Chapter 515

Nathan watched Evelyn fall silent and assumed his reasoning had finally gotten through to her.

A quiet sigh of relief escaped him.

He'd taken a gamble, really. Their relationship couldn't possibly get any worse.

No matter how much he groveled or tiptoed around her, Evelyn remained unmoved—if anything, she only distanced herself further. So, he'd decided to cut the act and lay it all out plainly.

And it worked.

A faint, smug smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

Evelyn scoffed the next second.

Her icy gaze locked onto him. "Even if I wanted to move forward, it would depend on who I'm moving forward with. If it's you? I'd rather stay stuck in the past."

Nathan clenched his jaw, forcing himself to stay composed.

Infuriating.

But he had to endure it.

Another loss.

He was so furious he couldn't even speak. Evelyn shot him one last cold glare before storming out.

Outside, the office staff had gathered near the door, shamelessly eavesdropping.

They scattered the moment the door swung open.

Only Bennett remained, expression unreadable.

"Ms. Sinclair, the car is ready."

Evelyn glanced back at Nathan. "Aren't you leaving, Mr. Blackwood? I have a schedule to keep. I promised Xavier I'd visit him on set today..."

Nathan's eyes darkened. That pretty-boy actor who looked like a cheap knockoff of him had been a thorn in his side for too long.

And now, Evelyn was twisting the knife.

"Perfect timing," Nathan said, voice low. "I'll join you."

He needed to see that fool for himself.

Evelyn arched a brow. Without missing a beat, Nathan added, "That film, right? Blackwood Industries is the producer."

Evelyn nearly rolled her eyes. What a joke of a movie.

On Set

Xavier was on his millionth take.

Even the extras were exchanging exasperated looks. The man couldn't act to save his life—every step looked like he was strutting down a runway, and his "intense" gaze was more suited to a perfume ad than a dramatic rescue scene.

The director was fuming. "Again! And this time, try to look like you're actually saving someone!"

Xavier bit back a complaint. His agent had warned him—no whining, no tantrums.

If only Evelyn were here. She'd promised to take care of him.

Then it hit him.

He didn’t even have her number.

Damn it.

Evelyn regretted coming the second she stepped out of the car.

Xavier's fans and paparazzi had swarmed the set.

She'd chosen to arrive openly to avoid being photographed sneaking around, but now she was trapped in a sea of flashing cameras.

Forcing a polished smile, she waved gracefully before whispering to Bennett, "Get Xavier out here. Now."

That man was her investment.

No one noticed Bennett slipping away.

"Ms. Sinclair, are you here to see Xavier?"

Evelyn smiled but didn’t answer.

The reporters knew better than to push. She wasn’t some starlet they could badger for gossip.

One wrong move, and their careers would be over.

Nathan's arrival sent the crowd into a frenzy.

Gone was the cold, untouchable CEO from the magazines. His shirt was slightly undone, his suit jacket casually draped over one arm—effortlessly magnetic.

The reporters instinctively parted for him.

Nathan stopped beside Evelyn, his gaze softening as he looked at her. The warmth in his smile was unmistakable.

The cameras caught it all.

"Mr. Blackwood, are you also here to see Xavier?"

Everyone knew why Xavier had risen to fame.

Let’s be real—he was a stand-in for Nathan.

The idea of the original and the copy sharing the same frame? Too delicious.

Nathan smirked. "Yes..."