Why Are You Calling Me Now

Alexander watched Julian Thorne walk away until his figure vanished.

The man's steps were measured, deliberate.

His assistant moved closer, voice dropping to a whisper. "Mr. Blackwood, should we have him tailed? There's a risk he might flee in this confusion."

"Unnecessary," Alexander replied, his tone flat and final.

Julian wouldn't dare betray him. Not with the leverage he held.

The assistant gave a curt nod, yet remained at his side.

A moment of silence passed before Alexander spoke again. "Evelyn's status?" His voice was firm, but a sliver of concern bled through.

After the ordeal she endured, she must be rattled.

The thought alone constricted his chest.

He needed to know how she was holding up.

"Mrs. Blackwood has returned safely to Serenity Oaks," the assistant reported promptly. "However, she is anxious about you. She has called multiple times already."

Alexander's expression hardened instantly. His brows furrowed, eyes flashing with urgency. "Why was I not informed immediately?" His voice turned sharp as he spun to face his subordinate. "Turn the car around. Now. We return to Serenity Oaks."

"Right away, sir." The assistant immediately signaled the driver.

The car began its U-turn without delay.

His boss's focus was already miles away, at the estate. Nothing took precedence over Evelyn.

From this point forward, any matter concerning her was to be reported as the highest priority. No delays would be tolerated.

The moment Evelyn entered Serenity Oaks, she seized her phone.

She opened Twitter, searching for the latest developments.

A cold dread settled in her stomach. Aethelgard Industries had released no official statement. No clarification.

To make matters worse, her original social media account had been deleted.

Without any authoritative response, the plagiarism accusations had intensified, spreading uncontrollably.

Evelyn stared at the screen, paralyzed. She never anticipated the situation would escalate to this degree.

She took a deep, steadying breath and dialed Nathanial's number.

The line rang and rang. Finally, he answered.

Loud, chaotic noise flooded the receiver—blaring music, overlapping voices.

"Who is this?" Nathanial's voice was slurred, heavy with drink. "I'm occupied. Whatever it is, call back tomorrow."

"It's me," she stated coldly.

He didn't recognize her voice immediately.

But the people around him did. "Ooh? A woman's voice?" someone teased loudly.

"Nathanial, you claim to be single, but you're hiding someone!" another voice jeered. "Bring her over! Let's meet her!"

Nathanial frowned, waving a dismissive hand. "Stop the nonsense. I meet countless women. I can't remember every one."

Raucous laughter filled the background.

"Be careful, Nathanial, you'll upset her!" another person shouted over the noise.

Evelyn hadn't expected him to be in such a crowded, noisy place. But she didn't care. Her voice remained icy and determined. "Nathanial. It's Evelyn."

The background noise seemed to dim slightly. A whisper cut through the haze. "Evelyn? The designer accused of stealing Cassandra Sterling's design?"

Hearing her name clearly, Nathanial's expression shifted. Sobriety hit him.

His entire demeanor changed. He quickly moved to a quieter spot, his voice dropping. "Evelyn? Why are you calling me now? Are you trying to pull me into your online scandal?"