Chapter 89 Not What It Seems
Leo’s jaw dropped the moment the question left his boss’s mouth.
Roman frowned slightly at his reaction. His gaze flicked upstairs unconsciously before returning to Leo.
“What’s with that expression? Are you going to answer me or not?” he asked, irritation creeping into his tone.
Leo was still staring.
Roman’s eyes darkened. His grip tightened around the coffee box Evelyn had shoved into his hands. Slowly, he raised it.
“I—boss, don’t!” Leo yelped, immediately grabbing a pillow and holding it up like a shield.
Roman shot him a look.
“Are you really joking right now, or—”
“Leo.”
That one word was enough.
“Okay! Okay—boss…” Leo swallowed, lowering the pillow slightly. “Can you… maybe put your hand down first?”
Roman stared at him for a second longer before lowering the box, though the glare didn’t leave his face.
Leo let out a breath of relief.
“Boss… do you really not know your secretary? Miss Kensington?” he asked carefully, still watching Roman like he might snap again. “Even while you’re on sabbatical, she still reports to you and reaches out about company matters.”
Roman paused. Then— “Ah…”
Realization finally crossed his face.
“I see… Miss Kensington.”
Leo blinked. “Boss… do you seriously not know your secretary’s name?”
Roman shrugged slightly, completely unbothered. “I call her Miss Kensington. That’s enough.”
Leo just stared at him.
“…Then, boss, do you know my last name?”
Roman gave him a sharp look. “You come from a reputable family. Of course I know your last name.”
"Then what is it, boss?”
Roman didn’t answer. Instead, he looked away.
A beat of silence passed.
“What is wrong with my wife?” he suddenly asked, pointing upstairs.
Leo: “….”
Leo inhaled slowly.
“Well…” he started, then paused before narrowing his eyes. “Wait—boss… shouldn’t you be upstairs right now? Unless you want to get kicked out of your own bedroom tonight?”
Roman stilled.
“…Am I?” He paused. “Oh. Right.”
He turned immediately. “Why am I still standing here with you?”
And just like that, he strode toward the stairs.
“Wait—boss! My last name—!” Leo called after him.
Roman didn’t stop.
Leo stood there, frozen.
“…Impossible,” he muttered, letting out an awkward laugh. “I’ve been with boss for years. There’s no way he forgot my last name.”
The laugh slowly faded.
“…Right?”
—-
Upstairs, Evelyn stood at the entrance of the bedroom, unmoving.
Her chest rose and fell slowly, but the irritation in her chest refused to settle.
With a frustrated sigh, she kicked off her shoe and walked further inside, dragging a hand through her hair.
“Barbie doll…” she muttered under her breath.
“Imported coffee… ninety-two degrees…”
She stopped abruptly and turned.
“As if I care.”
A knock came from the door. She ignored it, but the handle turned anyway.
Roman stepped in.
Evelyn didn’t look at him.
Instead, she walked straight to the vanity, picking up random items, putting them down again, to keep her hands busy.
Roman watched her quietly. Then he shut the door behind him.
“…Do I want to know what I did wrong?” he asked.
Evelyn let out a short laugh.
“Oh, you don’t know?”
“No.”
She turned, her eyes sharp.
“Ask your Amelia.”
Roman blinked.
“My… what?”
“Your Amelia,” she repeated, folding her arms. “Your close Amelia. The one who knows exactly how you like your coffee. Down to the temperature.”
Roman stared at her, completely confused.
“…What?”
Evelyn scoffed and turned away again.
“She even brought you coffee,” she said, her tone laced with irritation. “Imported. Expensive. Thoughtful.”
Roman glanced at the box in his hand, and without hesitation, tossed it straight into the trash.
Evelyn paused.
“…I didn’t ask anyone to bring me coffee,” he said simply.
She turned sharply. “Oh really? Because she seemed very confident about it.”
Roman exhaled slowly.
"Evelyn... that's my secretary. Miss Kensington.”
She froze.
“…What?”
