Chapter 384
Dominic Blackwood possessed a magnetism that could captivate any woman's soul, yet he maintained a careful distance from Lillian Prescott.
Lillian couldn't comprehend it. She'd given him everything, yet he treated her with such icy detachment.
"Mr. Blackwood..." Lillian bit her lip, her voice dripping with false sweetness.
Her mind flashed back to that night when their bodies had tangled between silk sheets.
Clenching her fists, she asked softly, "That evening at my grandfather's gala... surely you haven't forgotten what happened between us?"
Dominic turned, his cold gaze sweeping over her flushed cheeks. "What exactly are you implying? I spent the entire evening with Evelyn Sinclair. Whatever delusions you're entertaining, let me make this clear - Evelyn is the only woman I've ever loved. That hasn't changed."
He straightened his tie. "While you're at it, inform your mother to cease meddling in my personal affairs. Any further harassment toward Evelyn will have consequences. Now if you'll excuse me, Ms. Prescott, I have actual work to attend to."
Lillian watched Dominic's broad-shouldered silhouette disappear, letting out a bitter laugh.
She wasn't alone. She forced composure.
Dominic claimed he'd been with Evelyn all night at the gala...
Why would he lie? Did that mean the man in her bed hadn't been Dominic after all?
A cold dread gripped her.
Unless... the drug-induced haze had erased his memory of their encounter?
Possible. But something felt terribly wrong.
The situation was spiraling beyond her control.
No. She needed answers.
As Lillian stormed out, the advertising department erupted in whispers.
"Wasn't Lillian Prescott supposedly dating our CEO? Even engagement rumors were floating around. Doesn't look that way now," one employee snickered.
"Clearly Mr. Blackwood only has eyes for Evelyn Sinclair from design. Maybe Lillian's been deluding herself this whole time," another chimed in.
"Remember when she brought him homemade soup? Acting like his girlfriend when he treats her like a stranger..."
"Do you think he'll actually marry that designer? She's pretty, but what else does she have to offer?"
A sharp cough silenced them. The department manager glared. "Unless you'd like to explain to HR why you're gossiping about the CEO instead of working?"
The group scattered instantly.
Back at her agency, Lillian received a call that turned her blood to ice.
"Ms. Prescott? I've uncovered something... explosive. When can we meet?" The private investigator's voice crackled with excitement.
Lillian's phone volume betrayed her. Several actors turned at the mention of classified information.
Heart pounding, she ducked into an empty hallway. "The new bistro near the agency. Thirty minutes."
The bearded investigator slid a thick dossier across the table. Lillian's hands shook as she scanned the contents.
"This... can't be real. You're certain?"
"Ms. Prescott, my reputation depends on accuracy. Why would I risk my career with fabricated documents?"
Page after page confirmed her worst nightmare.
Evelyn Sinclair.
The woman she despised most in the world was actually Jonathan and Genevieve Prescott's biological daughter.
The documents proved Evelyn was the true Prescott heiress.
Everything Lillian possessed - her status, her privilege - had been stolen from Evelyn.
The revelation made her physically ill.
Twenty-five years ago, Jonathan Prescott's political integrity made him enemies. Framed in a smuggling scandal, he'd been taken into federal custody.
That same day, Genevieve suffered complications during premature labor.
With both families under surveillance, only Beatrice Lockwood could assist.
Genevieve lost consciousness from blood loss during delivery. The attending physician saved her life and delivered a healthy girl.
But Beatrice had switched the infant with a stillborn, telling Genevieve her daughter had died.
That stolen child grew up to become Evelyn Sinclair...
Lillian's expression remained calm, but fury twisted inside her like a knife.
She met the investigator's gaze with deadly calm. "I have one more job for you."