Chapter 39 Not Looking for Trouble

Chapter 39 Not Looking for Trouble

The car passed through iron gates guarded by layers of bodyguards, then wound up a mountain road for a good ten minutes.

The path was well-lit, and Evelyn could make out women in evening gowns struggling up the hillside on foot. She watched them with interest, wondering what kind of relationship Adrian had with the estate's owner to warrant driving in.

Lost in thought, she noticed the lights gradually fading. Dense forest closed in on both sides, and in the darkness, only the headlights cut through, falling on a warning sign at the road's edge.

The sign read: Private Property. Enter at Your Own Risk.

"Mr. Morgan, Miss Grant, we've arrived," Assistant Parker announced from the front seat.

Evelyn got out and followed a tree-lined path before the estate came into full view.

The grounds held seven or eight buildings. The main structure at the center was carved entirely from white marble, glowing with a cold, quiet light under the bright lamps.

One look told Evelyn the owner loved showing off their wealth. What she couldn't figure out was why anyone would hide such a flashy place deep in the mountains where no one could see it. That alone gave her plenty to think about.

"Please show your invitation."

As Evelyn and the others approached the villa's entrance, two bodyguards appeared out of nowhere and blocked their path. After checking the invitations, they melted back into the shadows.

Evelyn was still staring at the spot where they'd vanished when the front door slid open automatically, and the noise from inside rushed out to meet her.

Music. Clinking glasses. Voices talking and gossiping—

"You haven't heard? The head of the mafia got shown up by a high school kid."

"Ha, a kept husband, no less. Didn't his all-powerful father-in-law step in for him?"

"It's not that simple. Word is it wasn't just the governor — people from the Department of Defense showed up to back her too."

"Seriously? Who is she?"

Adrian caught that last part and glanced at Evelyn. She looked completely unbothered. He didn't push further, gave a small nod, and walked off.

"Miss Grant, Mr. Morgan would like us to split up for now and meet back here later." Assistant Parker gave an apologetic smile, looking every bit the fussing mother hen, then hurried after Adrian.

Evelyn watched him disappear around the corner and found herself thinking, more seriously than before, about poaching him.

Before she could dwell on it, the front door opened again behind her.

"Evelyn?"

Isabelle's voice. She hurried around to face Evelyn, looked her up and down — taking in the faded school uniform — and shrieked, "How did you get in here?"

Evelyn's eyes swept the crowd that had drifted over at the commotion. Slipping away quietly now was no longer an option. She cursed her luck under her breath.

She'd planned to investigate this mysterious villa and its connection to Molly without drawing any attention.

"Nothing to say?" Isabelle, emboldened by Evelyn's silence, drew herself up like she owned the place. "Someone get over here and throw this broke little beggar out!"

"Isabelle, you know her?" A girl who recognized Isabelle pushed closer, eyes bright with curiosity.

Isabelle soaked up the attention and lifted her chin higher. "Oh, I know her. Old classmate of mine. Her parents are servants — she literally lives in someone else's house."

A ripple of disdain moved through the crowd. Some people walked away with a scoff. Those who stayed looked at Evelyn like she was something they'd stepped in.

"How did someone like that get in here? What's wrong with the Davis family's security?"

The Davis family. Something sharp flickered in Evelyn's eyes. She filed that away immediately.

So the owner's name was Davis.

She looked at Isabelle. By the timing, Isabelle had also been driven in. Adrian was the heir to Morgan Corporation, but Isabelle's father ran a company that wasn't even publicly listed. Without some kind of family connection, she had no business being here.

"She probably crawled in through a hole somewhere. Look at the state of her." Isabelle pinched her nose and kept going, her voice getting nastier. "You all have no idea — back at school she used to chase after Austin like a lost dog, and she was selling herself to homeless men, making all kinds of deals..."

She was working herself into a frenzy. Through all of it, Evelyn stood there, face blank, not saying a word.

As far as Evelyn was concerned, trading insults with someone like Isabelle was a waste of time. She had more important things to do. And if she wanted to quietly investigate Molly's connection to this estate, she couldn't afford to make a scene right now.

She'd deal with Isabelle later. She had plenty of ways to do that.

But her restraint only made Isabelle bolder. Words weren't enough anymore. She snatched a glass of red wine from a passing server and threw it straight at Evelyn's face.

Evelyn's instincts told her to dodge. With everyone watching, she held still.

The wine hit her full in the face and soaked through her clothes. Wet and humiliated. Scattered laughter broke out around her. Isabelle smashed the empty glass on the floor and pointed at the shards, grinning. "Guards — hold her down. I want her on her knees begging for forgiveness."

Two bodyguards stepped forward, confirmed Isabelle's identity, then turned to Evelyn. "Miss, please show your invitation."

Evelyn took a quiet step back and scanned the room, thinking. Take the hit and stay, or force her way out.

"Miss, I'll say this one more time. Show your invitation, or we'll have to do this the hard way." The guard pulled out a baton.

Evelyn had no invitation to show.

"She snuck in — just do it!" Isabelle snapped, and both guards raised their batons and brought them down toward Evelyn's head.

Evelyn closed her eyes and braced herself. This wasn't the place to fight back and run. For Molly's sake, she'd take the hit.

The pain never came. Instead, she heard a dull grunt above her head. She opened her eyes and met Adrian's steady gaze.

He had stepped in front of her and taken the blow.

Evelyn stared at him, stunned. He had already turned to face the two guards, his expression cold. "Miss Grant is my guest."

Assistant Parker came charging over, invitation in hand, furious. "Open your eyes and look at who you're dealing with — this is Mr. Morgan of Morgan Corporation! You actually raised a hand to him?"

The two guards and Isabelle went pale. They tried to explain themselves, but Assistant Parker talked them into the ground. All they could do was beg for forgiveness.

"I'm not the one you owe an apology to." Adrian gave them a cool look, then stepped aside to reveal Evelyn behind him. "She is."

Both guards stepped forward immediately and bowed, apologizing in unison.

Evelyn had no interest in dragging this out. She nodded and let it go.

Then everyone looked at Isabelle.

Isabelle bit her lip, jaw tight, clearly furious — but not willing to get on Adrian's bad side. She walked stiffly over to Evelyn. "Sorry," she said, the word barely making it out of her mouth.

She was bent at the waist, her face full of resentment.

Evelyn said nothing. The silence stretched.

After a long moment, Adrian took her hand. "Someone who's been hurt has every right to refuse an apology. Come on — let's get you something clean to wear."

They walked toward the VIP lounge without looking back. Behind them, Isabelle stamped her foot in rage.

Then, out of nowhere, a small clear marble shot through the air — fast enough to be deadly, quiet enough to go unnoticed — and struck Isabelle square in the knee. Her leg buckled and she pitched forward, straight into the broken glass on the floor.

The hall erupted in chaos. Adrian raised an eyebrow and glanced back, then looked at Evelyn.

She was already tucking her hand away, the faintest smile on her lips.