Chapter 102
Evelyn's POV
The yacht's main deck glittered under strings of lights, champagne flowing as freely as the gossip. I stood near the railing with Julian a careful distance away, both of us playing our roles—professional colleagues who just happened to arrive together.
The crowd began to gather as Adrian and Isabella took their positions on the platform. I found myself pushed forward by the press of bodies, ending up closer to the front than I'd intended. Close enough to see every detail, every expression.
Adrian looked composed in his charcoal suit, his tie a subtle shade of silver. Isabella was radiant in white, her happiness so genuine it was almost painful to watch. They stood together, hands clasped, and I waited for the familiar ache in my chest.
It didn't come.
I watched Adrian slip the ring onto Isabella's finger. Watched them kiss as the crowd applauded. Watched Isabella hold up her hand to show off the Winthrop family heirloom, her smile bright enough to light up the entire deck.
And I felt... nothing. Or rather, not nothing—I felt relief. A strange, weightless sensation, like I'd been carrying something heavy for so long that I'd forgotten what it felt like to set it down.
"How are you holding up?" Julian's voice came from just behind my left shoulder, low enough that only I could hear.
"I'm fine." I kept my eyes on the platform, on Adrian and Isabella accepting congratulations. "Better than I expected, actually."
"Yeah?" There was something in his voice—satisfaction, maybe, or vindication. "Not too painful?"
"No." I finally turned to look at him, found him watching me with those gray eyes. "It's strange. I thought it would hurt more. But mostly I just feel... tired. Like I've been holding my breath for five years and I can finally exhale."
I couldn't see his expression fully in the dim light, but I could feel the shift in his energy. The tension in his shoulders easing, the way he moved fractionally closer. "Good," he said simply.
Before I could respond, Isabella's voice cut through the ambient conversation. "Evelyn! There you are!"
"Your friend looks eager to share her joy," Julian murmured, already stepping back to create appropriate distance. His withdrawal was smooth, casual, like he'd just been passing by.
Isabella materialized in front of me, practically glowing. She grabbed my hands, squeezing them with genuine warmth. "Can you believe it? I'm engaged! Actually engaged!"
"Congratulations." I managed a smile that felt almost real. "You look so happy."
"I am!" She laughed, holding up her hand to show me the ring up close. The diamonds caught the light, throwing tiny rainbows across her skin. "Look at it! It's even more beautiful than I imagined. Adrian's grandmother had excellent taste."
"It's stunning," I agreed.
Isabella's smile faltered slightly. "There's just one tiny problem." She twisted the ring on her finger. "It's a little loose. I've been so stressed with planning that I've lost weight, and I'm terrified it's going to slip off." She gestured to her flowing white dress. "And I didn't bring a bag—I wanted the lines to be perfect, you know? No accessories to ruin the silhouette."
She pulled the ring off and held it out to me. "Could you hold onto it for me? Just for tonight? I trust you completely, Evelyn. You're so responsible, and I know you'll keep it safe."
The ring sat in her palm, glittering accusingly. This wasn't just any ring—it was a Winthrop family heirloom, probably worth more than most people's houses.
"Are you sure?" I asked carefully. "That's very valuable."
"Which is exactly why I want you to have it." Isabella's smile was genuine, without a trace of suspicion. "Please? I'll feel so much better knowing it's with you."
She dropped the ring into my hand before I could protest further. The weight of it was substantial, the metal still warm from her skin.
"Thank you so much!" Isabella hugged me impulsively. "You're the best. I should get back to Adrian—his aunt wants to meet me. But I'll find you later to get it back, okay?"
She disappeared into the crowd before I could respond, leaving me standing there with her engagement ring burning a hole in my palm.
I opened my clutch and carefully tucked the ring into the small interior pocket, making sure it was secure. The bag was expensive, well-made—there was no way the ring could slip out accidentally.
The party continued around me. Champagne flowed, the string quartet played, people laughed and danced. I felt suddenly claustrophobic, surrounded by too many bodies in too small a space.
I needed air. Space to think.
I made my way toward the quieter section of the yacht, past the main crowd, following the deck toward where I'd noticed a pool earlier. The area was less crowded here, just a few people scattered around the illuminated water.
My phone buzzed in my clutch. I pulled it out to see a message from Julian.
Where did you disappear to? Turned around and you were gone.
I typed back quickly: Just walking around. By the pool.
I slipped the phone back into my bag and walked closer to the pool's edge. The water was lit from below, glowing an artificial blue that reminded me uncomfortably of the ice baths in Vorkuta. I pushed the memory away.
"Well, well, well." Scarlett's voice dripped with false sweetness as she moved to block my path. "If it isn't Arthur's grieving widow. Enjoying the party?"
I stopped, every instinct screaming at me to just walk away. "Excuse me."
"Oh, don't be like that." Vivian stepped up on my other side, effectively boxing me in. "We're just being friendly. After all, this must be so hard for you."
"What must be hard?" I kept my voice flat, refusing to give them the reaction they wanted.
"Watching Adrian move on, of course." Scarlett tilted her head, her smile sharp. "Seeing him so happy with Isabella. It must sting, knowing he chose her over you."
"There was nothing to choose." I moved to step around them. "Now if you'll excuse me—"
Scarlett grabbed my arm, her grip surprisingly strong. "We're not done talking."
I looked down at her hand on my arm, then back up at her face. "Let go."
"Or what?" Her smile widened. "You'll make a scene at your stepson's engagement party? That would be quite the scandal, wouldn't it? The unstable widow attacking guests."
"I said let go." My voice dropped to something cold and dangerous, the tone I'd used in dark alleys and abandoned warehouses. "You have three seconds."
"Ooh, scary." Vivian laughed, moving closer. "What are you going to do, Evelyn? Hit us again? In front of all these people?"