Chapter 275

Dominic gave a deliberately vague account of what had happened. The truth was, Evelyn had emerged victorious in spectacular fashion. He had nearly lost his life, and his bodyguards had been beaten so badly they couldn’t even stand. That was precisely why he no longer dared to provoke or lay a hand on her.

Of course, he wasn’t about to go around broadcasting his humiliation. But his mother’s words the previous day had helped him swallow his pride.

If Evelyn had any connection to the Hawthorne family in Elmsworth, everything suddenly made sense. Her mastery of kickboxing, her seamless transition into Phoenix Labs after leaving DR Holdings—none of it would be surprising if the Hawthornes were backing her. Their influence could easily have secured her position.

Vanessa had no idea what he was thinking, let alone the nature of Evelyn’s relationship with the Hawthornes. She was still reeling from the revelation that Evelyn knew kickboxing. Shock, anger, and jealousy twisted inside her. Not only was Evelyn a prodigy in perfumery, but she was also frighteningly skilled in combat.

How could Evelyn so casually disregard Lucien’s status and beat him without consequence, while Vanessa had to tiptoe around him, even enduring his abuse to the point of nearly losing her baby? The injustice of it all burned in her chest.

"I always knew Evelyn wasn’t as innocent as she pretended! She plays the sweet, self-sacrificing flower, but who knows what else she’s hiding? What kind of woman is that good at fighting? It’s practically witchcraft!"

Vanessa pressed on, convinced she was speaking the truth. "Now that I think about it, you’re lucky you got away from her, Dominic. Who knows what other lies she was feeding you?"

In the past, Dominic might have agreed. But now, knowing what he did about Evelyn’s ties to the Hawthornes, he realized just how much she had sacrificed for him—how much she had endured.

With the Hawthornes’ backing, Evelyn could have joined any major corporation. She didn’t need to waste her time in his struggling startup, helping him build it from the ground up. He knew her talent better than anyone. If not for his and Vanessa’s schemes, she would never have been mocked and belittled. She wouldn’t have been driven to despair. Looking back, Dominic saw with painful clarity just how wrong he had been.

When Vanessa accused Evelyn of deception, he couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. He fixed her with a hard stare. "Tell me, Vanessa. What exactly did she lie to me about?"

"She lied to you—"

"Did she steal from me? Play with my emotions?" he pressed.

"Dominic..." Vanessa faltered. She hadn’t expected him to challenge her. His sharp questions left her floundering, unsure how to respond.

"You’ve been by my side for years, Vanessa. You know better than anyone. When Evelyn and I got together, I didn’t even have DR Holdings. Without her perfumes and formulas, there would be no company today. Everything—the houses, the cars—came after. So tell me, what did she lie about?"

Vanessa was stunned. Since when had he become so clear-headed?

"What are you saying? That she was perfect and I’m the liar?"

When she couldn’t refute him, tears sprang to her eyes. "I know you hate me now. You won’t listen to a word I say. Everything I do is wrong. Evelyn was so good to you, sacrificed so much, and now you regret letting her go. You want to run back to her, don’t you? Fine! Go ahead! But tell me—has she even visited you in the hospital? Has she called? Or has she already blocked your number?"

Dominic sighed heavily. "That’s because I hurt her."