Chapter 44: Take Off Your Dress
After the auction, Ryan gave Evelyn no chance to refuse. He naturally took her hand, leading her out through the VIP exit, bypassing the noisy crowds below.
His palm was dry and warm. It stirred up the passionate, chaotic thoughts she'd had in the box.
Ryan drove himself, taking her to a top Michelin three-star restaurant downtown.
The car stopped smoothly outside the restaurant. A waiter respectfully opened the door. Ryan walked around and offered his hand to help Evelyn out.
As they walked side-by-side toward the revolving door, a phone screen flashed in an inconspicuous shadow on the corner.
Laura quickly raised her phone. She was just passing by for a drink but stumbled upon this scene. She quickly pressed the shutter, aiming the camera at the couple.
“Damn!” The light was poor. She only captured a clear side profile of Evelyn and the man’s tall back. Judging by his suit and demeanor, he was definitely wealthy.
Laura bit her lip, typing furiously. She sent the blurry photo to Sienna. [Evelyn is on a date with a stranger. By his back, he looks far richer than Mr. Damian.]
The restaurant was quiet and elegant. Crystal chandeliers cast a soft glow. Evelyn sat opposite Ryan, unconsciously rubbing the glass rim of her cup.
During the meal, Ryan’s phone vibrated faintly on the table. He glanced at it. The screen light illuminated his handsome face. A cold, barely visible curve lifted his lip.
Evelyn sharply noticed the change in his expression. “What is it?” she asked softly, breaking the silence.
“Nothing,” he replied casually. He picked up his knife and fork, cutting a small piece of premium Kobe steak. “Just swatting a troublesome fly.”
His voice dropped, becoming seductive. “Tell me, sweetheart, when you put on this dress, did you ever wonder which man would take it off?”
Evelyn’s face instantly flushed deep red. Clenching her napkin, she snapped, “Stop saying things like that!”
Ryan chuckled, leaning forward without restraint. He lowered his voice. “Why not?”
“The highest respect for a perfect piece of art is imagining its true, raw beauty, stripped of its packaging.”
“And you, Evelyn,” he paused, his eyes moving from hers to her slightly parted red lips. “You yourself are a more captivating work of art than this dress.”
Ryan's tone was frank and innocent. This man always disarmed her with the most explicit words when she least expected it.
Dinner ended in that provocative atmosphere.
Ryan parked the car on the corner of Evelyn’s affluent neighborhood, a short distance from the mansion. “I’ll drop you here.” He turned off the engine. Only their intertwined breathing filled the car.
Evelyn felt released. As she prepared to thank him and step out, Ryan suddenly leaned close. His crisp woody scent, mixed with the richness of red wine, enveloped her.
“I look forward to our next meeting,” his lips almost brushed her earlobe. “Next time, I hope you’ll take off your dress yourself so I can fully kiss your breasts.”
Shame and anger instantly boiled up. Evelyn shoved him away, breaking the intimate distance. “Sir!” she hissed. “Show some respect! I am not someone you can joke with like that!”
Ryan looked at her flushed face and angry eyes. He did not back down, letting out a low, soft laugh instead.
“Respect?” “Darling, I believe honestly stating desire is the highest respect for an adult woman. Do you prefer men who say they love you but sleep with others?”
“I’m just telling you what I want,” Ryan’s voice dropped lower. “And I want you. I want you to feel it directly, not wrapped in false lies. That is my respect.”
His warped logic silenced Evelyn. Her heart hammered. She couldn’t tell if it was from anger or his raw desire.
She stammered out, “Thank you for the... necklace. I’m going in.” Then, like an escapee, she quickly pushed the door open and hurried toward the mansion, which felt like a cage.
She used the fingerprint scanner. The heavy door clicked open. The moment she stepped in, before she could turn on the lights, a pair of warm hands covered her eyes from behind.
“Guess what surprise I have for you?” Damian’s voice sounded behind her, filled with a deliberate, sickening tenderness.
That action, that tone... Evelyn’s body instantly froze. She remembered in their dating days, Damian loved to surprise her this way on every anniversary.
Now, the same scenario only brought bitterness and nausea.
She allowed Damian to lead her through the foyer to the living room.
When Damian let go, the sight made her gasp. The entire living room was a sea of roses. Hundreds of red roses and flickering candlelight decorated the room like a cheap proposal set.
On the glass display table in the center, a diamond bracelet rested quietly. It was the one Damian had bought at the auction for a steep price.
Damian hugged her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. His voice dripped with apology. “Darling, I was wrong to leave you and Director Voss by the roadside at the auction. This bracelet is a small apology. Forgive me, please?”
As he lowered his head, Evelyn clearly saw a faint pink lipstick stain on the collar of his expensive white shirt. The shape, the color... It was Sienna's lipstick.
A wave of intense nausea surged from her stomach. Evelyn nearly gagged right there.
“I’m... I’m too tired today. I need rest.” She broke free of his embrace. “Leave the bracelet... just leave it.”
Without looking back, she quickly walked into her own bedroom.
The phone buzzed as she closed the door. Evelyn picked it up. It was a message from Sienna. Her pupils contracted the moment she opened it.
In the photo, Sienna proudly held up her wrist. She wore a diamond bracelet almost identical to the one downstairs. Under the light, its diamonds shone even more brilliantly.
The caption read: [Damian says this one is worthy of me. As for yours... it's just a cheap fake he used to appease you. LOL.]
Evelyn gripped the phone, her knuckles white. As she moved to delete the sickening photo, she heard Damian's voice faintly from the study.
She tiptoed closer to the half-closed study door. “Don’t be mad, honey. I’d never give her the real one.” “The one I gave her is a fake someone made. It’s worth a few thousand, tops. The real one is already saved for you. You look a million times better wearing it... Yes... I’ll come see you tomorrow. I’ll show you what I can do... You little temptress...”
All her patience, all her pretense, completely shattered at this moment.
She stormed back to the living room and snatched the bracelet from the glass table. Under the bright chandelier, she examined it closely. Sure enough, the supposedly top-grade white diamonds were dull. The cut was rough. The metal links had tiny burrs and flaws. A fake. A fake meant to humiliate her.