Chapter 164: The Mysterious Family
Evelyn looked into Elias's hopeful eyes, her throat tightening.
This was the person she would risk everything to protect. Her only family in the world.
If Ryan could really give Elias a sense of security, even if it was fake, even if it was temporary, what reason did she have to refuse?
"Okay."
Evelyn lifted her head and met Ryan's burning gaze. Her voice was soft but resolute. "I agree. But we need to set some ground rules."
Ryan fought the urge to pull her into his arms and politely extended his right hand. "No problem. You make the rules. I'll follow them."
Evelyn stared at the hand in front of her. Long, strong fingers. Clear lines on the palm.
She took a deep breath and shook his hand. "Deal, Mr. Lawrence."
The moment their hands touched, Ryan tightened his grip as if he wanted to absorb her into his very being. A wild smile curved his lips. "Looking forward to working together, my... girlfriend."
...
The next morning, New York's social media crashed.
The server meltdown was caused by a pinned post from Nova Group's official account.
No lengthy PR statements. Just one photo and a single line of text.
The photo was clearly a candid shot from the designer gala.
In it, Ryan Lawrence knelt on one knee, tenderly adjusting the hem of a woman's black gown. His focus was absolute.
The lighting was warm and intimate. His profile was sharp and attentive. She looked down, eyes lowered. Their silhouettes overlapped perfectly, like they were made for each other.
The caption read:
Working hard to make it official. Media friends, please go easy on her. Don't scare her away. @Sophia Bell
Boom.
New York exploded.
#NovaPresidentHumblePursuit
#DesignerSophiaBell
#RyanLawrenceGoesPublic
These hashtags shot to the top of the trending list and stayed there.
The vicious attacks calling Evelyn "promiscuous" and a "gold digger" were instantly crushed when the man himself stepped in with a powerful counter: "I'm pursuing her."
Envy and congratulations flooded in to replace the hate.
"Oh my God! Is this a real life CEO romance?"
"Mr. Lawrence is 'working hard to make it official'? Who is this Sophia?"
"Damian is such a pathetic joke, harassing her like that."
Evelyn sat in her studio, watching the notifications pile up on her phone. Her feelings were complicated.
This sensation of being protected, of not having to face the world alone, was so unfamiliar it scared her.
"Boss! The phones are blowing up again!"
Her assistant burst through the door, flushed with excitement. "Gucci, Prada, and several high end buyers we could never get meetings with before have all sent partnership proposals! They specifically want the next season of the 'Redemption' collection!"
Evelyn set down her phone and forced herself to stay calm. "Screen all the offers. Reject anyone who's just chasing clout. We're designers, not influencers."
"Yes, ma'am!"
After handling work, Evelyn pulled open a drawer and took out a yellowed old photograph.
It was taken at the orphanage by Director Walsh.
That photo, along with her lost silver ring, were the most precious things Director Walsh had left her.
She had searched her home and car for days. She even had the amusement park check their security footage. Nothing.
The only possibility was that Damian had it.
Later, Evelyn returned home and tore through every corner of her apartment. She even ripped the cushions off the sofa. Still nothing.
"Stop looking."
Ryan watched her turn the place upside down and gently caught her hand. "I already have people checking the black market and pawn shops. If that idiot Damian took the ring, he'll slip up eventually."
"You don't understand." Evelyn pulled away, biting her lip anxiously. "That ring means everything to me. If Damian has it, that's manageable. But I'm afraid..."
She was afraid the ring had fallen into the wrong hands.
Ryan's eyes flickered. He knew exactly what she feared.
Because he understood better than anyone what that "L" engraving meant.
If the old guard in Washington found out Evelyn had that ring, the consequences would be catastrophic.
...
Washington D.C. An estate.
This was the Lawrence family's inner sanctum. It didn't even appear on maps.
Inside a lavish but oppressive study, the air was thick and suffocating.
Several gray haired elders sat around a circular table. On the projection screen before them, Ryan's bold public declaration played on loop.
"Outrageous!"
The elder at the head of the table slammed his cane against the floor. The heavy mahogany groaned. "Nova Group is the family's money machine, not a toy for Ryan Lawrence to use chasing women!"
"Ryan's been getting harder to control." A middle aged man in gold rimmed glasses spoke coldly. "The overseas acquisition, this PR stunt. He's deliberately avoiding family oversight."
"Have you looked into the woman?"
"We're on it. Sophia Bell. Real name Evelyn Green. An orphan with no background. A discarded wife that Omni Group kicked out four years ago."
The old man narrowed his clouded eyes and studied Evelyn's photo on the screen for a long moment.
For some reason, those amber eyes gave him an uncomfortable sense of familiarity.
Like someone from a core family line they had personally eliminated years ago.
"It doesn't matter who she is. If Ryan cares about her this much, she's his weakness." The old man's bony fingers tapped the table rhythmically. "A tool with a weakness is defective."
"Get rid of her."
He issued the order as casually as if disposing of garbage. "And give Ryan a warning. Remind him what the Lawrence name really weighs."
"Understood."