Chapter 54

Steadfastly, Sebastian didn’t let Evelyn lift a finger. He kept handing her fresh skewers and cutting up her steak with precision. Somehow, he always had a napkin ready the second she needed one. To anyone watching, it was clear Sebastian doted on her.

Even Tiffany, who had been casually sipping her drink, felt slightly unsettled. Her gaze lingered on Sebastian before drifting toward Evelyn. What was so special about her that Sebastian was treating her like this?

Most of the people at the table had noticed—including Lucas. Except, if he had any opinion, he didn’t show it. His expression remained cold and unreadable.

Michael took a sip of his beer and let out a low chuckle. Keeping his voice down, he leaned toward Lucas and the rest of the group, saying, “Damn. Evelyn knows exactly what she’s doing. She’s cleverly using Sebastian to get Lucas to notice her.”

Then, smirking, he added, “Is she trying to prove she’s got men lining up for her? She’s pulling out every trick in the book to get her ex back?”

Tiffany scoffed. Lucas, however, didn’t react; he gave no indication. He didn’t even glance in Evelyn’s direction. The cold shoulder was absolute. Jason frowned slightly but said nothing.

Michael continued, “I mean, sure, Evelyn’s got the looks. No denying that. But her character? That’s another story. If she hadn’t pulled all that shady crap back then, she wouldn’t be in this situation.”

He took another swig of his drink and added, “And let’s be real, she’s stiff as a board. No sense of humor, zero personality. She’s boring.”

Before he could say more, Jason shoved a couple of skewers in front of him. “Eat before they get cold.”

The topic dropped.

Across the table, Lucas finally spoke. His eyes landed on Sebastian, who was currently pouring Evelyn a glass of orange juice. “Flying Seal Group has been making waves lately. I heard you were involved.”

Sebastian played it cool. “It’s alright. The drone industry is booming; I just happened to be in the right place at the right time.”

Lucas gave a slow nod, his gaze sharp. “You’re being modest. The market is nowhere near saturated yet. You were developing UN-17’s combat drones five years ago. I imagine your current projects are even more advanced.”

A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “When the time comes, I hope you’ll consider us as a partner. We’d both benefit.”

Something flickered in Evelyn’s eyes.

Sebastian glanced at her briefly, almost amused. Lucas was as sharp as ever. After all, Sebastian had just poached Evelyn for Flying Seal Group, and their new project was gaining momentum. And now, Lucas was quick to position himself, making his first move. But he was completely unaware that Evelyn was the real brains behind Flying Seal Group’s innovation.

Sebastian simply smiled, choosing not to respond directly. Instead, he shifted the conversation to drone technology advancements.

Tiffany, naturally, took the opportunity to join in. After all, this was her domain. As the discussion became more technical, Evelyn found herself listening with interest. At one point, she leaned in slightly, murmuring a quick thought to Sebastian.

Tiffany frowned as she glanced at Evelyn, clearly displeased by her involvement.

And for the first time that night, Lucas actually looked at Evelyn. His gaze was thoughtful, as if something had just crossed his mind.

Mason and Sophia also noticed the shift in Tiffany’s mood.

Sophia immediately scoffed. Was Evelyn seriously that jealous that she had to squeeze into the conversation? How pathetic.

Mason spoke up. “Ms. Reed, what are you talking to Mr. Hill about? He and Tiffany are discussing core engineering—something way out of your league. Maybe just let them talk?”

Evelyn turned her head slightly, her expression unreadable.

Mason, now pretending to be helpful, added, “Mr. Hill’s a damn genius. You know he designed the UN combat drone himself, right? Hell, even my dad won’t stop raving about it.” His father, Pig Cooper, had been in the military for decades. He knew firsthand how groundbreaking the UN combat drone was—how it had set new standards in combat. Everyone would respect Sebastian for this.