Chapter 319 Suspicion Of Lingering Ties

Chapter 319 Suspicion Of Lingering Ties

Winter paced furiously, her voice shrill. "The dress, the diamonds, the banquet—do you think any of that is free? Just the gift money is a hundred million! Add everything else up, and it's a fortune! Plus, Evelyn has fucked William who knows how many times! She's nothing but a used whore! Is she really worth throwing your money away like this?"

Michael's expression darkened instantly, his eyes brimming with malice. "That's exactly why I have to throw this wedding! I need her to know the price of betraying me!"

He turned to Alice beside him and pulled her into his arms, his tone unusually tender. "You're so much better. Obedient and sensible. You never give me trouble."

Alice immediately smiled shyly and nestled closer into his embrace.

Michael let out a leisurely sigh, looking like someone savoring the brief numbness after a cigarette.

He didn't actually like smoking. He didn't like Alice either.

But he craved the emptiness smoking brought, just as he craved Alice's obedience and flattery.

These were things he could never get from Evelyn anymore.

Thinking of Evelyn and William's betrayal, his fingers lightly traced Alice's cheek, his voice tinged with darkness. "Don't worry. Bringing Evelyn home is just for show. I'm throwing this wedding to announce it to the world—to torture her, to make sure those lovebirds never get their happy ending."

He paused, gazing deeply at Alice. "And you—you'll be the one by my side."

Alice was so excited she could barely contain herself.

She quickly looked up at Michael. "Michael, I promise I'll be good. I won't ask for anything else. I just want to stay by your side forever!"

But Winter, standing to the side, had turned deathly pale. She clutched the hem of her clothes tightly, panic flooding her heart.

If Alice stayed with Michael forever, would she have any good days left?

Watching Alice nestle in Michael's arms, Winter was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, but she didn't dare say a word.

If Alice exposed the fact that she'd once killed someone, her life would be over.

So no matter how dissatisfied she was, she could only swallow her words.

Michael paid no attention to Winter's grim expression. His fingers traced the screen of his phone, his thoughts already drifting to Evelyn.

He'd undergone major surgery for his bleeding ulcer. And Evelyn?

She'd only shown up twice—and only because he'd forced her to.

In the past, if he'd eaten even one bite less, she would've worried endlessly, cooking his favorite dishes herself. Now, that care was probably reserved entirely for William.

At the thought, the malice in his eyes deepened. He picked up his phone and called the people tailing her, his tone icy. "I told you to watch Evelyn. Any updates? Has William been to see her?"

The person on the other end quickly replied, "William visited her once."

"Ha, visited?"

Michael let out a low laugh, his tone dripping with mockery. "So what if he visited? He still can't stop me from posting about the wedding. He still can't tear us apart. At the end of the day, they're just sneaking around like a pair of illicit lovers!"

He paused, then gave an order. "Release the photos of William entering and leaving Evelyn's building. Drop a hint that it's where Evelyn lives, but don't explicitly say he was there to see her."

After hanging up, Winter dared to approach, her face full of confusion. "Michael, what are you doing? If you don't say they met, how are you going to nail them as adulterers?"

Michael turned to look at her, a playful smile curling at his lips, like a cat toying with a mouse. "If I nail them now, how will I keep Evelyn under my thumb?"

He leaned back on the sofa, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest, his tone cruelly calm. "If we blow this up completely, it'll be mutually assured destruction. Right now, I'm just dangling them on a string. I want Evelyn to understand—if she doesn't behave, William, Phoenix, everyone she cares about will go down with her. Trading myself for all of them? Sounds like a pretty good deal to me."

His tone grew even darker, his smile sinister. "Phoenix is so old. If she gets too stressed, who knows if she'll even make it through the year? Unless I have no other choice, I don't want blood on my hands."

Alice's eyes gleamed as she spoke casually, "Michael, if you ask me, you should just expose their affair and whatever secret pregnancy they might be hiding. Once it's out, who knows how badly Phoenix will get dragged online? After all, she vouched for her grandson publicly! If she gets so angry she dies, how could William ever forgive himself? Won't he feel sick every time he's with Evelyn?"

Winter immediately chimed in, "Exactly! Phoenix should've died a long time ago! If it weren't for her, William wouldn't have become so ruthless!"

Michael seemed to mull over Winter and Alice's words.

But ultimately, he didn't want Evelyn to hate him that much. "My target isn't Phoenix. I just want Evelyn to understand the consequences of betraying me."

Alice silently calculated.

It seemed Michael's love for Evelyn had truly twisted into hatred. Even if he brought her back, she'd just be a punching bag. There would be plenty of opportunities to torment her later.

And Alice herself? She might even get to help Michael make Evelyn suffer—a perfect chance to vent years of resentment.

With that in mind, Alice sidled up to Michael and spoke sweetly, "Michael, since the wedding is set, why don't you let me handle it? Women understand women best. I can accompany Evelyn for dress fittings and makeup trials. After all, we'll be living together from now on. I want to use this opportunity to show Evelyn my sincerity."

Michael looked at her obedient expression. He felt nothing, but he was too lazy to refuse. He simply said flatly, "Do as you like."

Alice's smile brightened instantly as she looped her arm through his, hiding the scheming glint in her eyes.

This was the first time she'd ever looked forward to Evelyn coming back to Michael's side.

Late at night, I was typing away at my computer when a celebrity gossip notification suddenly popped up on my phone.

The headline read: "William Spotted Late at Night at Evelyn's Residence, Suspected of Lingering Affair with Mrs. Johnson."

The comment sections across various websites were flooded with gossip-hungry users:

"Oh my God, why is he going to see Evelyn again? Those two are practically glued together and about to get married! What is he doing?"

"What a scumbag! And they call him a prestigious lawyer? What does it matter if he's from a noble family? Are there no other women left in the world? Why does he have to go after his own nephew's wife?"

"Do you guys remember Phoenix's promise? She said William and Evelyn had nothing going on. At her age, she's shameless! She vouched for her grandson's innocence. What a joke!"