Chapter 283

Chapter 283
Evelyn's POV

I woke to the gray light of dawn filtering through the curtains in our bedroom at Blackwood Estate. Dorian was already up, sitting on the edge of our bed with his back to me. He'd put on a crisp white shirt that emphasized the strong lines of his back and shoulders as he buttoned his cuffs. He hadn't heard me wake up, and for a moment, I just watched him, memorizing the curve of his spine, the breadth of his shoulders, the way his dark hair curled slightly at the nape of his neck.

Today was the day everything would change.

My heartbeat quickened at the thought, and I must have made some small sound because Dorian turned toward me, his gray-green eyes finding mine.

"You're awake?" he asked, his voice soft in the quiet morning.

"Mm-hmm," I murmured, pushing myself up against the pillows. "Why are you up so early?"

He reached for my ankle beneath the covers. "Couldn't sleep. Too much on my mind with the bid today."

I jerked my foot away reflexively when his cold fingers touched my skin.

"Sorry," he chuckled, rubbing his hands together to warm them. "Better?"

When he touched me again, his hands were warmer, and I let him massage my ankle for a moment before pulling away and sitting up.

"You should go back to sleep," he said, grabbing his laptop from the nightstand. "I'm just going to work on the sofa for a while. Had an idea about the presentation that needs to be added."

"No, I'm up now." I slid out of bed and pulled a knee-length dress from the closet, one of the few items I'd purposely left behind when I'd packed my essentials yesterday.

Dorian watched me with appreciation as I slipped it on. "You wore that on our third date. Is that for me? For luck today?"

"Don't flatter yourself," I scoffed, keeping my tone light. "You're cramming at the last minute. Better watch out or Marcus will steal this project right out from under you."

His eyes hardened at the mention of his cousin, but he recovered quickly. "Not a chance in hell. I've been working on this bid for months."

"Then you better get to it," I said, gesturing toward his laptop.

After showering and getting dressed, I went downstairs to the kitchen where our housekeeper had prepared breakfast. I picked at a piece of toast, too anxious to eat much. Dorian joined me shortly, grabbing coffee and a bagel.

"Not hungry?" he asked, noticing my barely-touched plate.

I shook my head. "No appetite. I think I'll go back upstairs and finish getting ready."

Back in our bedroom, I listened for Dorian's movements. When I heard him step out onto the balcony, phone in hand, I seized my chance. I rushed to where he'd left his laptop, pulling the small USB drive from the pocket of my dress with trembling fingers.

My heart hammered against my ribs as I stared at the device in my palm. Hunter had assured me it would work, that Marcus had guaranteed it contained everything needed to sabotage Dorian's presentation. All I had to do was plug it in and let it run for thirty seconds.

I'd never done anything like this before. My palms were slick with sweat as I opened the laptop and waited for it to boot up. The seconds crawled by agonizingly slow, each one stretching my nerves tighter.

Finally, the screen lit up. I inserted the USB drive with shaking hands, watching anxiously as a small window appeared and a progress bar began to fill. Twenty seconds. Twenty-five.

The sound of the balcony door sliding open made me freeze. Shit. Dorian was coming back.

I rushed to the bedroom door, opening it just as he reached for the handle from the other side.

"Hey," I said breathlessly, blocking his path. "Is the breakfast any good? I didn't really try it."

His eyes narrowed slightly. "It's fine. Why? Are you hungry now?"

I forced a smile. "Actually, I was thinking about those butter croissants from that bakery you like. The ones that are always warm right out of the oven? I'm craving one."

"Now? We need to leave for the bid in an hour."

"Please?" I placed my hand on his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath my palm. "I need to wash my hair anyway, so I won't be ready for a while. You could be back before I'm done."

He studied my face for a moment, then smiled. "Alright. The things I do for you, Evelyn."

The moment he left, I raced back to the laptop. The progress bar had completed. I ejected the USB drive, shut down the computer, and placed it exactly where Dorian had left it. My hands were still trembling as I tucked the drive back into my pocket.

It was done. The plan was in motion.

By the time Dorian returned with a bag of fresh pastries, I was sitting at my vanity, blow-drying my hair. He came up behind me, taking the dryer from my hands.

"Let me," he said, his fingers threading through my damp hair as he gently directed the warm air. His touch was tender, careful not to pull or snag, and when he finished, he leaned down and pressed his lips to the crown of my head. "Perfect."

The gesture made my stomach twist with guilt. For a moment, I caught his gaze in the mirror – his eyes warm with affection – and I had to look away.

At the front door, Dorian crouched down to tie my shoe, making a perfect bow with the laces. "There," he said, looking up at me with a smile. "Ready for the day."

My eyes drifted to his laptop bag sitting by the door, and my smile faltered. The weight of what I'd done, what was about to happen, settled over me like a shroud.

In the car, we stopped at a florist where I picked up an arrangement I'd ordered the previous day – a lush bouquet of white lilies and blue hydrangeas.

"Wow," Dorian said when I returned to the car, "those are beautiful."

"For luck," I said quietly, passing him the card I'd written: Wishing you success today. Love, Evelyn.

He read it and squeezed my hand, bringing it to his lips for a kiss. I turned to look out the window, unable to meet his eyes.

My mind raced during the entire drive. I hadn't slept well last night, listening to the wind howling outside our windows, worrying about today. What if our plan failed? What if we couldn't take Dorian down with this one strike? What then?

When we arrived at the conference center for the Sunset Ridge Estates bid, Dorian led me through the lobby toward the main hall.

"I saved you a seat in the front row," he said, guiding me with his hand at the small of my back.

I pulled away slightly. "I'll sit in the back, actually."

His forehead creased with confusion. "Why? I want you where I can see you."

"You're here on business," I said firmly. "I noticed every seat up front has a name card. I'll just wait for you in the back."

He hesitated, then nodded. "Alright. I need to go set up anyway. The presentation starts in twenty minutes."

As soon as he walked away, my phone buzzed with a text.

I'm here. Hunter's message made my heart skip a beat.