Was it truly Sebastian?

Evelyn froze, completely caught off guard.

She never anticipated encountering him here, of all ces.

Her heart hammered in her chest.

She spun around, desperately searching for a ce to conceal herself.

Her frantic movement sent her stumbling backward, directly into Theodore.

His hands shot out, catching her by the waist to steady her.

He arched an eyebrow, a teasing smirk playing on his lips. "In such a rush to get into my arms?"

"Don't flatter yourself!" Evelyn snapped, her voice a sharp whisper.

She immediately pushed him back, maneuvering them both into a shadowy corner.

A cold dread settled in her stomach.

Why now? Why here?

Of all the people to run into, it had to be Sebastian Hayes.

If he saw her with Theodore, he would undoubtedly report it to Alexander.

Just last night, Alexander had explicitly warned her about Theodore Vance.

And now she was found hiding in a corner with him.

No exnation would ever be enough. Alexander would never believe her.

"Evelyn, finally seeing my appeal?" Theodore murmured, his delusional grin widening as he looked down at her. "If you're this eager, why not file for divorce today? Make it official."

Evelyn bit her lip hard, frustration rendering her speechless.

She seriously considered calling for medical help for him instead of the police. His mental state was clearly questionable.

The sheer absurdity of his timing fueled her irritation.

Without a second thought, she brought her heel down hard on his foot.

"Ah!" Theodore gasped, recoiling in surprised pain.

"Who's there?" Sebastian's voice rang out from the elevator entrance, sharp and alert.

He had heard the scuffle from around the corner.

Panic seized Evelyn, her eyes darting wildly, searching for an escape route that didn't exist.

Horror dawned on her.

In her panic, she had backed them into a narrow, dead-end alcove.

They were trapped.

This was infinitely worse than a simple, awkward encounter.

Being discovered hidden away in a secluded corner with Theodore? Sebastian would jump to the worst possible conclusion.

Theodore recognized the voice instantly. Sebastian Hayes, heir to the Hayes family, acting CEO of Aethelgard Industries.

"So, it's him," Theodore muttered with a low chuckle.

He glanced at Evelyn, noting her palpable anxiety.

Was she really this frightened of being seen with him by a mere corporate executive? The thought amused him.

"Relax. Aethelgard Industries doesn't intimidate me. If you're so worried, just come work for Green Group. Problem solved."

He assumed her fear stemmed from jeopardizing her position at Aethelgard.

While he might be anonymous to most here, Sebastian definitely knew who he was.

No wonder Evelyn was so tense. Her career meant everything to her.

Theodore could easily offer her a role at Green Group, any position she desired.

Evelyn, however, had reached her absolute limit.

Could he not see the severity of the situation? His incessant chatter was going to get them caught.

Acting on pure instinct, Evelyn clamped her hand firmly over his mouth.

She shot him a venomous glare, her eyes burning with a silent command.

"Shhh! Not another word!" she hissed, her voice barely audible.