Chapter 419

Evelyn Carter stood frozen before the grand building, the haunting melody of the piano intertwining with other instruments, sending chills down her spine.

It awakened a primal fear she had buried deep within.

Ever since she had deceived her way into the Montgomery family, nightmares plagued her—visions of the true heiress being discovered, while she was stripped of everything and thrown back into the gutters of poverty.

A dark shadow flickered in Evelyn’s eyes. She would never return to that life. Never.

She had to find the real heiress before the Montgomerys did. No matter the cost.

This was the only way to secure her place—to ensure the rightful heir never had the chance to reclaim what was hers.

The music stopped abruptly.

Evelyn exhaled sharply, her back damp with cold sweat. Sleep had been elusive lately.

If the Montgomerys uncovered the truth before she did, it would be the end of her.

Meanwhile, in the practice room, Mia finished her piano session and made her way to the hall to oversee the final preparations.

Today was crucial—the last adjustments before the event. She needed everything to be flawless.

As she entered, she spotted a small crowd gathered, including Elizabeth Hartwell.

Elizabeth smiled warmly when she saw her. "I was just about to call you, but Mr. Winslow mentioned you were in the study hall. Didn’t want to disturb you."

Evelyn blinked in surprise. "Oh, you could’ve called anytime. It’s no trouble."

"Well, we have some VIP guests arriving soon, and we need someone to host them."

"Since you’re handling the hall design, your presence would be ideal. You’d know all the details if they have questions."

"Of course. No problem at all."

As she followed Elizabeth inside, she nearly collided with Theodore Winslow, who had just arrived.

"Evelyn, have you finished your tasks? Setting up must’ve been exhausting. If you need any adjustments with the staff, don’t hesitate to ask."

His politeness was almost unsettling. Was she about to be expelled?

She forced a tight smile. "The university’s support has been more than enough. I don’t have any additional requests."

"Excellent. Once the guests arrive, I’ll need you to put in a good word for us."

"A strong impression could secure more funding for new facilities."

Evelyn nodded. "Understood."

After inspecting the setup, she noticed a minor error and directed the workers to correct it.

Before long, Elizabeth rushed over. "Evelyn, are you done here?"

"Almost. Are the guests here?"

As they approached the entrance, a group of well-dressed visitors stepped inside. Among them stood a man in an impeccably tailored suit—Nathaniel Whitmore.

Evelyn’s breath hitched.

She had been trying to reach him for days, but he’d ignored her calls. And now, here he was—at her university.

Was he avoiding her?

Nathaniel’s gaze swept across the room before locking onto her.

The moment their eyes met, the entire hall seemed to still.

Theodore’s voice snapped her back to reality. "Evelyn, don’t just stand there. Come greet our guests."

Her pulse spiked.

If she had known Nathaniel would be here, she would’ve found an excuse to leave hours ago.