Chapter 12

Evelyn had slipped back into Nathaniel's T-shirt but layered his suit jacket over it. The chill from the cracked car window had seeped into her bones.

"Word is you're unemployed now?" Nathaniel's baritone voice cut through her daze as she stared blankly at the passing cityscape.

Her lips curled. "Thanks to you."

He flipped through financial reports without looking up. "I gave that company every opportunity. Their persistent errors prove they're unworthy of investment."

A yawn escaped her. "Save the lecture. Not my circus anymore."

Nathaniel paused mid-page. "If you need an internship placement—"

"Stop the car!" Evelyn practically launched herself at the window, eyes lighting up. Before the Mercedes fully braked, she'd thrown open the door.

She sprinted to the approaching bus, securing a window seat. With deliberate slowness, she flipped her thumbs-up into a thumbs-down at the idling luxury sedan, then disappeared behind closing bus doors.

Lucas massaged his temples. Only Evelyn Whitmore would dare disrespect Nathaniel Grayson so blatantly—the man who commanded fear across New Capital's business elite.

"Sir, she took your Brioni jacket. The ribbon-cutting at—"

"Have another delivered." Nathaniel's stormy expression darkened further as he resumed reviewing documents.

"Also, your sister called from the hospital."

His head snapped up. "Abigail was fine yesterday."

Lucas cleared his throat. "Miss Evelyn allegedly... dunked her head in a toilet. Drank several mouthfuls. You know Miss Abigail's germaphobia—she's been vomiting nonstop. Needed IV fluids."

"Prognosis?"

"Full recovery in 48 hours. Though she's demanding retribution."

Nathaniel's face remained impassive. "Grandmother spoiled her rotten. Evelyn doesn't start fights—she finishes them. Let this be Abigail's lesson in restraint."

Lucas blinked at his employer's uncharacteristic leniency. "Shall we arrange employment for Miss Evelyn?"

"Just monitor her for three months. Ensure she doesn't embarrass the family name."

The assistant nodded, reassessing his assumptions. Of course Nathaniel's heart still belonged to Amelia Rivers—their star-crossed love thwarted by family feuds. No wonder old Mr. Grayson kept arranging marriages.

———

Evelyn rode the bus home to pack. Three months at the Grayson estate required her own wardrobe—she refused to keep borrowing Nathaniel's clothes.

Victoria Blackwood blocked her at the doorway, lips curling. "I thought you were the takeout."

Evelyn sidestepped her stepmother, but Cassandra materialized, sneering at the men's jacket. "Whose bed did you crawl out of this time?"

Before Evelyn could respond, Cassandra shrieked, "Father! Look what your daughter's wearing!"

Gregory Whitmore stormed out, face darkening. "Explain yourself, Evelyn."

Victoria clutched her pearls. "A proper young lady doesn't parade in men's clothing! Our family has standards!"

"Probably hooking on street corners," Cassandra hissed. "Too good for Mother's matchmaking, but not for random—"

"My clothes got ruined this morning," Evelyn cut in calmly. "This is borrowed. Temporary."

Gregory's eyes narrowed. "And last night?"

"Found an apartment. Came to pack my things." The Grayson mansion was merely a three-month rental—paid in time, not cash.

"You're leaving?" Gregory frowned. "You have a home here."

Victoria tsked. "Living with some man? What about your virtue? Our reputation—"

"Please." Evelyn's laugh held no warmth. "No one remembers I exist. Nothing I do could possibly tarnish the illustrious Whitmores."

She turned to Cassandra. "Unlike dear sister—the disgraced actress. One tabloid photo with your sugar daddy, and—"

"You bitch!" Cassandra lunged, then froze. The jacket's inner lining bore the FA Couture insignia—a VIP-only bespoke line. How did this nobody access such luxury?

Gregory finally waved a dismissive hand. "Go if you must. This house reeks of bad luck anyway."

Evelyn ascended the stairs, leaving her sputtering stepfamily below. As she changed, Cassandra barged in again—then gaped at the designer label.

The game had just gotten interesting.