Chapter 164

"Fine, if that's how you all want to play this, just wait and see!" Genevieve spat before storming out of the studio.

With her departure, the tension in the room eased slightly, but Evelyn couldn’t shake the unsettling weight of her colleagues’ lingering stares. Their gazes prickled at her skin, leaving her restless.

Breaking the silence, Jonathan cleared his throat. "Let’s all take a step back. I’ll personally ensure the rights of our female employees are protected."

Relief washed over Evelyn. "Thank you, Jonathan. I appreciate your trust in me."

"Of course. I know your character. Workplace politics can be messy, but I’ll handle this." He hesitated before adding, "We can let this design order go."

Evelyn shook her head. "Actually, I’ve already secured the contract."

Jonathan’s brows lifted in surprise. "You have?"

The revelation caught him off guard. He hadn’t expected her to confirm the deal so soon.

"Yes, but there’s nothing underhanded about it," Evelyn clarified.

She deliberately avoided mentioning Nathaniel’s involvement. Bringing him up now would only complicate things further.

After a beat, Jonathan smiled. "I never doubted you. You are Evelyn Carter, after all."

She forced a smile in return, but unease still coiled in her chest. As she returned to her desk, her mood remained heavy.

Her eyelid twitched incessantly—a nagging sign that this wasn’t over.

The next morning, the studio was flooded with calls—just as a scandalous tweet went viral.

"Renowned designer Evelyn Carter accused of securing high-profile contracts through unethical means. Sources claim she drugged an elderly client to manipulate a deal, leading to a confrontation with the family."

The post spread like wildfire, amassing thousands of retweets within hours.

Evelyn was jolted awake by Sophia’s frantic call. "Evelyn, wake up! Check your messages—someone’s smearing your name online!"

Adrenaline shot through her.

She snatched her phone, her fingers trembling as she read the headline. Fury burned through her veins.

"None of this is true!" she hissed.

"I know," Sophia said, "but people believe what they see. Evelyn, who would do this? Should we involve the police?"

Evelyn exhaled sharply. "I think I know who’s behind it."

After hanging up, she took a steadying breath before dialing Sebastian.

His groggy voice answered. "Evelyn?"

She winced, suddenly remembering the time difference between Nord City and Bern City. "Sebastian, I’m sorry—did I wake you?"

"Hey, it’s fine. What’s wrong? Do you need help?"

She hesitated. "Can you trace a Twitter account for me?"

"Whose?"

She forwarded the tweet. "I need to know who posted this."

Sebastian’s drowsiness vanished instantly. His voice turned sharp. "I’m on it."

Who dared attack his sister like this?

He bolted upright, flipping open his laptop and speed-dialing his brothers.

Grumbled protests answered.

"Sebastian, this better be life or death!"

"Do you have any idea what time it is?"

Sebastian didn’t flinch. "Someone’s spreading lies about Evelyn. It’s blowing up in Bern City. She asked for our help tracking the source."

A beat of silence.

Then, in unison: "We’re in."