Chapter 141

The morning sun filtered through the sheer curtains, casting a golden glow across the bedroom. Evelyn stirred, her fingers brushing against the cool silk sheets as she blinked away the remnants of sleep. Beside her, Nathaniel lay still, his breathing steady, his dark lashes casting faint shadows against his cheeks.

She studied him for a moment—the sharp line of his jaw, the way his lips parted slightly in slumber. Even in sleep, he exuded an air of quiet authority, the kind that had once intimidated her but now felt like home.

Her phone buzzed on the nightstand, pulling her from her thoughts. A message from Gregory flashed on the screen:

"Meeting at 10. The investors are getting restless. We need to finalize the blueprints."

Evelyn sighed, rubbing her temples. The pressure of the new project weighed on her, but she refused to let it show. Not when Nathaniel had his own battles to fight—his grandfather’s declining health, the whispers of dissent within Martin Group.

She slipped out of bed, careful not to wake him, and padded toward the ensuite bathroom. The marble tiles were cool beneath her bare feet as she splashed water on her face, willing herself to focus.

When she emerged, Nathaniel was awake, propped up on one elbow, watching her with those piercing blue eyes.

"Morning," he murmured, his voice rough with sleep.

"Morning," she replied, forcing a smile.

He frowned. "You're worrying again."

She hesitated, then exhaled. "Gregory says the investors are pushing for answers. We can’t afford delays."

Nathaniel sat up, the sheets pooling around his waist. "Let me handle them."

Evelyn shook her head. "No. This is my project. I need to see it through."

He studied her for a long moment before nodding. "Alright. But if they give you trouble, you call me."

She smirked. "What, are you going to intimidate them with your CEO glare?"

His lips twitched. "If that’s what it takes."

A knock at the door interrupted them. Alfred’s voice came through, polite but firm. "Mr. Martin, your grandfather is requesting your presence."

Nathaniel’s expression darkened. "Tell him I’ll be there shortly."

Evelyn reached for his hand, squeezing it gently. "Go. I’ll be fine."

He pressed a kiss to her knuckles before rising, his tall frame moving with effortless grace. As he dressed, Evelyn watched him, a pang of unease settling in her chest.

Something was coming. She could feel it in the air—a storm brewing beneath the surface.

And she wasn’t sure if they were ready for it.

Downstairs, the grand dining room was bathed in soft morning light. Edward Martin sat at the head of the table, his frail hands clasped over his cane. His sharp gaze flickered to Nathaniel as he entered.

"You’re late," Edward said, his voice thin but firm.

Nathaniel took his seat without apology. "What do you need, Grandfather?"

Edward’s lips thinned. "I’ve received word that Isabella is back in the city."

A muscle ticked in Nathaniel’s jaw. "And?"

"And," Edward continued, his tone icy, "she’s been seen with Donovan Sinclair."

Evelyn, who had just stepped into the room, froze at the threshold.

Donovan Sinclair—the man whose name was synonymous with danger, with secrets buried deep.

Nathaniel’s eyes met hers, a silent warning flashing between them.

The storm had arrived.

From memory, Evelyn meticulously reconstructed the agreement Nathaniel had previously provided. Her fingers flew across the keyboard with mechanical precision, each keystroke echoing like a death knell for their marriage.

The printer hummed to life, spitting out the damning document. When her elegant signature - "Evelyn" - materialized beside "Authorized by", the finality of it stole her breath. This single flourish of ink marked the beginning of their end.

No turning back now. She couldn't afford hesitation, not when every second of delay threatened to weaken her resolve.

Sealing the envelope felt like entombing her heart. She instructed a courier to deliver it directly to Nathaniel's office at Martin Group headquarters. As the deliveryman disappeared through the glass doors, Evelyn collapsed into her ergonomic chair, her vibrant eyes now dull mirrors reflecting nothing but emptiness.

She'd believed herself prepared for this moment. The pain still came like a sucker punch to the gut. Asking the man she loved for divorce was more excruciating than she'd ever imagined.

Her gaze dropped to her still-flat abdomen as time lost all meaning. The shrill ring of her phone shattered the silence.

Nathaniel's name flashed on the screen. She answered to his icy demand: "Explain this, Evelyn."

"My intentions should be perfectly clear," she replied, her voice steadier than she felt, watching sunlight dance across the Manhattan skyline.

Could he hear the tremor in her breathing? Detect the way her nails dug into her palm?

His next words came laced with frost: "So divorce is your only solution?"

"Tell me, Nathaniel," she challenged, "your resistance makes me wonder - have you fallen for me? After all this time?" The question escaped her lips for the third time, though she already knew the answer.

His behavior confused her. If he didn't love her, why cling to this hollow marriage? Was it mere habit after a year together? Or perhaps maintaining appearances served his purposes while he pursued his true love?

The thought sickened her. If not for the life growing inside her, she might have continued waiting. But now, someone more precious needed her protection.

The line crackled with tension.

After thirty excruciating seconds, Nathaniel responded with calculated calm: "Since when did love become a requirement? Our marriage never needed it before. Are you certain about this, Evelyn?"

His first direct answer to her persistent question. It confirmed everything she'd feared.

"I'm certain," she said, voice breaking. "If we're both considering divorce, then separation is our best path forward."

"Unacceptable." His tone turned steely. "We just went public. A divorce now would devastate Martin Group's reputation and affect thousands of employees. I won't allow it."

Evelyn countered bitterly: "We kept our marriage secret for a year. If you hadn't revealed it, no one would associate us now. What's stopping us from keeping our divorce private too?"

"So this is my fault?" His anger vibrated through the receiver.

She bit her lip until she tasted copper, the silence between them thickening.

A muffled interruption came from his end - Samuel's voice reminding Nathaniel of an impending meeting.

His final words struck like a whip: "I'm giving you time to reconsider, Evelyn. But my answer remains no. Understood?"

The line went dead before she could respond.