Chapter 109 Calculated Moves
Evelyn sat at the bedside table, her fingers flying across the laptop keyboard.
Documents were stacked in piles around her—some on the desk, some on the chair beside her, and some threatening to slide onto the floor.
Roman walked in and paused at the door, surveying the organized chaos.
He had been watching her like this for days now. Busy and completely absorbed.
“You’ve been working nonstop lately,” he said as he stepped further in.
Evelyn didn’t look up.
“I’m drafting a proposal,” she replied, her tone calm but occupied. “To acquire Hayes Corporation.”
She continued typing.
“I’m not waiting for the board’s approval or your brother’s interference. If we move too slowly, someone else might step in. I want everything ready before they even realize what’s happening.”
She looked up briefly.
“It’s a lot of work.”
Roman leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed.
A faint, proud smile appeared on his lips.
"Lyn."
“Hmm?” she responded, eyes already back on the screen.
His eyes narrowed.
“Do you… know anything about the exposure of Hayes?” he asked. “The drug trafficking news.”
Her fingers paused.
Evelyn turned to him, surprised.
“What?” she asked. “It wasn’t you?”
Roman blinked.
“Why would you think it was me?”
Evelyn shrugged lightly.
“Well… you’re my husband,” she said. “I thought maybe you were helping me win that bet against your brother.”
Roman pressed his lips together, exhaling slowly.
“It wasn’t me.”
Her eyes widened for a moment. Then she turned back to her laptop, a small smile playing on her lips.
"I guess luck is on my side. Lena always said karma adores me enough to deal with the people who wronged me."
Roman crossed the room and stood behind her, his hand finding her hair, stroking gently.
"Don't you feel bad for them?” he asked. “They were once your family.”
Evelyn stiffened.
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard.
“Would you think I’m evil… if I say I don’t feel anything for them?” She asked quietly.
Her hand trembled slightly, afraid of his answer.
Roman let out a low chuckle.
"I think you're adorable."
Her head snapped up.
“Really?” she asked, searching his face. “You don’t think I’ve changed? I've always acted good.”
His eyes softened. "Who said you were good?"
Evelyn frowned.
He ruffled her hair.
“I like you more like this.”
He leaned down and kissed the corner of her lips.
“Because no matter what you do…” he murmured, “you’re still my wife.”
Evelyn’s face flushed instantly.
She turned back to her laptop quickly, pressing her fingers against her cheeks.
"What? Shy now?”
“Stop being a distraction,” she muttered. “I’m trying to work.”
But the speed of her typing had slowed considerably.
Roman watched her for a while.
"Do you need help with anything?"
She shook her head. "No."
"Nothing at all?"
"Hmm."
Roman sighed, suddenly feeling useless.
"Right—" She turned around. "I heard Leo's voice earlier. Is he around? I need his help with something."
Roman’s expression darkened instantly.
“What can Leo do that I can’t?” he asked.
Evelyn laughed lightly, not paying attention to his tone.
"A lot."
Roman’s jaw clenched. He stared at the back of her head, his gaze sharp enough to drill holes.
“Leo is not around,” he said stiffly.
“What do you need help with?”
“Oh, don’t worry,” she said casually. “I can’t possibly send you on an errand—”
"Am I complaining?" He cut her off.
Evelyn turned to look at him, surprised.
"Really?"
She reached down to the floor, pulled out a thick stack of documents.
Thud.
She dropped them on the table.
"Then help me photocopy these."
Evelyn turned back to her laptop.
Roman stared at the pile. Silently.
Then he picked them up and walked out.
“…She won’t even look at me now,” he muttered under his breath.
—
"Boss!"
Leo hurried over the moment he saw him.
“I’ve finished setting up the study room for boss lady—”
Roman's gaze frosted over. He walked past Leo without acknowledging him.
Then he stopped, and turned back.
Leo blinked, confused.
"Take these."
Roman shoved the documents into Leo's hands.
"Go reprint them. All of them. Bring them back to me. I'll be waiting."
Leo looked down at the stack. "O-okay, boss."
Roman's dark gaze followed him until he disappeared around the corner.
