Chapter 157

Evelyn found herself sandwiched between them. Biting back her fury, Cassandra resorted to discreetly pinching the tender skin just above Evelyn's hip, twisting it sharply to vent her frustration.

The sudden attack caught Evelyn completely off guard. A sharp hiss escaped her lips as she instinctively recoiled from the pain, only to collide with Nathaniel's solid chest.

His arm immediately encircled her shoulders. "What happened?" His deep voice rumbled close to her ear.

Realization dawned on Evelyn. She tried to pull away like he carried the plague, but his grip remained firm. 'What the hell is he doing? We agreed to act like strangers in front of Cassandra!'

Seeing Evelyn pressed against Nathaniel only fueled Cassandra's rage. "Evelyn!" she snapped through gritted teeth. "Stop hogging Mister Grayson's space! Move back here!"

Evelyn shot a glare at the hypocritical instigator before looking up at Nathaniel. "My apologies, Mister Grayson. Something startled me—I didn't mean to..." She emphasized her words with a meaningful blink, silently reminding him of their agreement.

After a tense two-second pause, Nathaniel finally released her. Evelyn scooted back immediately, rubbing the sore spot on her waist. His sharp eyes tracked every movement, narrowing slightly.

Once Evelyn settled back into position, Cassandra didn't dare try anything else—the last thing she wanted was giving Evelyn another excuse to throw herself at Nathaniel.

'You shameless little tramp,' Cassandra seethed internally. 'Always finding ways to cling to men!'

The Wild Bites restaurant, Cassandra's chosen venue, sat in the heart of downtown. Within ten minutes, they were seated at their table.

Cassandra rose gracefully. "Please order for us, Mister Grayson. I'll be right back after freshening up." Nathaniel barely acknowledged her with a curt nod.

Turning to Evelyn, Cassandra forced a smile. "Keep me company, Evelyn." This was purely to prevent Evelyn from making moves on Nathaniel in her absence.

Evelyn followed without protest.

In the restroom, Cassandra touched up her makeup while shooting Evelyn disdainful looks through the mirror. "Don't get any ideas," she sneered. "Just because Sebastian Monroe was blind enough to fall for a country bumpkin like you doesn't mean Mister Grayson would."

Evelyn rolled her eyes. "Trust me, that thought never crossed my mind."

Cassandra snapped her compact shut with a sharp click. "You'd better watch your behavior," she warned, applying lipstick with aggressive precision. "Haven't you noticed how irritated Mister Grayson looks whenever he sees you? Probably still furious about that scalding incident yesterday!"

"That's why I took today off," Evelyn countered. "But you insisted I come along."

Cassandra's eyes flashed with anger. "I brought you to apologize, not to keep throwing yourself at him! Stay here and pretend you have stomach issues. Only come out when I call you. The last thing I need is you ruining Mister Grayson's appetite!"

Evelyn made an exaggerated 'OK' gesture. "Absolutely! No problem at all!" She couldn't hide her relief—she'd much rather be anywhere but near Nathaniel right now. If not for Cassandra's insistence, she'd be comfortably napping at home.

After finishing her touch-ups, Cassandra snatched her designer bag from Evelyn and stuffed her makeup inside. "Remember—stay put," she threatened before flouncing out.

Evelyn nodded obediently. "Understood."

The moment Cassandra left, Evelyn exited the restroom too. While she had zero interest in interrupting Nathaniel and Cassandra's lunch date, she wasn't about to spend the next hour inhaling bathroom odors either.

She found a quiet stairwell to call Sebastian. "What's this about a 'confession'?" she demanded as soon as he answered.

"Miss me already?" His teasing voice made her lip twitch.

"Miss you? As if—" Her retort was cut short by a familiar deep voice.

"Who are you talking to?"

Nathaniel's sudden appearance made Evelyn jump.