Chapter 465

Evelyn fell silent.

Sophia had told her about the tangled history between the Bouchers and the Knowles. If Yves Boucher hadn’t abandoned Victoria Knowles all those years ago due to family obligations, perhaps Nathan wouldn’t have become the man she knew and loved. And Adrian Boucher wouldn’t be the one sitting beside her now.

Fate works in mysterious ways. If I hadn’t changed my path back then, I might never have met Nathan.

That absurd night six years ago set everything in motion, planting a seed that would only grow with time. And now, fate has spun its wheel again, bringing us back together. But was it really fate? Or was it my own choices? If I hadn’t returned to Cornelia to reclaim Viana Jewelry, if I’d stayed in Stoslo basking in my success, I might never have met the father of my children.

Adrian glanced at his watch. "It’s getting late. I should take you home."

After their conversation, Evelyn no longer felt the suffocating boredom from earlier. She stood and nodded. "Thank you."

Adrian smiled. "No need for formalities. Since destiny keeps throwing us together, I consider you a friend."

They stepped out of the park—only to find Nathan standing by his car, his expression dark as storm clouds.

It had been days since Evelyn last saw him. Now, she noticed how much weight he’d lost, his sharp features even more pronounced. Despite everything, her heart leapt at the sight of him. She took a step forward—

Then his cold voice cut through the air. "If you want her, Adrian, you can have her as soon as the divorce is finalized."

The words froze her in place.

Adrian’s eyes narrowed. "And you’d just let her go?"

Nathan scoffed. "She’s just a woman. It’s not that hard."

Evelyn’s breath hitched. The fragile hope in her chest shattered like glass, leaving behind a raw, bleeding wound.

Adrian studied her before turning back to Nathan. "Then why give her half of CKGOLD’s shares in the settlement? You’re not the type to hand over power so easily."

Nathan’s jaw tightened, but his voice remained icy. "I don’t need them. I just want her gone. It doesn’t matter who ends up with CKGOLD. Funny how you’ll benefit either way."

Adrian frowned.

Before he could respond, a figure lunged forward—

Lucas Laurent swung a fist straight into Nathan’s face.

Evelyn gasped.

Nathan staggered but caught himself, wiping the blood from his split lip with his thumb. His smirk was chilling.

Sophia yanked Lucas back. "Have you lost your mind?!"

Lucas glared at Nathan, his voice dripping with venom. "Nathan Goldmann, don’t think your name makes you untouchable. If you won’t act like a human, I’ll treat you like the animal you are."

Nathan’s laugh was dark. "You?"

Sophia kept a firm grip on Lucas, her eyes darting between Nathan and Evelyn in disbelief. She’d seen Evelyn’s text—about the divorce—but hearing Nathan say those words out loud was another level of cruelty.

How could he be so heartless?

Sophia’s fear of Nathan evaporated under a wave of fury. "What the hell is wrong with you? You begged her to marry you! And now you’re throwing her away like trash?"

Nathan’s lips curled into a sneer. The blood on his mouth stood stark against his pale skin, making him look like a predator in the dim light. "So what? I’m tired of playing husband. Got a problem with that?"