Chapter 83: The False Comfort
Evelyn reached out and picked up the check.
Octavia managed a condescending smile. “That’s right, a smart woman knows when to…”
SHRED— The sound of tearing paper cut her off. Evelyn expressionlessly tore the check in half, folded it, and tore it again until it was a pile of useless scraps. She opened her hand, letting the paper confetti fall onto the table.
“You!” Octavia surged to her feet. “How dare you…”
“My marriage to Damian is none of your business. I am not a commodity you can buy and trample. You want me to leave? Only if I choose to. You could offer me the entire Green fortune, and I wouldn’t look twice.”
“You’re insane! Absolutely insane!” Octavia’s face was livid. She rounded the table and raised her hand to strike Evelyn. The slap was hard and fast. Evelyn’s eyes narrowed. She twisted away, covering her abdomen with both hands. The slap missed. Octavia stumbled from the force of her swing, steadying herself on a chair.
“You would strike me?” Evelyn stepped back. “Mrs. Green, if that hand touches me, I promise you, police will surround this estate in ten minutes.”
“You’re threatening me?”
“You can try it,” Evelyn said, pulling out her phone, her finger hovering over the emergency dial. “Let all of New York see how the matriarch of the Green family physically abuses her daughter-in-law in her private residence. With Damian's company about to IPO, I'm sure that kind of scandal would make Omni Group's stock price very ‘exciting.’” The fragility of pregnancy was overridden by maternal instinct, replaced by iron resolve.
Octavia was furious. She pointed at Evelyn, spitting venom. “You ungrateful wench! With one word from me, Damian will freeze all your accounts, and you’ll have nowhere to go in New York! You think you can fight me?”
“I’ve lost everything. I have nothing left to lose.” Evelyn stood tall, her voice steady. “If you want mutually assured destruction, I will see it through.”
The air was tight, ready to explode. Just then, footsteps sounded.
“Mother?” Damian’s voice called from the doorway. He and Camilla had returned, seemingly having forgotten something. He walked in to find the scraps of paper on the floor, his mother shaking with rage, and Evelyn standing her ground, her eyes red but defiant.
Octavia instantly changed her expression upon seeing her son. “Damian! Look at your wife! She dared to defy me and threatened to call the police! This woman must be thrown out today!”
Damian’s gaze swept over Evelyn’s arms protectively crossed over her stomach and her pale face. He was silent for two seconds, then stepped forward, placing himself between Evelyn and his mother.
“Mother,” Damian said, his voice measured. “Evelyn is my wife. You shouldn’t treat her this way.”
Everyone present was stunned. Evelyn stared at his back, disbelief washing over her. He… is defending me?
Camilla’s face instantly fell. She hurried over, clutching Octavia's arm, and interjected. “Damian, how can you speak to your mother like that? Mrs. Green is only looking out for you.”
“Evelyn really… isn’t suitable to stand beside you. Her background and manners will only tarnish the Omni Group’s reputation.” Camilla was clearly denigrating Evelyn to position herself as the ideal mistress of the house.
Damian turned, his eyes briefly flicking over Camilla’s hand on his mother’s arm, a flicker of annoyance in his gaze.
“Miss Cole,” he said, his voice colder than it had been with his mother. “This is a Green family matter. We don’t need outsiders interfering.”
Camilla’s forced smile froze. “Damian, I was only trying to…”
“I think our partnership can be terminated,” Damian cut her off, his tone absolute. “Since Miss Cole clearly looks down on my wife, I see no need to work with someone who looks down on my judgment. Please leave.”
“What?” Camilla’s eyes widened. “For that woman? You’re throwing away a multi-million-dollar deal?”
“Show her out,” Damian ordered the staff, offering no explanation. Camilla stomped her foot in rage, shooting Evelyn a furious glare before leaving.
The dining room fell quiet again. Octavia stared at her son in disbelief. “Are you insane? You’re dumping Camilla for her? Have you forgotten the IPO is next month?”
“Exactly because of the IPO,” Damian turned to face his mother. “My family cannot have a scandal right now. Divorce? Domestic violence? Mother, do you want the board to tear me apart?” He glanced at Evelyn over his shoulder. The look in his eyes wasn't protection; it was calculation. “I know you don’t like Evelyn, but until the company is listed and the stock is stable, she must remain Mrs. Green. No one is going to force her out, including you.”
Evelyn stood frozen. That momentary flicker of hope was instantly extinguished. She looked at the side of Damian’s face, etched with self-interest. He wasn't protecting her. He was protecting his stock price, his image.
She didn't watch Damian and Octavia continue their argument. She turned and walked out of the estate. Every step was agonizing; the pain in her ankle and the ache in her heart were overwhelming. She just wanted to leave this place of manipulation and humiliation.
Just outside the wrought-iron gate, Evelyn stopped. Standing next to Damian’s black Bentley was a familiar figure.
It was Sienna.
Sienna wore a short black dress, her long legs clearly visible in the night. She seemed to have been waiting a long time. When Damian walked out, she smiled, immediately moving toward him. She rose onto her toes and kissed him.
From a distance, Evelyn couldn't see Damian’s expression. But she saw clearly that he didn't push Sienna away. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. They kissed by the car window, the headlights illuminating their entwined bodies. The sight made Evelyn's eyes burn with pain.
Evelyn stood frozen, watching the scene, her mind completely blank.