Chapter 333

Evelyn never anticipated that Victoria would one day accuse her of harassment. The sheer audacity took her breath away.

"Did I say something wrong?" Victoria challenged with a smirk. "Who was the one who pulled me into that embrace downstairs? Who shoved me into the elevator? And who," she added with dramatic emphasis, "pinned me against the wall and refused to let go?"

Evelyn felt her dignity crumbling like dry sand between her fingers.

Before she could formulate a response, Nathaniel's strong fingers closed around her wrist. His jaw was set in that familiar stubborn line. "Evelyn. Come with me."

"Let go of me, Nathaniel!" Evelyn twisted to glare at Victoria, whose triumphant expression made her blood boil. She'd fallen into another one of their traps!

What game was Nathaniel playing now?

He maneuvered her into a secluded corner, his grip unrelenting. When she opened her mouth to protest, he caught her chin with his free hand. "Evelyn," he murmured, his voice dangerously low, "you're becoming bolder than I realized. How did I miss this side of you?"

Evelyn met his stormy gaze without flinching. "I've told you before - don't judge me by your limited understanding." She injected just enough sarcasm to make her point. "Though I doubt someone like you could comprehend."

Nathaniel's lips thinned. "Grandmother would be devastated to learn about your... preferences for women."

The absurdity of his accusation struck Evelyn like a physical blow. She was undeniably straight!

A bitter laugh escaped her lips. "Fine, since we're being honest - yes, I'm bisexual." She leaned closer, enjoying how his pupils dilated. "I've come to realize men rarely live up to their reputations."

"Women," she continued with deliberate provocation, "are compassionate. Understanding. We connect on levels you arrogant males could never fathom."

Nathaniel's expression darkened. He recognized the jab at his own behavior immediately.

Just as he drew breath to respond, Evelyn's phone vibrated. Julian's name flashed across the screen.

She shook off Nathaniel's grip. "If you'll excuse me."

Nathaniel's gaze dropped to her phone. His frown deepened when he saw the caller ID.

"If you can't accept me as I am," Evelyn tossed over her shoulder, "I'll find someone who will."

She pivoted sharply and took the emergency stairs two at a time, deliberately avoiding the elevator where Victoria and Beatrice might still be lurking.

Watching her retreat, Nathaniel's irritation spiked.

Her closeness with Julian already grated on him. Now this apparent interest in Victoria? It was too much.

Was Evelyn determined to bewitch every Montgomery in the city?

"Nat?" Victoria's saccharine voice interrupted his thoughts.

He turned to find her alone, her delicate features arranged in perfect distress. Evelyn's absence seemed to confirm Victoria's unspoken accusation of guilt.

Nathaniel studied Victoria's petite frame - so different from Evelyn's confident bearing. The comparison made Victoria's calculated vulnerability suddenly repulsive.

"Stay away from Evelyn," he commanded, his voice like ice. "Don't go near her again."

Victoria's eyes widened. "Nat, I knew you still—"

He didn't wait for her to finish. His abrupt departure left her standing alone, though her smug smile suggested she'd misinterpreted his warning as protection.

Beatrice materialized at her side. "What did he say?"

Victoria's lips curved. "He told me to avoid Evelyn. Clearly he still cares about me."

The satisfaction in her voice echoed down the hallway as Nathaniel strode away, his thoughts consumed by the infuriating woman who'd just turned his world upside down.