Chapter 178

"How devious! How dare he play me like this?"

"Shall we try again?" Alexander Kensington arched a brow, his lips curling into a smirk as he studied Evelyn Carter.

Evelyn had had enough. After all that talk, he had circled right back to their unfinished phone conversation.

"There's no need, Mr. Kensington. I'm perfectly satisfied with your... skills and performance." She dismissed him with a graceful wave, refusing to give him the upper hand.

Her compliment didn’t please him. His faint scoff was barely audible as he set his cup down. "That's not what you said earlier."

"Really? My mind was a mess back then. I don’t even recall." She shrugged, feigning ignorance.

"So you want me to refresh your memory?" He pushed away from the counter and closed the distance between them.

Her instincts screamed at her to flee, but before she could, his fingers wrapped around her wrist, guiding her back onto the stool.

"Alex..." His name slipped from her lips in a whisper, her palms pressing lightly against his chest. The defiance from moments ago had vanished, leaving her pliant beneath his touch.

"Don’t be afraid." His voice softened, his expression turning serious. "Even though we’ve taken a step forward, I won’t force you into anything you don’t want. Understand?"

Evelyn hadn’t expected such sincerity. Moments ago, she had been teasing him, but now, under the weight of his earnest gaze, her resistance melted away.

Her fingers brushed his cheek, tender and slow. "Alex… I wanted this too."

His lips grazed the back of her hand. "I know."

He had been certain of her feelings—that was why he had pressed on. Had she hesitated, he would have stopped. But she hadn’t. And for that, he considered himself the luckiest man alive.

Evelyn wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face in his chest. She, too, felt fortunate. What had started as a mere transaction had blossomed into something far beyond her expectations.

Meanwhile, Vanessa Blake was in a wretched state. Her face had lost all color, her lips cracked from dehydration.

Dominic Reeves hovered anxiously beside her. "Vanessa, let me take you to the hospital."

She shook her head weakly, leaning against the bedframe. "No… I just need rest."

But the moment she closed her eyes, Lucien Dubois’ face filled her mind, sending a fresh wave of terror through her. She hadn’t expected him to be so bold—following her into the restroom in a public place.

Thankfully, after a brief, heated exchange, he had left. But even that fleeting encounter had shaken her to the core.

If anyone had seen them—especially Dominic—her reputation would be ruined.

She couldn’t let this continue. It was time to act.