the heart of the city. Just a couple blocks away, the Reed Group tower rose high above the skyline.

In his office there, Sebastian was already reviewing reports. Daniel entered with a stack of documents. “Mr. Reed, I traced the photo. It first surfaced at Orion Media. But the editors said it came in by mail, no sender details. So we can’t track who sent it.”

He placed the original on the desk. “This is the copy.”

Sebastian studied it, his expression unreadable. “Clever.”

He tapped the photo with his finger, deep in thought. Lucas Callahan, busy with his mistress that night, could never have orchestrated something like this. So if not him… then who?

---

By the time the sun dipped low in the sky, Lucas was already driving to Chloe Hartman’s downtown apartment—a secret place he’d rented from the start for their affair.

He still remembered the first night he brought her there. As soon as the door had shut, she threw herself at him with a passion he couldn’t resist. Obedient and eager, Chloe always managed to make him lose control.

That blind devotion was something Evelyn had never given him, and it was exactly what made him feel powerful.

“Why’d you call me home early? What’s going on?” Chloe asked as he stepped inside.

“Nothing. I just missed you,” he said quickly.

As soon as the lock clicked, Lucas shoved her onto the bed. He needed release, needed to burn off the anger and humiliation that had been eating at him since the afternoon.

Chloe, startled but compliant, yielded to him as if she already knew what he needed.

When it was over, Lucas leaned back against the headboard, lighting a cigarette. Smoke curled through the room as Chloe emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in nothing but a towel, drying her hair.

“Evelyn didn’t show up at the office today. They say she’s not answering her phone either. What happened?” she asked.

Lucas dragged on his cigarette before finally answering. “Our deal with Reed Group is done.”

“Seriously?” Chloe’s eyes widened, admiration flickering there. “Evelyn’s talent is incredible. I could never match her, but I swear I’ll do my best.”

Lucas let out a bitter laugh. “Her so-called talent comes from being CEO of Callahan Group. Who gave her that position?”

“You did, Lucas. You’re young, already a CEO. No matter how good someone else is, in the end, they all work for you.”

Her words soothed the sting of humiliation Sebastian had inflicted earlier. Looking at Chloe, so devoted in his arms, Lucas felt his confidence returning.

“Chloe, what if I made you CEO?” he blurted.

She froze, though she quickly masked the thrill in her eyes. “Really? If you do, I’ll be completely yours.”

Lucas cupped her chin with a smirk. “I’m not joking. You’ve stood by me, lifted me up, made me feel like a man again. Evelyn only ever made me feel small. You’re different.”

Chloe lowered her gaze, feigning shyness though her eyes gleamed with ambition. “If you trust me, I won’t let you down.”

He pulled her close again, kissing her forehead with satisfaction. That night, wrapped in her embrace, Lucas believed he had finally found the woman who restored his pride. What he didn’t know was that this decision would spark the storm that would soon tear through both his marriage and his company.