Chapter 202

Evelyn had always been indifferent to such matters, which made Dominic question when she had discovered his misuse of company funds to take Vanessa on lavish vacations and purchase extravagant gifts. The realization unsettled him.

Why had she waited until now to confront him when she must have known for some time?

Two possibilities gnawed at him.

Either Evelyn had only recently uncovered the truth—or she had known all along and deliberately feigned ignorance.

Both scenarios chilled him to the bone.

Their confrontation only deepened his unease, reinforcing the unsettling thought that he had never truly understood her. Was this still the Evelyn he thought he knew?

Dominic's fingers curled into tight fists, his anger simmering dangerously close to eruption.

Outwardly, he had appeared composed during the board meeting, but the night before had been a different story. Panic had clawed at him, the fear of losing shareholder trust nearly suffocating.

One wrong move, and it would have been over.

Fortunately, he had managed to sway them—his silver tongue and carefully crafted explanations had bought him time.

For now.

But if the truth ever surfaced, the fallout would be catastrophic.

He couldn’t afford to gamble on whether Evelyn had evidence. After a tense internal debate, he conceded.

If she wanted Sophia, then fine.

He would hand her over without hesitation.

Sophia was nothing but dead weight anyway. If Evelyn was so eager to take her, he’d gladly oblige.

Once Vanessa successfully launched the new product line and secured the industry award, profits would flood in effortlessly.

Would Evelyn even matter then?

Dominic snatched up the phone and dialed an extension, his voice clipped and authoritative.

"This is Dominic Reeves. Revoke Sophia Grant’s non-compete clause immediately. Yes, that’s all. Consider it handled."

Vanessa returned to the lab after a brief hiatus, though she wasn’t eager to immerse herself in the sterile, chemical-laden environment again.

The acrid scents of solvents and reagents made her nose wrinkle in distaste.

But she had no choice.

She had "authored" the formula, but appearances mattered. She needed to be seen actively involved in the R&D process—supervising, participating, ensuring no one could accuse her of fraud later.

Especially not if someone like Evelyn decided to interfere again.

The thought alone made her stomach twist.

She couldn’t afford another misstep.