Chapter 16. No Way Back

Boston, Massachusetts

At Mr. Harrington’s law office, a handsome man handed Evelyn a cup of tea.

“Did I keep you waiting? I got stuck in a meeting this morning and completely lost track of time,” Harrington said, his voice carrying a note of regret.

“It’s fine,” Evelyn replied, leaning back against the sofa though her face was tight with tension. “Mr. Harrington, how good are my chances of winning in court?”

“Are we talking about the divorce, or the asset division?”

“Isn’t that the same thing?”

“They’re two different matters,” Harrington explained, flipping open a thick file in his hands. “Your divorce from Lucas won’t be a problem. But when it comes to splitting assets, there’s no law that says the cheating spouse has to give up everything. At best, you might get some extra compensation. Still, I’ll fight tooth and nail for you.”

Evelyn studied him for a moment before offering a faint smile. “I’m not asking for anything excessive. I just want what’s rightfully mine. That’s enough.”

“Relax. As long as I’m handling it, you won’t have to worry,” Harrington assured her with quiet confidence.

“Thank you, Mr. Harrington.”

He raised a brow. “Still calling me ‘Mister’? Really?”

Her smile widened slightly. “Fair point. We’ve known each other long enough. You’re still the same Harrington—the older one from back in the day.”

They had, after all, been in the same university. Harrington, two years her senior, had been known as the sharpest law student on campus and president of the debate club. Evelyn herself had once been active there too.

“In that case,” Harrington said smoothly, “how about lunch together today?”

Before she could respond, his phone buzzed on the desk. Evelyn caught a glimpse of the screen—Delilah. Her brows arched, and a wry smile tugged at her lips. “Looks like someone else beat me to that invitation.”

“It’s not what you think, Evelyn. Delilah and I—”

“Don’t bother explaining,” Evelyn cut in quickly, rising from her seat and reaching for her bag. Her smile was laced with meaning. “Delilah’s my best friend. And she always says good things should stay in the family. So, I’ll leave her in your care.”

Harrington opened his mouth to stop her, but she was already heading for the door. “I have to run. I’ll email you the documents later.”

He watched her disappear through the doorway, his expression hardening. His phone buzzed relentlessly on the desk. With a low sigh, he typed out a quick message:

I’ll come see you tonight. Nine o’clock.

The moment he hit send, the phone finally fell silent.

---

Outside, Evelyn hailed a cab.

“Hotel Ouestien, please.”

Through the rearview mirror, she caught sight of the driver—a young man in a black cap and a mask. Something about it made her pause, but before she could dwell on it, her phone rang. She answered without checking the caller ID, eyes still fixed on the driver.

“Could you crack the window a bit? The air feels stuffy.”

“Can’t, miss. I’ve got a cold. Draft makes it worse.”

“Then just the back window? It won’t reach you. Honestly, fresh air would help with your cold more than hurt.”

“Not a chance. Makes it worse. Besides, the AC’s on. Way too hot in summer to open the windows.”

No matter how she pressed, the driver refused.

At that moment, a man’s voice came through the phone. “Where are you right now?”

Evelyn froze. Sebastian.

Her gaze flicked to the mirror again, locking with the driver’s sharp, unsettling eyes. Forcing calm into her voice, she said, “I just finished meeting my lawyer. On my way back to the hotel now. The driver’s wearing a mask—says he’s got a cold. Didn’t want to roll the window down. It’s hot as hell in summer, isn’t it? I’ll probably take some medicine when I get in, just to be safe. Flu’s been going around lately.”

“Send me your location. Now,” Sebastian ordered.

“Medicine? I don’t think the hotel stocks any. Could you grab some from the pharmacy for me? I’ll be there soon. Right now, we’re passing the Prudential Tower, near Boylston Street.”

While speaking, she quickly shared her live location with him and kept the small talk going to avoid suspicion.

Sebastian was already in his car, the address flashing across his phone—about five miles away. But her route wasn’t heading toward downtown. It was drifting outward.

“How much battery do you have left?” he asked abruptly.

Evelyn checked in alarm. “Barely anything.”

Only ten percent.

“Hang up. Save it.”

“Okay,” she whispered, forcing a smile into her tone. “See you soon.”

By then, night had fallen.

Mr. Harrington’s office sat just at the edge of downtown. But the driver was steering her farther out, climbing the dark, lonely hills outside Boston.

“Why are we heading this way?” Evelyn asked, suspicion creeping into her voice. “This isn’t the right route.”

“Don’t worry, miss. You’re not local, right? I know this city like the back of my hand. The back roads are way faster. Downtown’s a nightmare at this hour. Trust me.”

Evelyn tightened her grip on her phone. She’d lived in Boston for nearly a decade. Not once had she ever heard of the backroads being faster during rush hour.

And sure enough, twenty minutes later, the cab was winding up a deserted hillside road.

The uneven pavement rattled her nerves. “Are you sure this leads downtown?”

Suddenly, the car screeched to a halt.

The driver twisted around, his voice flat. “Sorry, miss. I got paid to take care of this. End of the line.”

He yanked the door open, dragging Evelyn out roughly. She stumbled, crashing onto the dirt.

When she lifted her gaze, her eyes locked on a pair of polished leather shoes planted firmly in front of her. Slowly, she looked up, and her breath caught.

Lucas.

“Have you lost your damn mind?” she spat. “You kidnapped me?”

Lucas crouched down, reaching as though to brush the dust from her shoulder.

“Don’t touch me!” Evelyn slapped his hand away, disgust twisting her face. “You’re vile.”

“Vile?” Lucas’s eyes narrowed, cold and cutting. “You think you’re pure? Why do you think Sebastian Reed ever wanted to deal with you? You made me look like a fool, Evelyn. And now you dare call me vile?”

Evelyn forced herself to her feet. “If we disgust each other this much, then let’s just get divorced. Walk away. Don’t bother each other again.”

“I’ll divorce you,” Lucas said icily. “But don’t think you’ll walk away with a single client or a single share of Callahan Group.”

“Why not? You and I both know who built that company’s success. Try using your conscience for once.”

“And what’s a conscience worth these days?”

The voice came from behind him. Female.

Evelyn’s stomach sank. She didn’t need to turn to know.

Chloe Hartman stepped out of the shadows, slipping her arm possessively through Lucas’s. Her face was lit with the smug glow of someone who had just claimed her prize.