Chapter 205

"Is it true, Miss Evelyn?" Isabella gazed up at Evelyn with tear-filled puppy eyes.

Evelyn bent down, pressing a kiss to the girl's forehead before ruffling her hair. "Never. I could never think of you as a nuisance."

Her tone was so firm, so absolute, that not only did the little girl believe her instantly—Sebastian, who was driving, nearly missed a turn.

Sebastian prided himself on being a man who had seen it all. Years of working alongside Dominic had exposed him to every kind of person, from the noble to the despicable. He considered himself an expert at spotting lies.

Yet, in that moment, he couldn't detect even a hint of deception in Evelyn's words.

His eyes flicked to the rearview mirror, studying her for a brief second. For a heartbeat, he could have sworn he was looking at the twins' real mother.

A City Hospital

When Reginald Blackwood woke, his grandson and great-grandchildren were nowhere in sight.

Panic flared in his chest.

Beatrice Lockwood seized the opportunity to plant doubts. "Father, should we call Dominic?"

"What for?" Reginald grumbled between bites of his breakfast.

The nurse feeding him kept her head down, silent. She knew better than to get involved in this family's affairs.

"You know how reckless young people can be. I underestimated Evelyn Sinclair. Dominic must have gone to that backwater town for her!" Beatrice didn't understand her son well, but she knew exactly what kind of woman Evelyn was.

No man could resist her.

Reginald scowled at Beatrice's tone, though he shared her concern.

If a man and woman were left alone without restraint, mistakes were bound to happen.

"Give me the phone," he ordered. "Call Dominic's office first."

Beatrice had already tried. No answer—just the secretary's voicemail.

She dialed again in front of Reginald, speaker on.

Still nothing.

After several attempts, the result remained the same.

Reginald's frown deepened. "Call his personal line."

Beatrice didn’t want to. Even if she reached him, he’d brush her off with excuses.

But if Reginald spoke to him? That was different.

Dominic never disobeyed his grandfather—especially not when the old man was bedridden.

The call connected almost immediately.

Sebastian answered. "Good day, Mrs. Lockwood."

"It's Reginald Blackwood!" the old man barked into the phone.

"Mr. Blackwood! How may I assist you?" Sebastian replied smoothly.

"Where’s Dominic? Why are you answering his phone?" Suspicion laced every word.

"Ah, we’re in a small town surveying for a potential development project. We’ve been meeting with the town council since dawn—haven’t even had time for water."

He hesitated, then added, "You haven’t traveled in years, sir. Would you like me to send a video of the area? It’s quite scenic. Mr. Blackwood values your opinion—he’d appreciate your thoughts!"

"Send it," Reginald snapped. He didn’t care about the scenery—he wanted to see what his grandson was really doing.

Still, the mention of Dominic seeking his approval stroked his ego.

Sebastian switched to video, panning across the riverbank. Lush hills, dense foliage, crisp air—nothing like the city.

"That mountain in the distance, sir? Famous for its mushrooms. We’ll bring some back for you. Just as good as Italian truffles."

He sent the clip to Reginald’s phone.

In it, Dominic stood by the river with town officials, gesturing toward the landscape, expression serious. The rest of the team was barely visible.

Reginald relaxed.

He recognized those officials from news segments—had even dined with a few. No way Sebastian could fake that.

Town administrators didn’t play around with development deals. As CEO of Blackwood Enterprises, Dominic would be tied up in meetings, lunches, dinners—no time for distractions.

Certainly no time for her.

Reginald handed the phone back to Beatrice. "As his mother, you should trust him more. Even if he wanted to misbehave, with so many people around, he knows better."

Beatrice’s hand shook with fury as she took it.

The Riverbank

Dominic was mid-explanation to the officials about the project’s impact when movement caught his eye.

Evelyn had one hand gripping Isabella’s, the other balancing her laptop. Her attention was fixed on Alexander, who was practically vibrating with excitement near the water’s edge.

The current was strong. One misstep, and—

"Miss Evelyn, look! A fish!" Alexander kicked off his shoes, ready to bolt into the river.

Evelyn didn’t see Dominic approaching with the officials.

She dropped Isabella’s hand, set the laptop down, and lunged for Alexander.

The riverbed was uneven. She stumbled—

A strong arm wrapped around her waist, yanking her back against a solid chest.

Evelyn clutched a wriggling Alexander, but the fish was long gone.

She turned.

Dominic’s face was inches from hers, his presence overwhelming. His glare at Alexander was enough to make the boy shrink back, too scared to even apologize.

Dominic’s hands burned through the fabric at her waist. His lips brushed her ear as he murmured, "Are you hurt?"