Chapter 820

Evelyn Sinclair sat quietly, her gaze drifting upward just in time to witness Adrian Blackwood and Vivian Lockwood exchanging a look so intense it could melt steel.

She pressed her lips together and lowered her head, lost in thought.

If Adrian was serious about Vivian, then maybe they deserved a shot.

Relationships didn’t always have to end in marriage. Sometimes, they were just about figuring things out.

Vivian had endured Tristan Whitmore to the breaking point before their divorce. All that remained was bitterness.

Who said a divorced woman couldn’t love freely?

And Adrian? Sure, he seemed reckless, but he wasn’t a bad guy.

Evelyn weighed the two men in her mind and decided she liked the idea of Vivian and Adrian together.

But Tristan was shaking with rage.

Before he could raise a hand against Vivian, Adrian stepped in front of her, shielding her with his body.

"Vivian, you’re incredible. Even if Mr. Whitmore doesn’t appreciate you, I do. I won’t let you feel a single moment of sadness. No matter what comes our way, as long as we’re together, I’ll protect you."

For a second, Evelyn felt like she was watching a scene straight out of a drama.

She’d seen her fair share of manipulative women who played the victim, but compared to Adrian, they were amateurs. Vivian’s eyes welled up with tears.

The raw emotion between them was enough to make onlookers envious.

Tristan’s face flushed crimson, his expression twisting like he’d swallowed something vile. Adrian’s attitude was clearly getting under his skin.

Evelyn almost pitied him—he was the tragic male lead in this twisted soap opera. She took a sip of her soda to steady herself.

Tristan’s fists clenched so tight his knuckles turned white. He was barely holding back.

Then, without warning, he pointed at Evelyn and sneered at Vivian.

"You know this pretty boy used to have a thing for Evelyn, right? He backed off because he didn’t want to cross Nathan Blackwood. He’s got a thing for divorced women—that’s why he’s targeting you now. You really think he’s into you?"

His words exploded like a bomb, sending shockwaves through the room.

Evelyn nearly choked on her drink. Her head snapped up, her glare icy enough to freeze Tristan where he stood. Any shred of sympathy she had for him vanished. He deserved to be alone forever.

"Bullshit!"

Evelyn and Adrian spoke in perfect unison, their denial synchronized.

Adrian shot her a playful wink.

Evelyn lifted her chin, radiating elegance and cold indifference.

That brief flirtation between them had been entirely one-sided on Adrian’s part. Evelyn had never entertained it.

It was just a fleeting attraction—Adrian had been drawn to her beauty, nothing more.

Now, he’d found his way back to the right path.

What he felt for Vivian was different—warm, genuine, the kind of love that made him want to spend a lifetime with her.

Evelyn opened her mouth to clarify their relationship when a smooth, deceptively sharp voice cut in from behind.

"Mr. Whitmore, as an honorary editor of a fashion magazine, your mindset is disappointingly archaic. Ms. Lockwood has male friends, and suddenly she’s being judged for it?"

Preston Sinclair stepped forward, his posture impeccable, his tone dripping with quiet disdain.

"If you can’t have what you want, you’d rather destroy three friendships in one go?"

From the moment he’d arrived, Preston had been the picture of charm, effortlessly winning over the crowd with his warmth and approachability.

But his words now made everyone reconsider.