Chapter 84

"Vivian has nothing to do with me." Nathan's voice was icy. "She lied to me for six years and even dared to drug me last night. Mr. Vanderbilt, how do you plan to settle this account for your daughter?"

Evelyn froze.

Did Vivian drug him last night? No wonder he was so aggressive. I almost became collateral damage in her scheme.

Richard's expression darkened. "How could Vivian—"

"It doesn't matter if you refuse to handle it yourself," Nathan interrupted, his tone laced with warning. "But remember, the outcome will be far worse if I deal with her personally."

Richard paled, his lips pressing into a thin line. "If it was truly Vivian's doing, I'll discipline her when we return home."

Nathan's gaze sharpened. "I don't want to hear the word if."

Richard swallowed hard. He knew Nathan wasn't a man to be trifled with. If he didn't give a satisfactory answer, Vivian wouldn't escape unscathed.

"Fine," Richard relented, his voice strained. "I'll give you an explanation later. Please, just... show her some mercy this once."

Evelyn's lips curled bitterly.

If it were me in Vivian's place, would he beg for my sake too?

Once Richard left, the others followed, leaving only Evelyn and Nathan in the office.

Evelyn crossed her arms, feigning indifference. "How ruthless, Mr. Goldmann. Not even sparing your ex-girlfriend. People might think you're the type to discard old lovers the moment you find a new one."

Nathan stepped closer, tilting her chin up with his fingers. "Aren’t you partly responsible for this mess?"

Evelyn blinked. "Me?"

His voice was low. "If you hadn’t run away six years ago, Vivian wouldn’t have gotten the chance to deceive me. None of this would’ve happened."

Had he known Evelyn was the woman from that night, Vivian would never have entered the picture.

Evelyn scoffed, pushing his hand away. "So now it's my fault? Weren’t you perfectly content defending her before?"

Nathan’s eyes darkened. Does she resent me for siding with Vivian?

A smirk tugged at his lips. "I can defend you too, you know."

Evelyn rolled her eyes. "Hard pass." She turned to leave, but Nathan wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, pulling her flush against him.

"Nathan Goldmann!" She struggled, but his grip was unyielding.

His lips brushed her ear. "Move in with me. Bring the children."

"Never." Her voice was sharp.

He actually expects me to live with him? Delusional.

Nathan traced her lower lip with his thumb. "If persuasion doesn’t work, I’ll just have to try another method."

Before she could react, his cold lips pressed against her neck. Evelyn shivered. "Wait—fine! Give me a few days to think about it!"

Nathan released her, satisfaction gleaming in his eyes. "Three days. No more."

Once he was gone, Evelyn clenched her fists, her expression icy.

Aside from that night six years ago and the fact that the children were his, she felt nothing for this man.

Yes, Nathan is devastatingly handsome, powerful, and influential—the epitome of every socialite’s dream. But my father’s betrayal left scars too deep to ignore.