Chapter 149

"The design team leader mentioned they have a new hire named Evelyn Sinclair." The senior executive adjusted his glasses. "Apparently Evelyn's hometown is the exact town where our new development project is located. I was hoping to get some local insights from her at today's meeting, but her supervisor said she called in sick..." His voice trailed off as he glanced nervously at Dominic.

To his surprise, Dominic Blackwood didn't look angry. A faint smile played at the corners of his lips.

A rare sight indeed.

In all his years at Blackwood Enterprises, this was the first time the executive had seen the CEO smile.

And it was because an employee had skipped work without notice.

Dominic's sharp gaze returned to the town's architectural plans.

Evelyn's absence didn't surprise him one bit.

Meanwhile at the subway station...

Evelyn purchased her ticket with trembling fingers.

Just ahead, Margaret Whitmore held the hands of two small children as they waited for their train.

Evelyn's face remained expressionless.

She'd seen Margaret follow Sebastian up to the executive floor earlier.

She hadn't dared follow.

That was Dominic's domain. Without explicit permission, no regular employee could enter the CEO's private territory.

During the agonizing wait for Margaret to return, a terrible suspicion took root in Evelyn's mind.

'Does Margaret know Dominic?'

'What's their relationship?'

Memories from five years ago surfaced. Margaret had been the personal housekeeper responsible for her employer's private affairs.

Living abroad all these years, Evelyn had tried to forget that chapter of her life. She'd seen enough bald wealthy men on Olivia's reality shows to numb the memories.

The past disgusted her. She hated her powerlessness, the cruel hand fate had dealt her.

Now seeing Margaret going to Blackwood Enterprises, meeting Dominic on the top floor... it all came rushing back.

Those long nights blindfolded, enduring the powerful thrusts, breathing in that distinctive cologne...

All of it matched Dominic.

But if she'd known it was him from the beginning, would she have believed it?

When Margaret returned with the children, Evelyn felt her blood turn to ice.

Alexander and Isabella clung to Margaret, calling her "Grandma Margaret."

The five-year-olds seemed completely comfortable with the older woman.

But this was all still speculation.

Back then, Margaret had told her she'd given birth to a girl...

Yet here were twins.

Standing behind them in the subway station, Evelyn's mind raced with torturous questions.

Had Margaret lied deliberately?

Had she intentionally said it was a single girl?

Evelyn tried recalling the size of her belly. Average, she thought. But with no frame of reference, how could she have known about twins?

At eighteen, she'd known nothing.

Every medical report could have been fabricated under the employer's orders.

Another thought struck her: 'If the employer was Dominic, why hide it?'

Those nights blindfolded, she'd never seen his face. Yet he'd seen every inch of hers...

The more she thought, the more exhausted she became. Doubts clouded her mind. Maybe Margaret's employer wasn't Dominic after all.

The train arrived.

Margaret ushered the children aboard.

Snapping out of her daze, Evelyn boarded with her laptop.

As the train moved, Evelyn peered through the crowd. A young man offered Margaret his seat.

"Subways are always so crowded..." Alexander looked around.

Evelyn ducked out of sight.

"Alex, when you grow up, can you drive trains? Then I can ride one this big every day," Isabella asked seriously.

Margaret smiled down at them.

After several stops, the carriage emptied considerably.

Margaret kept a watchful eye on the children while internally fretting.

These weren't ordinary children. They were the Blackwood heirs. Taking them on public transit felt reckless.

She knew she had to stay alert.

That Dominic allowed this at all was shocking. If Reginald Blackwood found out, he'd have a fit.

As the train grew emptier, Evelyn sat in the adjacent carriage.

She stole glances at Margaret and the twins.

Earlier, the children had behaved, remembering their father's warning not to trouble Grandma Margaret.

Now with space to move, they began playing.

"This carriage is mine! Rawr!" Alexander declared.

"No, Alex! You're the driver. I'm the passenger." Isabella pouted. "I wish Daddy would buy us a subway."

"It's not a sub—" Alexander stopped mid-sentence, spotting someone. "Aunt Eve?" He recognized her silhouette.

Isabella followed his gaze.

One stop from Margaret's destination, Evelyn stood as Alexander approached. Their eyes met—as did Evelyn's and Margaret's.

Margaret's guarded, shocked expression confirmed she remembered Evelyn.

"Alexander! Isabella! Come here!" Margaret panicked, grabbing their hands, fearing Evelyn might take them.

"Aunt Eve, what are you doing here?" Alexander asked casually while Margaret pulled him back.

"Going to work," Evelyn answered weakly, her eyes locked with Margaret's.

She forced composure. "Hello."

Margaret ignored the greeting, brows furrowed. 'Do they know this woman? How? Do they know she's their mother?'

'Does Dominic know they've met?'

The train stopped.

Evelyn smiled at the children before exiting.

They called after her, but Margaret held them back until the doors closed.

Evelyn sat on a station bench, overwhelmed.

No matter how she tried to calm herself, her thoughts spiraled.

Had she really borne two healthy children with her half-brother?

Impossible.

'Were Alexander and Isabella someone else's?'

She shook her head. More likely Beatrice had lied. Maybe she and Dominic weren't siblings at all...

'Alexander and Isabella. A.S. Evelyn Sinclair.'

The realization hit like a thunderbolt. How could she have been so blind?

There were no coincidences here.

Their names had been deliberately chosen.

Standing abruptly, Evelyn headed for the office. There was only one way to get answers—confront Dominic directly.