Chapter 106 I’ll Take It
Roman lay on his side, one arm wrapped around Evelyn’s bare waist, holding her close.
Her breathing had evened out, soft and steady, her face relaxed in sleep.
A faint smile lingered on his lips as he watched her.
Then his phone rang.
The sound cut sharply through the quiet.
Roman reached for it immediately, intending to silence it—but when he saw the caller ID, his expression shifted.
Leo.
He wouldn’t call unless it mattered.
Roman leaned down, pressing a quiet kiss to Evelyn’s temple before slipping out of bed.
He pulled on a pair of loose pants and stepped out of the room.
He called back.
“Boss—”
Leo’s voice came quickly, strained.
“There’s news circulating about the Hayes family.”
Roman didn’t respond.
He ended the call immediately and walked straight to his study.
His second phone lit up the moment he picked it up.
Nine missed calls.
He dialed back.
“Boss,” the voice came through, more composed but urgent. “There’s information spreading—Hayes Corporation is being linked to illegal drug testing and smuggling.”
Roman’s expression hardened.
“Is it confirmed?” he asked.
“We can’t trace the original source yet, but the evidence being circulated appears… credible.”
Roman opened a drawer, pulling out
a cigarette.
He rolled it between his fingers.
“Who leaked it?”
“I’m tracking it, boss.”
“Do it faster,” Roman said. “I want to know how much they know.”
“Yes, boss.”
Roman leaned back slightly.
“The previous investigation,” he said. “Anything connected?”
The voice on the other end paused.
“No direct link was found with the Hayes family before,” the man replied carefully. “But if this is real…”
He hesitated.
“…then it might be possibly tied to them.”
Roman’s grip tightened on his phone.
“You destroyed everything related to that place years ago. Does it mean they're back?” The person continued.
His eyes darkened.
“Dig deeper,” Roman said quietly. “I want to know if this is just surface-level coincidence… or something more.”
He reached for the lighter, then stopped.
After a moment, he set both the lighter and cigarette aside.
“And stop tracking my wife.”
The other side went silent for a while.
“…Boss?”
“Stop tracking Evelyn,” Roman repeated. His voice softened slightly. “She’s my wife. Let her move freely.”
“Yes, boss.”
Roman ended the call.
—
When he returned to the bedroom, Evelyn had already shifted toward his side.
She instinctively wrapped herself around him the moment he lay down.
“Where did you go…” she murmured, half-asleep.
Roman smiled faintly and kissed her neck.
“Just a call.”
She settled again. Her breathing softened.
But Roman remained awake. He watched her quietly.
‘Evelyn… I hope things remain like this and you never find out.’
His gaze lingered.
‘No matter what… I’ll protect this peace.’
—
The next morning, Evelyn’s phone rang waking her up from her sleep.
She noticed Roman was no longer beside her.
She quickly reached out for her phone.
It was Lena.
Evelyn answered quickly.
“I’ve released it,” Lena said immediately. “The news. And enough evidence to make it look real.”
Evelyn sat upright.
“Really?”
Excitement flashed across her face,
then dimmed slightly.
“They can’t trace it back to you, right?”
“I used a third-party channel,” Lena replied. “Completely detached.”
Evelyn exhaled in relief.
“Good. But are you sure it sounds convincing…?”
“It’s convincing,” Lena replied.
“Everything points to drug smuggling, not the facility.”
Evelyn nodded slowly.
Perfect.
“Thank you so much for this, I—”
The bedroom door opened.
Evelyn flinched slightly.
“Breakfast is ready.”
Roman stood at the doorway.
She smiled quickly.
“Coming.”
She ended the call.
—
By the time Evelyn arrived at the Sinclair headquarters, the building was already buzzing.
Whispers filled the air.
“Did you hear? Hayes is under investigation.”
“Drug smuggling…”
“That’s how they grew so fast.”
“They’re finished this time.”
Evelyn walked through it all calmly.
Unaffected by the situation.
“Isn't the boss' wife from the Hayes family originally?”
“I heard she was disowned.”
“No wonder she looks so relaxed.”
“With Sinclair backing her, why would she care?”
Evelyn stepped into the elevator without reacting.
Leo approached quickly as she stepped out.
“Boss lady, there’s an emergency board meeting. Should I escort you—”
Evelyn didn't slow down. "Am I required to attend?”
Leo almost tripped from her question.
"They're discussing the Hayes situation. The project—"
“I won’t be attending,” she responded calmly.
Leo blinked. "What?”
She stopped at the entrance to the conference room, the heavy doors closed before her. Through the frosted glass, she could see shapes moving inside, hear the muffled rise and fall of argument.
"If they want me," she said, "they can ask properly.”
She turned and walked toward her office.
Leo stared after her, mouth slightly open.
“…Why does she feel more like the boss than the actual boss?” he muttered.
—
Twenty minutes later, the call came.
Evelyn was reviewing documents at her desk when her phone rang.
"Mrs. Sinclair," a voice came in from the other end. "The board requests your presence."
"Requests?"
There was a pause at the other side.
"We would appreciate your input on the Hayes matter."
She set down her pen. "I'll be there shortly.”
—
The conference room fell silent when she pushed open the door.
Every head turned. The long table was packed with executives on both sides.
Marcus sat at the head of the table, his sharp gaze fixed on her as she walked in.
Her heels clicked slowly against the floor unhurriedly.
She didn't rush to fill the silence.
One of the board members cleared his throat.
"As I was saying—with the current allegations against Hayes, it would be best to terminate their involvement and take full control of the project.”
Murmurs of agreement followed around the table.
Evelyn reached the empty chair near the middle and sat down, placing her folder on the table.
“Why terminate,” she said calmly, “when we can acquire them?”
The room plunged into silence.
Then erupted into an uproar.
“Acquire?”
“Are you serious?”
“That would drag us into their mess!”
"Acquiring a company under federal investigation?" One of the executive laughed openly. "That's not ambition. That's stupidity.”
Evelyn leaned back slightly, watching them.
“You questioned me when I allowed them into the project,” she said. “Now their position has collapsed—and you want to retreat?”
Her gaze swept across the room.
“This is the moment to move forward.”
She tapped the table lightly.
“Once the authorities step in, Hayes’ assets will be frozen and eventually redistributed.”
She paused.
“Why let the government take everything… when we can acquire it first?”
The room quieted slightly.
Some frowned at her logic, while others silently considered.
“It’s a risk,” someone said.
“It’s an opportunity,” Evelyn corrected.
Marcus finally spoke.
“Or it’s recklessness,” he said calmly.
“What if they offended someone bigger?”
He laughed lightly.
“You're very confident for someone whose plan relied on luck.”
Evelyn turned to him. "What luck?”
"The Hayes family being exposed." His gaze sharpened. "That wasn't your doing. You didn't uncover their crimes. You didn't expose them. You simply got lucky."
A faint smile curved her lips.
“A bet is a bet.”
His eyes narrowed.
"The terms were clear." She held his gaze. “You didn’t specify how the outcome should be achieved. Only that it should be achieved.”
“You gave me one week., and I said the Hayes corporation will collapse." She glanced at the clock on the wall. "It's been four days."
The room stirred.
Evelyn leaned forward slightly.
“The Hayes Corporation is now collapsing.”
Her voice lowered.
“And I intend to take it.”