Chapter 103
"Perhaps that night six years ago was just a fleeting moment for you," Nathan murmured, his piercing gaze locking onto hers. "But for me, it was everything."
His thumb traced the curve of her lower lip with deliberate slowness.
"I wouldn't have searched every corner of this city if it had been merely a one-night stand."
The air between them grew thick with tension.
"That anonymous woman who slipped me the drug... she led me to an unforgettable encounter."
His voice dropped to a husky whisper. "Your scent, your touch - every detail is burned into my memory."
Evelyn's breath hitched as his fingers trailed down her neck.
"In all my years navigating high society, I've never met anyone who could make me lose control like you did that night. Not even Vivian could compare."
The admission hung between them like a challenge.
Nathan's grip tightened slightly as he leaned closer. "For six years, I kept Vivian by my side yet never touched her. Because only one woman has ever made me forget myself completely."
Evelyn's pulse raced dangerously fast.
'Is he... seducing me right now? This man is utterly shameless!'
"Nathan, you— Mmph!"
His kiss crashed down like a storm - wild, possessive, and impossible to resist once unleashed.
"Can't you feel it?" Nathan broke away just enough to whisper against her swollen lips, his warm breath fanning across her flushed cheeks.
"Nathan, let me go first." Evelyn pushed against his chest in vain, her hands trembling against the hard planes of his torso.
Her mind whirled in chaotic circles from the intensity of their kiss.
Fingers clutching his shirt desperately, she noticed with alarm how his body heat seemed to seep into her very bones.
This terrifying loss of control sent panic coursing through her veins. "Nathan Goldmann! You promised not to touch me!"
"Stay still." His voice emerged rough with restraint, eyes burning like smoldering coals. "I won't take what isn't offered... but I'll claim what's mine to taste."
His mouth captured hers again in a searing kiss.
The quiet room filled with sounds more intimate than words.
Evelyn's initial struggles gradually weakened, until she hovered dangerously close to surrender.
"Keep that bracelet my father gave you safe," Nathan growled against her skin when they finally parted, his tone leaving no room for argument.
He straightened his clothes with practiced efficiency and strode from the room without another word.
Left alone on the rumpled sheets, Evelyn stared blankly at the ceiling, her fingers rising to touch her tingling lips.
'I almost gave in completely...'
Meanwhile, Mr. Goldmann Sr. had been entertaining the three children during his stay at the mansion - the little ones adored their grandfather's company.
Evelyn threw herself into designing new jewelry collections after securing Taylor Jewelry's supply chain, though she kept careful tabs on Viana Jewelry's movements.
Viana had enjoyed temporary popularity with their gothic collection, but limited production quantities sparked customer complaints across social media.
The mounting pressure drove Vivian to demand impossible deadlines from Frederick.
When Gregory entered the design studio with updates, Evelyn was peering through her jeweler's loupe, meticulously carving floral details into a sapphire.
"Zoe, Viana's pre-order list has surpassed three hundred customers," Gregory reported. "At this rate, we won't meet our own production deadlines."
Evelyn didn't glance up from her work. "What's their current profit margin?"
"Including deposits? Nearly a million already."
Viana had auctioned Evelyn's stolen designs for six million, with pre-orders adding another half million to their coffers.
They'd recouped most of their nine-and-a-half million loss - only three million shy of breaking even.
A knowing smile curved Evelyn's lips. "So she's tasting hope at last."
"Vivian's pushing Frederick for an entire new collection within the week," Gregory added.
Evelyn set down her tools with deliberate calm. "Then let's make sure their hope turns to ashes."