“She’s just—”
“Why do you even have a female secretary?!” Evelyn snapped, her voice rising before she could stop herself.
Roman blinked, caught off guard.
Silence fell.
Evelyn swallowed, her anger faltering almost immediately.
“…I’m sorry,” she muttered, looking away. “I didn’t mean to yell.”
A pause.
“…But still… why is your secretary a woman?” she added, quieter now.
She sighed, frustration creeping back in.
“She knows how you take your coffee. The milk, the temperature… she even had it imported from Europe…”
She turned, and froze.
Roman was looking at her. Amused.
That small glint in his eyes made something in her snap again.
“Forget it,” she said quickly. “I’m going to shower. Just tell your secretary to stay away from me.”
She turned to leave, but didn’t get far.
Roman caught her wrist and pulled her back.
Evelyn stumbled slightly, crashing into him as his arms wrapped around her.
“I don’t keep in touch with her outside of work,” he said, his voice low and steady. “She’s efficient, and competent. That’s all.”
Evelyn pressed her lips together.
“She said you were close.”
“Professionally.” His jaw tightened slightly. “She’s from the Kensington family. We attend the same circles sometimes. That’s it.”
He pulled back just enough to look at her.
“I told you… I don’t have time for anyone else.”
His gaze softened.
“You’re my wife.”
Evelyn’s throat tightened.
“The only one I want.”
She looked away slightly. “…Then why does she act like that?”
Roman huffed out a quiet laugh.
“So that’s why you stormed in and threw the box at me?”
“I did not—”
“You did.”
Evelyn glared.
“…That’s not the point.”
“Then what is?”
She hesitated. Then muttered.
“She knows things about you.”
Roman raised a brow.
“The kind of coffee you drink. The little details…” she added, quieter now. “…I don’t.”
She paused.
“…I’m sorry. I overreacted.”
“You were jealous,” Roman said calmly.
“I don’t get jealous.”
He gave her a look.
Evelyn groaned. “Fine. Maybe a little.”
Roman smiled faintly and pulled her closer.
“That’s allowed.”
She rested lightly against him, still a bit embarrassed.
After a moment, he spoke again.
“Ask me.”
She blinked. “What?”
“Anything,” he said. “Whatever you want to know about me.”
Evelyn narrowed her eyes slightly. Without thinking much—
“…What’s your coffee order?”
Roman didn’t hesitate. “Black. No sugar. No milk.”
She blinked.
“…But Amelia said—”
“She assumed, because she often saw me drink coffee that way.” he cut in. “I drink coffee because it’s efficient, not because I like it.”
Evelyn stared at him.
“…You don’t like coffee?”
“I prefer tea,” he said simply. “Earl Grey. With honey.”
She let out a small laugh despite herself.
“You’ve been drinking something you don’t like for years?”
“It works,” he replied. “Coffee is fuel. Tea is comfort.”
Evelyn shook her head.
“You’re ridiculous.”
“And you,” he said, brushing a strand of hair from her face, “just came back and started a fight.”
“Whose fault is that?” she shot back.
“Mine,” he admitted easily, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. “I’ll fix it.”
He turned toward the bathroom. “I’ll run you a bath.”
Evelyn watched him go, then let out a quiet sigh before walking to the bed and collapsing onto it.
She pulled out her phone, finally relaxing.
Her thumb scrolled absentmindedly, then stopped.
Her brows furrowed.
“…What?”
A headline stared back at her. Her chest tightened as she clicked it.
A shaky video loaded. Voices overlapped.
“Evelyn!”
“Christ—she’s bleeding!”
“Call emergency! NOW!”
Her breathing hitched.
She backed out of the video and stared at the headline again.
“SHOCKING: Sinclair Family’s Young Madam Rushed to Hospital After Suspected Miscarriage — Eyewitness Footage Leaks Online”
Evelyn’s fingers trembled.
“…What is this…?”
The bathroom door opened.
Roman stepped out, and immediately noticed her expression.
“Evelyn?”