Chapter 10

Evelyn's mind went completely blank for several seconds.

She bit her lip in frustration at her own momentary weakness.

'Evelyn, remember Nathan!'

'Nathan is the only man who makes your heart race!'

"Yet here you are with me now. How easily distracted you've become." Dominic's strong hands pushed aside her white coat.

His lips met hers with unexpected warmth.

The scent of his shower gel lingered on his skin - the same brand she used. He must have showered in her bathroom earlier.

Evelyn realized with growing panic that passive resistance wouldn't work here.

She needed to act decisively before this situation escalated beyond control.

As her eyes adjusted to the dim lighting, Dominic's striking features became visible.

The soft glow accentuated his chiseled jawline and those dangerously tempting lips.

Any observer might mistake him for some seductive movie star rather than her employer.

Every movement radiated raw masculine energy.

Gathering courage, Evelyn suddenly drove her knee upward with all her strength.

"Ugh—"

A pained grunt escaped Dominic as he instinctively hunched over.

"Let me go!" She twisted violently in his grasp.

His fingers tightened painfully around her wrist, making escape impossible.

Just as despair began creeping in, Dominic abruptly released her.

Evelyn didn't hesitate - she bolted for the door, slamming it shut behind her with enough force to rouse the sleeping twins.

The hotel corridors felt endless at this late hour.

Evelyn paced nervously, avoiding both her compromised room and any dead-end spaces like restrooms.

Eventually she retreated to the brightly lit lobby.

Two receptionists and four security guards provided comforting visibility.

Safety in numbers.

"Some tea, miss?" A kind attendant offered.

"Thank you." The warm liquid soothed Evelyn's rattled nerves as she prepared for a long vigil.

Morning brought congestion and chills.

Wrapped in a borrowed blanket, Evelyn assessed her situation between sneezes.

'If he offers a sincere apology, maybe I'll stay. If not...I'm resigning immediately.'

Corporate harassment stories were depressingly common worldwide.

But Evelyn refused to be another statistic.

Her colleagues Abigail and Gregory descended for breakfast at eight.

"You're up early," Abigail remarked upon spotting Evelyn in the lobby.

Evelyn felt immediate relief at seeing familiar faces.

Then the elevator doors opened.

Dominic emerged with Alexander and Isabella in tow.

Their eyes locked - his sharp gaze taking in Evelyn's disheveled state.

"Go with Uncle Sebastian," Dominic instructed the children.

When little Isabella made a cute face at Evelyn, her heart inexplicably softened.

After Sebastian led everyone away for breakfast, Dominic approached Evelyn directly.

"Why was I in your room last night?"

Evelyn blinked in shock.

Was this amnesia? Or calculated deception?

Their eye contact felt painfully unequal.

Now impeccably dressed in a crisp white shirt, Dominic looked every inch the respectable executive.

A stark contrast to last night's predator.

"You were intoxicated, Mr. Blackwood."

"Fragments remain. Was that you?" His cool tone carried unspoken accusation.

Evelyn's pulse quickened. Did he think she'd engineered some seduction plot?

"Absolutely not! A room service attendant came by briefly - maybe five minutes?" She mentally kicked herself for underestimating the timeframe.

Dominic's intense scrutiny traveled across her features.

"Nothing was stolen. Though certain...areas were improperly handled."

Heat flooded Evelyn's cheeks.

"Are you injured? Should you see a doctor?"

His smirk was razor-sharp. "I'm more concerned about her knee."

Evelyn froze.

"Service staff must be accustomed to workplace hazards," Dominic remarked casually before lighting a cigarette and walking away.

Only then did Evelyn notice the dull ache in her own knee.

What drove this powerful man to such extremes? Isabella and Alexander's mother must have been gone a long time...