Chapter 271

Evelyn Roland strode out of the hotel elevator, her stilettos clicking sharply against the marble floor. Her nails dug unconsciously into her palms. Howard Merouin's smarmy face lingered in her mind, every evasive word he'd spoken seeming to hide some dark secret.

Outside the revolving glass doors, rain fell in a fine, unrelenting mist. She checked her phone—her brothers should be long gone by now. Just as she braced herself to dash into the downpour, steady footsteps sounded behind her.

A black umbrella snapped open above her head.

Sebastian Valdemar appeared at her side without warning, tilting the umbrella slightly in her direction. Raindrops slid down the ribs of the umbrella, leaving dark stains on the shoulders of his impeccably tailored black trench coat. The sharp line of his jaw seemed even more pronounced in the dim light.

"I'm heading that way," he said tersely.

Rain streaked the car windows like winding rivers. The warmth inside the vehicle made her drowsy. Evelyn stared at the blurred neon lights outside before speaking abruptly, "Howard's afraid."

Soft music played in the background. Sebastian tapped his fingers twice against the steering wheel.

"Theodore has an episode every time he sees him," Evelyn continued, turning to face the road ahead. "This isn't just about an absent father."

The traffic light shifted from green to red. Sebastian pressed the brake. In the rhythmic sweep of the windshield wipers, his profile was gilded by the glow of streetlights. "What are you suggesting?"

"Domestic violence? Infidelity?" Her fingers absently traced the seatbelt. "Or something worse."

The sound of tires cutting through water suddenly turned harsh. Sebastian's lips pressed into a thin line, his eyes darker than the night outside. The car's display screen lit up with a new notification.

"Nine tomorrow morning," he said abruptly. "Come to my office. I'll show you the files."

The rain had stopped by the time they reached her home. Evelyn stood at her front door, surprised to find the porch light on. When she turned, Sebastian's car was still idling at the curb, its taillights painting twin red streaks on the wet pavement.

"Sebastian?" she called out before she could stop herself.

The window rolled down. He rested one arm on the sill, his watch glinting coldly under the light. "Something else?"

The night wind carried the scent of osmanthus into the car. Evelyn shook her head, her hair lifting slightly in the breeze. "See you tomorrow."

Only after her slender figure disappeared behind the door did Sebastian start the engine again. His Bluetooth earpiece crackled to life with his assistant's voice. "Sir, we've uncovered Howard's spending records in Los Angeles from three years ago—"

The steering wheel jerked sharply. Tires screeched against asphalt. Sebastian's gaze remained fixed on the rearview mirror, where the Roland estate grew smaller in the distance. His voice was ice. "Keep digging. I want every move he's made in the last five years."