Chapter 797
Evelyn found herself trapped in Nathan's intense gaze, the raw emotion in his dark eyes momentarily stunning her.
She quickly regained her composure, her expression turning icy. With deliberate movements, she pulled her hand free and reached for a tissue from the box beside her, wiping her fingers slowly. Nathan's jaw tightened, his eyes shadowed with unspoken frustration.
His lashes lowered, casting faint shadows over the regret in his eyes. "Nathan Blackwood," Evelyn said, her voice sharp as a blade, "not everything can be fixed with an apology. Think about it—how many times have you apologized to me since we met?"
Her words struck deep, making his entire body stiffen. His face darkened, tension coiling in his muscles. He had no defense. In her eyes, he was already condemned. What right did he have to negotiate with her now?
The air in the car grew thick with silence.
Up front, Theodore couldn't stay quiet any longer. For Nathan's sake, he swallowed his pride. "Ms. Sinclair," he began, hesitating before forcing the words out, "the online smear campaign against Mr. Sinclair... that was my doing."
Evelyn's gaze turned glacial, her warmth vanishing completely.
"It was my idea," Theodore continued, choosing his words carefully. "I was misled about Mr. Sinclair's character. Someone fed me lies, and I believed them. Mr. Blackwood only agreed because he wanted to protect you. The situation spiraled beyond our control—Ms. Blackwood and Old Master Blackwood manipulated things behind the scenes..."
He embellished the excuse, careful not to mention the private investigators. That would only make things worse.
Evelyn's tone was cutting. "Did Preston provoke you?"
Theodore shook his head. "No—"
Evelyn leaned back, her posture rigid, her eyes clear and cold. "Mr. Blackwood, you have far more skeletons in your closet than Preston Sinclair ever did. Yet he never resorted to dirty tactics like this. That alone makes him ten times the man you are."
Theodore's face flushed with embarrassment. He was Nathan's man—of course he'd defend his boss. But Evelyn's words were undeniably true, no matter how harsh they sounded.
Nathan's expression remained unreadable, his dark eyes calm as if the earlier storm of emotions had never happened. Then, without warning, he turned toward her, his gaze sharp and unyielding.
Suddenly, he closed the distance between them. His long legs took up most of the space, forcing her to instinctively retreat. But he caught her wrist before she could pull away, his grip firm and unrelenting. His voice was low, edged with quiet menace.
"Take it out on me. Punish me however you want. But don't you dare mention Preston Sinclair again." His tone darkened. "He got off easy. I could have ruined him."
The words dripped with cold arrogance.
The mere mention of Preston's name made Nathan's blood boil. Expecting him to bow to Preston? Impossible. The only person Nathan would ever kneel for was Evelyn.
With that, he leaned back in his seat, crossing his long legs, his eyes shutting as if dismissing the conversation. But his fingers remained locked around hers, refusing to let go.
Evelyn yanked her hand free, fury burning in her chest. The audacity of this man—how dare he act so shamelessly after everything?
The car accelerated, merging onto the highway. Evelyn's pulse spiked with unease. Where the hell were they taking her?