Chapter 40

"Shut up!" Alexander's knuckles turned white, veins bulging.

Julian's holier-than-thou attitude never failed to ignite his fury.

Always pretending to care about Evelyn, yet abandoning her when it mattered most.

Julian ignored the provocation.

He subtly shifted position, shielding Evelyn behind him.

She seized the chance to swipe her access card, disappearing into the apartment complex.

Their seamless coordination made Alexander's face darken.

The quicker she left, the cleaner the break.

Julian was right—they shouldn't disturb her life anymore.

After leaving Royal Gardens, even the air smelled fresher. Isabella had transformed from a loathsome rival to a ridiculous clown.

Julian feared she might look back...

What pointless worry.

Golden afternoon light filtered through sheer curtains.

Evelyn lounged on the sofa, sipping milk while scrolling her phone.

Ryan Holt's scandal still dominated the top three trending spots.

Predictable—no amount of money could stop rival companies from piling on now.

His fans had gone berserk.

Most attacked everyone involved, from the whistleblowing ex-girlfriend to Orange Media's shutdown comment section.

Some even flooded Orange's website with false reports...

Evelyn suspected Horizon had instigators among them.

Orange's frantic damage control couldn't outweigh Ryan's shocking dirt or his fans' insanity.

Human nature at work.

Who'd admit falling for trash?

Even heartbroken, they'd screech "We stand with Ryan!"

Soon enough, they'd quietly find new idols.

Fickle little creatures.

Company chats buzzed with updates:

[Luxury brand ambassador status revoked! Removed from fall campaign!]

Evelyn arched a brow.

Dropped that fast? Capital had clearly abandoned him.

[Betting contract leaked! Summer Sky cutting losses!]

[Variety show rescheduling—AI face replacement likely!]

The dominoes kept falling.

She scrolled further.

[Skincare ad pulled, but客服 claims "contract intact."]

[Noodle endorsement playing dead, blaming "platform glitch."]

One last cash grab.

But boycott trends were spreading, with consumers vowing to avoid his products.

Ryan's career crumbled in real time.

From A-lister to pariah in twenty-four hours.

Her phone vibrated.

"Ryan's coming for you..." His ex-girlfriend's voice trembled.

Evelyn had been the first reporter to get her evidence.

"His manager threatened everyone involved... I didn't name you, but they suspect..."

"Who else contacted you?" Evelyn pressed.

"Sorry, I promised secrecy." The line went dead. "Be careful—he'll lash out now that he's fallen..."

Evelyn dressed for the department's victory celebration.

The orange polka-dot dress swayed as she applied rose-tinted lipstick.

She opened her door—

And immediately tried closing it.

Thud.

Alexander's palm blocked the way.

Dark circles shadowed his bloodshot eyes. "Where are you going?"

The cheerful outfit—fluttering skirt, loose braid—stabbed at him.

Evelyn released the door.

Resistance was futile against his strength.

She stepped back.

He invaded her colorful sanctuary: abstract art, stuffed animals, scattered clothes...

Not a trace of white.

Even her sneakers were denim blue.

The vibrant space disoriented him.

"Well?" Her entire body tensed.

His presence turned the room icy.