—
The conference room was full when Evelyn walked in.
She had printed copies of her proposal for every seat at the table.
The board members flipped through them as she took her place, her heart steady.
"As you all know," she began. "The Hayes Corporation is in freefall. Their assets are being frozen, their partners are withdrawing, and their internal structure is collapsing.”
She clicked to the first slide.
"My proposal is simple: we acquire them before the government does."
She walked them through the timeline, the valuation, and the legal framework.
Board members interrupted with questions.
Evelyn answered each one calmly.
Harrison—a senior executive, leaned forward and asked.
"What about the risk of being implicated in their legal troubles?"
"We will create a firewall."
She pulled up another slide.
"A subsidiary holds the acquired assets. Not Sinclair directly.”
Her gaze swept over the board members.
“If the government investigates, they find a clean acquisition of viable properties—not a cover-up, or partnership."
David—one of the executives, shifted in his seat. "And the cost?"
She named the number.
The room went quiet.
Harrison laughed.
"Mrs. Sinclair," he said, "I'll admit—I had my doubts about you. But this..." He tapped the proposal. "This is good work."
Others nodded. A few still looked uncomfortable, but no one could argue with the logic.
When she finished her presentation, the room was silent for a moment.
Then Harrison began to clap.
Others joined in—slowly at first, then more. But not everyone.
Evelyn inclined her head. "Thank you."
—
The conference room emptied.
Marcus remained seated, his expression unreadable.
When the last board member left, he swept his arm across the table.
Crash.
Documents flew. His water glass shattered against the wall. The liquid soaked into the papers, spreading dark stains across the proposal Evelyn had presented.
His assistant flinched.
Thump!
Marcus slammed his hand on the table.
“Even after putting Roman on sabbatical…” he muttered through clenched teeth, “his influence is still everywhere.”
His eyes burned.
“And now his wife.”
His fist tightened.
"She's gaining the respect of those old fools in a month. What took me time and effort."
His breathing grew heavier.
"If I didn't have to lie low right now—"
He stopped himself. Swallowed, then forced his voice back to calm.
"Prepare the car."
"Sir?"
“The Hayes family ruined my plans with their incompetence,” he said.
“Let’s finish this.”
Marcus' gaze turned sharp.
“I won’t be lenient.”
He walked out, his assistant scrambling behind him.
—
BAM!
The iron door slammed open.
Inside, curled in the corner, a figure flinched at the sudden light.
He was scratching at his arms, his neck, his face—anywhere his fingernails could reach. His eyes were wild, and unfocused.
"Pathetic."
Marcus stepped into the room, his shoes crunching on the concrete floor.
“Uncle—!”
Nathan crawled toward him desperately.
"Uncle—uncle, please—" He hit his head against the floor. "Please help me!"
He hit his head hard on the floor again, drawing blood.
“Please—please help me,” he begged, gripping his leg. “I won’t run again—I swear—just give me the injection—anything—please—”
He scratched his neck until it reddened.
“I don’t want to die!” he cried. “Something is crawling inside me—I can feel it—”
Marcus kicked him off.
His foot came down hard on Nathan's hand.
Crack.
“Ahhh—!”
Nathan screamed.
Marcus ground his heel into the broken fingers, watching Nathan writhe.
"You begged for death in that room," Marcus said, his voice cold. "I was going to help you. But then you ran. You almost caused trouble for me."
He bent down to Nathan's eye level.
"So I'll fulfill your wish."
Nathan trembled, tears and blood mixing on his face.
"M-my father—"
Marcus laughed.
"Oh, cut the act." He waved a hand.
"Your father thinks you're abroad. Managing Sinclair's overseas branch."
He smiled. "And your mother just needs a good fuck to keep believing her son is doing well."
Nathan collapsed completely, his body shaking.
He raised his hand to hit his own head, muttering words that didn't form sentences.
Marcus spat on the floor beside him.
"Bring him out."
"No—no—please—"
Nathan tried to crawl away.
But two men stepped out of the shadows and dragged Nathan to his feet.
"No! Let me go—humph!"
A rag was shoved into his mouth. His screams turned into muffled cries, as he was dragged out.