Chapter 357

"Then delete it. Right now." Evelyn's voice was ice-cold, her tone leaving no room for argument. The demand caught Jonathan completely off guard.

For a long moment, they simply stared at each other, tension thick in the air. Then, with a reluctant sigh, he turned to his computer and pulled up the campus website.

The article had gone viral overnight. If it stayed up any longer, the scandal would spread beyond the university.

Jonathan hesitated. If the public caught wind of his involvement with Evelyn, it could actually help his business.

Ever since she started working at his studio, things had taken a dramatic turn for the better. Their projects were thriving, their reputation soaring.

If they got married—if she stayed—they could take this to unimaginable heights.

But under her unwavering gaze, he deleted the article.

He looked up quickly, his expression pleading. "It's gone. See? I—I wasn’t thinking straight. I messed up. Don’t be angry."

Evelyn refreshed the page. The article had vanished.

A quiet exhale escaped her before she met his eyes again. "Jonathan, after today, I think it’s best if I quit."

His face fell. "No, Evelyn—please. I was wrong. You don’t have to leave."

"I don’t want to be here anymore." Her voice was firm, final. Staying no longer felt right.

She continued calmly, "Since I was never an official employee, I won’t bother with a resignation letter. Consider this my notice. I’ll figure things out after graduation."

Jonathan’s expression twisted with regret. "Evelyn, I know you’re upset. But this position will always be open for you. You can come back anytime—after graduation, whenever. You’re family here."

"We’ll see." She didn’t want to linger. "I should go."

Without another word, she returned to her desk, packed her belongings, and handed off her remaining projects to her colleagues.

One of them, Sophia, hesitated before asking, "Evelyn… are you really leaving?"

"Yes. I was always going to. I only stayed this long to finish my assignments." She offered a small, tired smile. "If you need anything, you know where to find me."

Then she walked out, the studio door closing behind her with a quiet click.

The moment she stepped outside, the weight on her chest lifted.

Evelyn headed straight for the campus library, where Sophia intercepted her, furious. "Jonathan crossed a line! How could he spread rumors like that?"

Her hands clenched into fists. "You should ruin him for this, Evelyn. Don’t let him get away with it!"

Evelyn shook her head. "If I fight back, it’ll only blow up worse. And in scandals like this, women always lose."

She sighed. "Jonathan has too much influence here. This is the best outcome we could hope for."

Sophia stared at her, stunned. "Evelyn… you’ve changed. That’s—that’s actually really mature of you."

Evelyn chuckled dryly. "Is that a compliment?"

This wasn’t her first time being dragged into ugly rumors.

At first, she had been furious.

But Nathaniel had taught her a lot—about the law, about strategy, about picking her battles.

And this?

This wasn’t a battle worth fighting.