Chapter 414
It appeared Nathaniel had outmaneuvered Benjamin, the renowned attorney from Northridge.
Evelyn placed a comforting hand on Benjamin's arm. "Benjamin, this isn't your failure. I never expected anything from this arrangement anyway. Let's just leave it be."
Benjamin remained silent, the bitter taste of defeat heavy on his tongue.
"Promise me you won't confront Nathaniel about the settlement," Evelyn pleaded, her voice barely above a whisper. "All I want is to cut all ties with the Whitmore family."
Nothing else mattered now. Not when she carried her most precious treasures—the twins growing safely within her.
As Benjamin met Evelyn's pleading gaze, he exhaled sharply.
Suddenly, he understood Julian's warning about never being able to refuse Evelyn.
Now, he too found himself powerless against her requests.
Yet even as he agreed, a simmering sense of injustice burned in his chest.
After organizing the paperwork, Evelyn returned home, maintaining her carefully constructed facade of normalcy.
Only when night fell, after dinner and tucked safely in bed, did she finally examine the divorce settlement documents.
Steeling herself, she dialed Nathaniel's number. The line rang endlessly with no answer.
Unbeknownst to her, Nathaniel sat secluded in a VIP lounge of an upscale bar, surrounded by an alarming number of empty liquor bottles.
When Gregory arrived, the scene before him made his blood run cold.
"Nat," Gregory's voice held barely concealed alarm as he took in the wreckage of the room, "what the hell happened?"
It had been years since he'd seen Nathaniel consume alcohol like this.
Sinking onto the leather couch, Gregory quipped, "Did the apocalypse start and nobody told me?"
Nathaniel's tie hung loose around his neck, his dress shirt unbuttoned to reveal his collarbones. The usually impeccable businessman looked utterly disheveled.
Without a word, he drained another glass of burgundy liquid before muttering something unintelligible.
Alarmed, Gregory grabbed Robert by the arm. "Explain. Now."
"Mr. Whitmore is facing financial ruin," Robert confessed.
Gregory's eyebrows shot up. "That's impossible. The Whitmore empire doesn't just collapse. Why wasn't I informed?"
"The divorce settlement was finalized today."
"That shouldn't bankrupt him."
Robert hesitated. "He transferred all his shares to Ms. Carter."
Gregory's glass slipped from his fingers, shattering against the marble floor. "He did what? Has he lost his damn mind?"
As Robert recounted the events, even he seemed stunned by how things had unfolded.
Gregory turned to Nathaniel, his voice sharp. "There's still room to negotiate with legal counsel."
"Besides, Evelyn signed a prenup. She wasn't entitled to anything. Are you seriously just surrendering like this?"
This wasn't the ruthless Nathaniel Whitmore he knew!
Nathaniel set down his glass, the remaining wine staining his lips crimson. His eyes darkened as he rasped, "You don't understand."
"Damn right I don't! How could you sign without reviewing the terms?"
"You're the most meticulous bastard I know. This isn't like you."
Gregory was genuinely baffled.
Nathaniel slumped deeper into the couch cushions, his voice rough. "You think I have answers?"
"You signed the damn papers! What were you thinking?"
"I wasn't thinking at all."
Nathaniel's grip tightened around his glass, his knuckles turning white. Never in his life had a woman caused him to make such a catastrophic mistake.
The realization of Evelyn's power over him—that's what terrified him most.
Gregory studied his friend carefully before voicing the dangerous thought. "Nathaniel... are you in love with Evelyn?"