Chapter 6

"Evelyn, don't believe a single word of those gossip articles!" Eleanor Kingsley's voice trembled with fury. "They're all fabricated lies! They'll write anything for clicks!"

"You're the only daughter-in-law we recognize in the Kingsley family. No one else stands a chance!"

"I already called and gave Alexander an earful..." Though the call never went through, leaving Ethan Miller to bear the brunt of her wrath.

"Aunt Eleanor, I'm fine." Evelyn Sinclair's tone remained steady.

Eleanor exhaled deeply. "Evelyn, you're always so understanding. That stubborn boy does care for you—he just won't admit it. Once you're married, he'll treat you right."

He does care for you...

Evelyn had heard those words too many times.

She used to cling to that hope, but reality had slapped her hard. Love couldn't be faked—it either existed or it didn't.

Expecting a man who treated her with indifference before marriage to suddenly become affectionate afterward?

Wishful thinking.

She still couldn't bring herself to say the words to end it.

If there was one thing Evelyn regretted about this dying relationship, it was hurting Eleanor.

But the truth would come out soon enough.

The staff at Royal Gardens wouldn't keep her secrets forever.

......

"Evelyn, you and Charlie are covering the Starlight Awards in the capital tonight." Martha Nash lowered her voice. "Isabella Winslow will be there. Get her to admit something—anything. Once she confirms it publicly, let's see how Alexander Kingsley dares to sue you."

The Starlight Awards carried little prestige in the industry, which was why seasoned reporters avoided them.

Originally assigned to someone else, the task now fell to Evelyn, the rookie. Surprisingly, her colleagues rallied behind her.

"Go get 'em, rookie! Bring back solid evidence to shove in Alexander's face!"

"We've got your back!"

"Just sneak under their bed and snap the proof—victory will be yours!"

Good grief...

Martha nodded. "Crude but true. Do your best, Evelyn."

Though the "Crown Prince" had promised protection, Kingsley Group's influence was formidable. A head-on collision would benefit no one.

If Alexander insisted on suing Evelyn, would Horizon Media really risk a feud with Kingsley Group over one junior reporter?

More likely, they'd throw her under the bus immediately.

Martha studied Evelyn's delicate profile with a quiet sigh.

The girl had beauty, talent—everything but luck.

A meteoric rise followed by an equally swift fall.

Crossing Alexander Kingsley, that living demon, meant either destruction or losing a layer of skin.

......

Charlie had already set up the camera.

At the Starlight Awards, Isabella Winslow's lips stayed sealed tighter than a clam.

Reporters swarmed, only to be blocked by bodyguards.

"Miss Winslow, is your relationship with Alexander Kingsley real?"

"Isabella! Is that diamond ring on your finger an engagement ring?"

"How do you respond to Alexander's lawsuit against the media for spreading rumors?"

Isabella ignored them all, maintaining a flawless smile as she hurried away.

Evelyn didn't join the frenzy.

She and Charlie headed straight for Isabella's hotel, aiming for the heart of the matter.

Martha had given her this chance to fight for survival.

But...

Evelyn scanned the lurking paparazzi around them.

She wasn't the only one with this idea.

"Waiting here won't get us anything useful," Evelyn murmured.

Everyone was fixated on Isabella's hotel window, desperate for even a shadowy glimpse.

The problem? Alexander wasn't even in the capital...

"I'll go up." Evelyn loosened her pinned-up hair.

Charlie blinked at the cascade of dark silk, then snapped back to attention. "Eve, this is Karl's Boutique. How are you getting in?"

The five-star members-only hotel restricted ordinary guests to the lower ten floors.

Isabella occupied a VIP suite on the fifteenth.

Evelyn pushed aside foliage in the landscaped path. "I have a card."

From Eleanor.

Investigating her ex-fiancé's new flame wasn't painless.

But Evelyn needed this job. Needed the money. Sophie still lay in the hospital, clinging to hope.

More evidence meant better odds.

Alexander wanted to sue her?

Fine.

She'd meet him head-on.

His lawsuit would become the stepping stone to her career.

Charlie watched Evelyn stride into the hotel lobby.

Under the glittering lights, her poised elegance made her indistinguishable from the elite clientele.

Rubbing his eyes, Charlie wondered—

With Julian Ashford's special treatment of Evelyn...

Was the Crown Prince secretly grooming his girlfriend here?

......

Evelyn requested a fifteenth-floor suite.

The front desk nearly refused until spotting the name on her card. A manager was summoned, and her stay was promptly arranged.

Evelyn exhaled inwardly.

Her biggest fear had been Isabella booking the entire floor.

Fortunately, Eleanor's membership carried enough weight.

The VIP elevator held only Evelyn. Mid-ascent, her phone rang—Isabella's number flashing unexpectedly.

"Miss Sinclair, I assume you've seen everything by now."

Isabella's voice dripped with triumphant glee.