Chapter 499

Dominic escorted Olivia back to the hospital room, her face still streaked with dried tears. She looked like she'd been through hell.

Evelyn's blood boiled when she saw her best friend's condition.

She grabbed Olivia's wrist, scanning her for injuries. "Did Preston hurt you? That bastard..." Her voice trembled with barely contained rage.

Then she shot Dominic a scorching glare, as if this were all his fault.

"He didn't. Just played a nasty prank. No physical harm done." Dominic raised his hands in surrender, his expression sincere.

He'd known Preston Worthington for years. The man was ice-cold and ruthless, but he'd never lay hands on a woman.

Preston had looks, power, money - women threw themselves at him constantly. If he wasn't interested, he'd toss them out without a second thought, even if they stripped naked in his bed.

Dominic remembered one socialite who'd snuck into Preston's bedroom. Before she could touch him, he'd kicked her so hard she broke three ribs. Then bankrupted her family business for good measure.

After that incident, no woman dared scheme her way into Preston's bed again.

Evelyn knew none of this. All she saw was her traumatized best friend.

"Then why is she shaking like a leaf?" she demanded.

Gwendolyn calmed her niece with a touch, then handed Olivia water. "At least you're safe now. What happened while getting food? You're such a sweet girl - who could you have possibly offended?"

Gwendolyn adored Olivia. The girl's fiery personality balanced Evelyn's quiet nature perfectly.

"Child, you're Evelyn's closest friend," Reginald Sinclair said gently. "That makes you family. Tell us what's wrong so we can help."

Olivia accepted the water with trembling hands. "Thank you, Mr. Sinclair, Aunt Gwendolyn... I'm okay, Evie. Mr. Blackwood arrived in time. Preston Worthington didn't... didn't actually hurt me."

Tears welled up as she absorbed their kindness. Her own family only cared about draining her bank account. They wouldn't lift a finger if she were dying.

"Thank God." Evelyn exhaled sharply. "Now explain how you crossed paths with Preston Worthington."

"I ran into Preston Jr. and his fiancée at the mall. After they left, I keyed their car. Preston Sr. caught me. He demanded ten percent of the car's value - three million for a thirty-million-dollar Bugatti. Evie, I'm so sorry for dragging you and Mr. Blackwood into this..."

Olivia shuddered, remembering Preston's "prank" - locking her in a room with his collection of African pythons and Tibetan mastiffs. The snakes might have been harmless, but their slimy coils still haunted her.

Evelyn's expression darkened through several shades of anger.

"Pierre deserved worse," she said fiercely. "I'd have burned that car to the ground if not for the legal consequences."

Dominic blinked. He'd never seen this vengeful side of his usually gentle Evelyn.

"Evie, I..." Olivia looked stricken.

She'd expected a lecture, not unwavering support.

Guilt gnawed at Evelyn. If Olivia never found happiness because of what happened, she'd never forgive herself.

A knock interrupted them.

Sebastian Whitmore entered, greeting everyone politely. Dominic followed him out into the hallway, then into the smoking lounge.

Dominic lit a cigarette, offering one to Sebastian. After taking a drag, Sebastian got straight to business.

"That license plate was fake, as Mr. Blackwood suspected. But traffic cameras gave us a lead - a 5'9" man in his mid-thirties. He was on a call before hitting Ms. Sinclair, using a voice changer. Destroyed the SIM card afterward. This was planned."

Dominic's smoke rings curled angrily. "Dead end then?"

"Not entirely." Sebastian took another drag. "The perp's trained in counter-surveillance. But thirty minutes ago, Sean intercepted a transmission and pinpointed his location..."

Sean Zander - Evelyn's driver - had been assisting Sebastian with the investigation.