Evander stood ramrod straight, his posture tense for a fleeting second.

Something as simple as a hug–something that used to bring him joy–now left him feeling nothing at all.

Tricia nced out the door at the figure in the hallway. “Evander, no matter what happens, you’ll always believe me, right?”

His eyes drifted to the window, distracted. “Mm,” he murmured, barely present.

Tricia smiled softly. “You’re so good to me, Evander.”

Charlotte lingered outside the door, unable to bring herself to enter.

Tricia saw her. She said nothing. She wanted Charlotte to hear all of this–she’d asked that question on purpose, right in front of her.

And Evander’s answer was exactly what Charlotte expected.

She tightened her grip on her phone. Even if she handed over the security footage to prove her innocence, what difference would it make?

Tricia was right. No matter what, Evander would always choose to believe her.

A bitter, hollowugh echoed in Charlotte’s mind as she turned and walked a

That afternoon, Charlotte visited aw firm to review Hiram’s case, hoping to find someone willing to take it on.

Everywyer she contacted turned her down.

The reason? They’d received word–it was clearly Evander’s doing.

When the Howard family made a decision, unless you were their equal in power or status, there was no changing it.

Jonathan had already helped her twice. She couldn’t risk dragging him into trouble with the Howards because of her.

When Charlotte returned to Tranquility Manor, she stepped out of the elevator and spotted a man leaning against the hallway wall, cigarette in hand, looking ias /ibif /bhe’d only juste back from the hospital.

Evander flicked ash from his cigarette, watching her through a haze bof /bbsmoke/b. “bYou /b

b08:41 /b

went to see awyer? I thought you’d go running to Jonathan Pembroke.”

She froze in her tracks, turning in disbelief. “You had someone following me?”

He shrugged, crushing out his cigarette in a ss dish. “Would I bother with that?”

He stepped closer, his presence looming. “Why would I need to have you followed?” Charlotte’s hands curled into fists. She brushed past him, determined to ignore him. But Evander’s arm shot out, pinning her against the cold tile wall, his frame blocking her escape. His voice dropped to a low, gravelly murmur. “You want me to bail Hiram out, don’t you?”

Her shoulders trembled, but she said nothing.

He leaned in, his features inches from hers. “If you’re willing to bow your head to Tricia, I’ll post his bail.”

“Evander.” Charlotte’s voice shook with anger. “So it’s all about Tricia, isn’t it? Did you even bother to look at the security footage?”

“She used me first–why should I be the one to beg her for forgiveness?”

“Did you ever think about that when you and your grandmother forced her out?” Evander’s tone was eerily calm, but his words cut her to the bone.

He’d always believed she and Grandma Rosemary had struck some underhard deal to drive Tricia away.

But that wasn’t true.

Back then, she hadn’t even known Evander had just been dumped. She didn’t learn about the ex he couldn’t forget until after they were married.

She’d tried to exin, but Evander never listened.

Now… there was nothing left to say.

“Fine. I brought this on myself.” Tears welled in her eyes, but she forced them back. “I was blind to ever marry you in the first ce. I regret it more than anything.”

She pushed desperately against his chest, but he was unmovable–a wall of stone. Her resistance was futile.

“Evander, let go!”

His grip only tightened, his expression darkening.

bChapter /b34

He thought back to how much she’d changed in the past month and bfelt /bba /bbsurge /bbof /bfrustration. For six years, the woman who’d married him for convenience had bkept /bher ce. Now she was growing restless, as if she might break free of him at any moment.

All because of someone–or something.

He hated feeling out of control.

In one swift motion, he scooped her up and strode straight toward the bedroom.