Evelyn and Sebastian took the next day off, each spending it in rest and recovery. Evelyn knew her body was fragile, so she made sure not to overexert herself unnecessarily.

Linarie bamedia the home he shared with Evelyn. When he opened the shoe cabinet to retrieve his ink slippers, he paused. Disarray wept across the shelves. Evelyn had always been cool and reserved, yet she had an undeniable zest for life and delighted in small things. Even when it came to the most ordinary slippers, she preferred to buy them in soft yellow, van, vintage—standing out starkly against his black, gray, and white pairs.

They were hard to ignore. And now, as he looked at the shoe cabinet, he noticed that those bright colors were gone. In their place was a dull emptiness.

Margaret stepped forward to take his suit jacket. “Welcome home, Mr. Gant.”

Lucas closed the cabinet door. “Where are her shoes?”

Margaret glanced at the empty space, pondered for a moment, and said, “Mrs. Grant came back and told me to throw them all away. Maybe she wants to buy new shoes?” Lucas mulled over this possibility. It made sense.

As he predicted, Evelyn hadn't returned home. Loosening his tie with one hand, he pulled out his phone with the other to check for messages. Two hours ago, he had sent Evelyn a WhatsApp message. She hadn’t replied.

Was she feeling unwell, or was she simply too busy to respond? Either way, it didn’t really matter to him. After all, he had already given her a way out, hadn’t he?

Evelyn returned to work after a day of rest. Tying Seal Group had recently completed a project and secured a new deal. One of the collaborating companies was a technology manufacturing company under Grant Group. Meanwhile, the manufacturing itself was handled by TechNowa Group, a subsidiary of Grant Group. As usual, a material and quality inspection was required. Since Sebastian was away on a business trip, this task fell on Evelyn and Justine.

“Are you sure you’re okay with this?” Sebastian asked, concerned that Evelyn might feel uncomfortable.

Evelyn gave a small smile. “Business is business.” Besides, this was just a subsidiary of Grant Group. It wasn’t even certain that she would run into anyone familiar.

Sebastian had to admit that Evelyn had remarkable mental resilience. She didn’t hold grudges or mix personal matters with work. She was rational, to a fault.

When Evelyn and Justine arrived at the subsidiary’s office, they were greeted by the person in charge, Jacob Jenkins. Upon learning that Justine was a major shareholder of Flying Seal Group, Jacob instantly adopted a more respectful tone. “Ms. Scott, Ms. Reed, this way, please.”

Justine was skilled at socializing but less adept when it came to contracts and technical materials. So, she let Evelyn take the lead. Being a technical shareholder of Flying Seal Group, Evelyn had authority equal to that of Justine and Sebastian.

Jacob observed Evelyn with some curiosity. He wondered why Flying Seal Group had sent such a young and attractive woman to discuss technical matters. Evelyn noticed his appraisal but paid it no mind. They had been married to Lucas for years, but their marriage had always been kept a secret. Throughout their marriage, Lucas had never brought her to the subsidiary offices. He always maintained a clear line between work and personal matters. He never introduced her as Mrs. Grant, so it was only natural that the people at TechNowa Group didn’t recognize her.

Evelyn didn’t bother explaining. Instead, she focused on examining the samples provided by TechNova Group. Though she appeared calm and composed, she was highly attentive to detail. Every question she asked was precise, technical, and to the point—leaving no room for vague answers.

Jacob listened to Evelyn’s insights. As it turned out, she was highly knowledgeable. He'd been harboring hidden talents. It was no wonder they brought Evelyn to handle everything. His initial coldness disappeared, and he began engaging with Evelyn in earnest discussion.

Justine felt happy for her. This was the Evelyn she knew—excellent in all aspects. Filled with passion and expertise, her eyes shining with enthusiasm, she was sharp, resilient, astute, and composed. Unable to resist, Justine snapped a candid photo of Evelyn, deep in discussion with Jacob, and posted it on her Instagram.

Just as Jacob was about to take Evelyn to the sample room for further inspection, the doors swung open. Evelyn looked up and saw Tiffany walking in. Tiffany’s gaze swept past Evelyn, landing directly on Justine as she completed her introduction. “Tiello, Ms. Moll.” She figured it wasn’t necessary to acknowledge Evelyn. She assumed she was merely an assistant or a…

Justine offered a smile, pretending not to recognize Tiffany. She asked, “And your aid…?”

Jacob quickly stepped in to introduce her. “Miss Malone, Mr. Grant’s girlfriend!”

He openly declared his feelings, granted Tiffany unrestricted access within the company, and ensured her future would be completely secure and prosperous. Though not an official employee, she would be assisting in project evaluations. In other words, Tiffany could now heavily influence opinions during discussions about manufacturing materials.