Chapter 269
"Who the hell do you think you are?" Iris Cooper planted her hands on her hips, staring at him like he was a piece of trash.
Her expression screamed one thing loud and clear: Ugly. Rejected. Get lost.
Xavier Stapleton's prized handsome face was being scrutinized with the same disgust one would reserve for a cockroach—for the first time in his life.
He trembled with rage.
"You—"
"You what? Even if you were the king of the world, you wouldn’t dare block Evelyn’s path!" Iris went full throttle. They weren’t even in the same department—why should she fear him?
Martha Nash had her back.
Evelyn might be gentle and easy to bully, but Iris was no pushover.
"Standing there like a damn lamppost! Ever heard of ‘good dogs don’t block the road’?" Iris raised her voice an octave.
"Enough, Iris." Evelyn gently tugged her sleeve. "People like him aren’t worth our breath."
That sentence was a knife.
In front of the entire company, it plunged straight into Xavier’s heart.
His face twisted. "Evelyn Sinclair, don’t you dare—"
"Silence!" Hugo Lee’s roar exploded from behind.
Xavier froze.
"Everyone—back to your stations! Anyone lingering loses a day’s pay!" Hugo barked.
The spectators scattered like startled birds.
"Evelyn Sinclair, your resignation is on hold." Hugo’s command was ice-cold. "Legal team, get over here. You—" He jabbed a finger at Xavier. "Get the hell back to your desk!"
This idiot picking a fight now? Asking for trouble.
"My God, what kind of hellhole is this?"
With only their own people left in the office, Iris shook her head in disbelief. "Melissa Lee’s scheming looks like child’s play compared to her father’s."
A company-wide bullying campaign? What kind of grown adult does that?
"It doesn’t matter." Evelyn’s voice was calm. "If I don’t care, they can’t hurt me."
The truth would come out eventually.
"Forget this mess. You’re not seriously staying, are you?" Martha frowned. "Request a transfer back to headquarters. Hugo’s lost his mind."
Evelyn adjusted her cuff. "If they won’t fire me, I’ll stay."
"Stay?" Iris’s eyes bulged. "What’s worth keeping in this dump?"
"Answers." Evelyn’s reply was clipped.
"Huh?"
"I want to know why Hugo’s targeting me." Evelyn lifted her gaze.
"Because of Melissa, obviously!" Iris looked baffled.
"There’s more." Evelyn’s eyes darkened. "Just like Xavier tormenting Roman Young—there’s something behind that too."
"Ugh…" Martha sighed. "Even with your investigative instincts, you don’t give yourself a break."
Evelyn smiled faintly. "If I can’t see myself clearly, how can I see others?"
She’d been naive before. Now she understood—loving herself came first.
"Fine. Team Evelyn forever." Iris switched topics. "Check out Isabella’s fans losing their minds!"
Isabella Winslow’s fandom had collectively lost it.
Alexander Kingsley had denied their relationship for the umpteenth time.
The marriage certificate’s authenticity didn’t matter.
What mattered was their darling Isabella had been wronged!
And the unforgivable part? Alexander had publicly shown favor to Evelyn Sinclair!
The fans went nuclear.
They swarmed Alexander’s and Kingsley Group’s official accounts like locusts.
[She gave you her youth, and this is how you repay her?]
[Dare you claim that baby is yours?]
[The real wife endures humiliation while you knock someone else up?]
...
Alexander actually responded.
To the baby question. He reposted it with: [If she’s willing, I’ll be the father anytime.]
The fandom detonated.
The war escalated instantly.
[Boycott Kingsley Group!]
[Nouveau riche pretending to be old money!]
[Audit their taxes!]
[Crowdfund to buy Kingsley Group! Make Isabella queen!]
[I’ll donate a month’s allowance!]
...
Martha spat out her coffee.
"What breed of idiocy is this?"
The team watched in awe.
"Real fans are scarier than paid trolls…" Iris facepalmed.
Martha shook her head. "Never thought I’d see living, breathing morons."
A dollar each to buy Kingsley Group?
Not even top global investment banks would dream that big.
"But Evelyn," Martha suddenly narrowed her eyes. "You and Alexander…"