Chapter 272

Evelyn remained silent.

Nathan's fingers brushed against the cool white jade ring in his pocket before he took her hand, sliding it onto her thumb with deliberate care. "I wanted to give you something today," he murmured. "Do you like it?"

The moment Evelyn saw the ring, her expression darkened.

Like it?

A bitter laugh nearly escaped her lips.

She sat up abruptly, yanking the ring off and hurling it to the floor. The delicate jade shattered instantly.

Nathan's face turned stormy. His grip on her wrist tightened, the fury in his eyes scorching. "Evelyn Vanderbilt," he growled, "don't mistake my patience for weakness."

"What do you think I am?" Evelyn met his murderous glare with bloodshot eyes, her voice laced with venom. "Nathan, did you really think I wouldn’t find out? You and Rosalind went to The Jade Store together—wasn’t this ring meant for her?"

Her chest heaved. "Not only did you buy it for her, but you had the audacity to give me something she wore first? Am I just some beggar to you, taking whatever scraps others discard?"

Nathan froze.

What?

Since when had this ring ever belonged to Rosalind?

His lips parted, dry from disbelief. "Zoe, I—"

"I don’t want to hear it." Evelyn turned away, lying back down with her back to him. The ache in her chest was unbearable, as if something long buried had finally ruptured.

She could have ignored the ring.

But knowing it had touched Rosalind’s skin first?

Unacceptable.

Nathan’s outstretched hand hovered in the air before he slowly withdrew it. His jaw clenched. "Throw it away if you want," he said coldly. "That ring was never meant for Rosalind. It was always yours."

When Evelyn didn’t respond, he exhaled sharply. "Rest well."

The door clicked shut behind him.

Only then did Evelyn bite her lip hard enough to draw blood.

She hated this.

Hated how much power he still had over her emotions.

Nathan slammed the car door behind him, his knuckles white against the steering wheel.

Evelyn wasn’t irrational. If she had accused him like that, something had happened—something he didn’t know about.

He grabbed his phone. "Oliver," he snapped. "Go to The Jade Store. Find out exactly when that white jade ring was delivered. And keep this investigation quiet."

Especially from Rosalind.

Hanging up, Nathan’s expression turned glacial.

Damn it. I should’ve been more careful.

By ten that night, Evelyn had finally calmed down.

She picked up the broken pieces of the ring, turning them over in her palm. Nathan’s words echoed in her mind.

"It was always yours."

But she had seen him with Rosalind at the store.

With a frustrated sigh, she dropped the fragments into a small velvet pouch. I’ll have Chloe return this to him later.

Her gaze flicked to the window. It was pitch black outside, and Rachel still wasn’t back.

A prickle of unease ran through her.

Despite only knowing Rachel for a few days, Evelyn couldn’t shake the worry. She grabbed her jacket and headed out.

At the stairwell, she froze.

Two shadowy figures stood whispering, Rachel’s name slipping from their lips.

Evelyn stepped forward, blocking their path.

"Looking for someone?"