Chapter 428

Cassandra snapped out of her shock, her eyes burning with envy as she glared at Evelyn. "Hah! Where else would she get that kind of money if not by tricking Nathaniel into giving it to her?" she spat, her voice dripping with bitterness.

Victoria, predictably, shared the same thought. "Evelyn, you shouldn’t use someone else’s money to clean up your own mess. Aren’t you afraid the Graysons will investigate and punish you for spending their fortune without permission?"

Evelyn smiled, unfazed. "Aunt Victoria, you seem to have forgotten something crucial. Nathaniel is my husband. Legally, his money is mine. Take yourself, for example—has your husband ever demanded you return every penny you’ve spent of his?"

Victoria’s face paled, then darkened with fury. She was so enraged she couldn’t form a coherent response.

Cassandra looked even worse, her expression twisted with disbelief. She had assumed the Graysons would despise Evelyn for her rural upbringing and eventually cast her out. The idea that Evelyn had access to such vast wealth shattered her worldview.

Damn it! This wasn’t supposed to happen!

Evelyn checked her watch lazily, then stifled a yawn. "It’s getting late. I won’t stay for lunch. As for the check—does it matter where the money came from, as long as you have it? If you think it’s too little, then grow a spine and don’t spend a dime."

Neither Cassandra nor Victoria dared to argue. They didn’t want Evelyn thinking they’d refuse the money. Even if the Graysons questioned it later, all evidence would point to Evelyn acting alone. The Blackwoods would be in the clear.

Gregory stayed silent, tucking the check into his pocket as the hired men carried away the engagement gifts. With this much money, he couldn’t care less what Evelyn did next.

In the end, Evelyn’s men reclaimed every engagement gift—including the painting Starlight Over the Lake, a masterpiece by her late mother, Vivian Sterling, which Nathaniel had given her.

From this moment on, Evelyn and the Blackwoods were severed. Their paths would never cross again.

A sleek black minivan idled nearby. Evelyn slid open the door and climbed inside.

Seraphina sat in the driver’s seat, reapplying her lipstick in the rearview mirror. Sebastian lounged in the passenger seat, engrossed in a mobile game.

He exited the app the second Evelyn settled in. "Boss," he said, twisting around, "no offense, but why bother being nice to those people? They treated you like garbage. You could crush them now if you wanted."

Evelyn leaned back, massaging her temples. She exhaled slowly before answering. "My mother must have been desperate to reach out to an old classmate she hadn’t seen in years. Whatever Gregory’s reasons were for taking me in, he risked everything to help her when she had nothing. That’s worth something." She closed her eyes. "As long as they stay out of my life, I won’t seek revenge."