Chapter 625

Evelyn Sinclair flew directly to a neighboring city for an important meeting. Before leaving, she examined the situation and apologized to Vivian Lockwood. Then she instructed Dominic Kingsley to ensure the variety show would be produced flawlessly to promote Vivian's career.

The past two days had left Evelyn feeling nothing but irritation.

She would have preferred working overtime at the office—at least that would have brought tangible results.

"Rising star bullies Buddhist celebrity!"

Within two hours, the first wave of public outrage flooded social media.

"New actor, rumored to have debuted as a stand-in for a big-name star, acts recklessly on set!"

It was inevitable. Too many witnesses had seen what happened.

Evelyn had no time to deal with it, so she left it to Dominic. The backlash would take time to escalate, giving him ample opportunity to control the narrative.

Her plane landed at the neighboring city’s airport. Bennett handled the driver while Evelyn checked her phone. Suddenly, a shadow fell over her.

She looked up—Preston Sinclair stood before her, smiling.

Evelyn froze. "Mr. Sinclair? Shouldn’t you be in San Francisco?"

His smile was warm, almost affectionate. "I just returned from handling business overseas. I’m here for a meeting before heading back."

What a coincidence.

Evelyn nodded, amused. They were probably attending the same event.

"Let’s ride together." Preston gestured to the Bentley parked nearby. "We can catch up."

She hesitated.

Preston shrugged. "I could use your advice. I was invited to speak but haven’t prepared anything."

Evelyn glanced at Bennett. "Wait here. I’ll go ahead with Mr. Sinclair."

Bennett exhaled in relief. The driver was taking forever.

Once inside the car, Preston retrieved a small box and handed it to her.

Evelyn blinked. "What’s this?"

"A gift."

"For me?"

His eyes crinkled. "Yes. You and Oliver both have one."

The implication was clear—he valued her as much as his own son.

The box suddenly felt heavy in her hands. She didn’t even know how to refuse.

Preston nudged it toward her. "Open it first. Then decide."

Reluctantly, she lifted the lid.

Inside lay an oval-shaped piece of uncarved wood, reddish-brown with a delicate grain.

Preston chuckled. "I passed by Stanford—your alma mater. Graduates were taking photos, and a vendor was selling these. They claimed it came from a campus tree. Plant it, and it’ll grow."

A sentimental keepsake.

Evelyn’s expression turned complicated. She met his gaze. "Thank you, but… you were scammed."

Preston stiffened.

She bit her lip. "This wood is from a wholesale market nearby."

Silence.

The air grew thick with awkwardness.

Evelyn cleared her throat and tucked the box away. "But I do like it. It’s simple, unpretentious. They sell these every graduation season, but I never bought one. This is my first time receiving it."