Chapter 89

Nathan tugged at his silk tie impatiently, his fingers tightening around the fabric.

"Closeness?" He scoffed under his breath. "She made it perfectly clear she wants nothing to do with me."

But it didn’t matter. Soon enough, she would have no choice. Tomorrow, Evelyn and the children would move into the Goldmann estate, and he would make sure she understood exactly what "closeness" meant.

Since Evelyn had been admitted to the hospital for her injury, Richard had stopped harassing her—at least openly. But the two slaps she had endured from her father still burned in her memory, and she directed all that resentment toward Vivian.

"Evie! Evie!" Laura burst into the hospital room, her face alight with excitement. "It's happening—it's trending everywhere!"

"What's trending?" Evelyn nibbled at her thumbnail, her mood sour.

"Frederick Fuller's designs for Viana Jewelry—they've gone viral online!"

"What?" Evelyn froze, her nail halfway to her teeth.

"Gone viral?"

"Yes! Your father has already received multiple calls about collaborations!"

Laura smirked triumphantly. "Evelyn isn’t the only talented designer in the world. Now that Frederick’s work is getting attention, we have nothing to worry about. Oh, and your father told Madam Victoria about it. That old woman always looked down on us, but now she wants to visit you!"

"Visit me?"

"Exactly." Laura leaned in, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Before this, our standing in the Vanderbilts was nothing compared to that little witch’s. But if you can ride Frederick’s success, you could elevate our position even further."

Evelyn’s lips curled. She wanted more than just status in the Vanderbilts—she wanted to be Mrs. Goldmann.

A thought struck her.

If Frederick’s designs took the jewelry world by storm, and if she could secure him as her ghost designer…

Wouldn’t that give her the upper hand against Evelyn?

Nathan would have to notice her then.

Viana Jewelry’s latest collection had exploded online, thanks to its striking Gothic-inspired designs. The dark, vintage snake-shaped diamond necklace and earrings exuded an enigmatic elegance, while the ring—crafted to look like two hands cradling a heart-shaped diamond—was nothing short of breathtaking.

#MenInLove: Never thought I’d like Gothic designs, but these pieces are stunning.

#LadyWithin: Viana needs to drop more collections like this ASAP!

Evelyn glanced at the tablet in her hands, a faint smirk playing on her lips.

Gregory strode into the office, grinning. "Zoe, your designs for Viana are setting the internet on fire. After years of silence, Viana Jewelry is finally back in the spotlight."

His phone buzzed before Evelyn could respond. He glanced at the screen, eyebrows lifting in surprise.

"What is it, Uncle Gregory?"

"Vivian is offering Frederick $1.5 million to be her ghost designer. She’s trying to buy her way into fame."

Evelyn laughed softly. "Let her take the bait."

If she’s so desperate to break into the jewelry world, I’ll gladly give her a little push.

Meanwhile, at the Vanderbilt estate…

Laura had brought Vivian home, where Richard sat chatting with Madam Victoria.

Richard stood immediately, beckoning Vivian forward. "Your grandmother came to see you. Don’t just stand there."

Vivian smiled sweetly and approached. "Grandmother."

Madam Victoria studied her with sharp eyes. "It’s been years. You’ve grown more beautiful. Your father tells me Viana’s new collection is a sensation—and that you were behind it. It seems I underestimated you."