Chapter 101

The golden morning light spilled through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting warm patterns across the silk sheets.

Evelyn stirred beneath the luxurious duvet, stretching her toned limbs like a contented feline. The soft fabric slid off her shoulder as she arched her back in a lazy morning stretch.

She slipped into a sleek white athleisure set, the tailored fabric hugging her curves perfectly. The private lake behind Cliffside Manor glittered invitingly as she carried her custom carbon fiber kayak toward the water.

Theodore stood waiting at the dock, impeccably dressed as always. His right hand held a chilled bottle of electrolyte water while a plush Egyptian cotton towel draped over his left forearm.

"All digital traces of Cassandra's outburst have been erased from social media," Theodore reported. "Search algorithms have been adjusted to suppress any related keywords."

Evelyn accepted the towel with a nod, droplets of lake water glistening on her sun-kissed skin. She took a long sip from the proffered bottle, her throat moving gracefully with each swallow.

"The Blackwood PR machine never sleeps," she remarked, wiping her damp forehead. "Nathan must have mobilized their entire legal team overnight."

Theodore's eyebrows shot up. "Nathan Blackwood personally ordered the takedowns?"

A wry smile played on Evelyn's lips as she tilted her head back, exposing the elegant column of her neck. Sunlight caught in the droplets clinging to her collarbones.

"Self-preservation is human nature," she mused, dabbing at her lips with the towel. "If only I'd first encountered him across a boardroom instead of a ballroom..." Her voice trailed off, heavy with unspoken regret.

The moment hung between them, filled with the weight of what might have been.

"How do you intend to proceed?" Theodore asked gently.

Evelyn's gaze sharpened, the morning's softness giving way to steely determination. "Our housekeeper at Kingsley Medical Center - she hasn't been discharged yet?"

After concluding their morning meetings at Monarch Grand Hotels, Evelyn changed into a sophisticated navy pantsuit before heading to the hospital.

Skylar Bennett sat up abruptly when Evelyn entered the general ward, her hospital gown rustling with the sudden movement. "Ms. Kingsley! I didn't expect—"

"Please, don't get up." Evelyn pressed a gentle hand on Skylar's shoulder. "Your health comes first."

Tears welled in Skylar's eyes. "I'm so sorry about the incident. I never knew about my condition—"

Evelyn perched on the edge of the bed. "Your medical records show this was your first seizure. There's nothing to apologize for."

"But the hospital bills—"

"Will be covered as a workplace injury," Evelyn said firmly. Then her expression turned serious. "Skylar, I need to ask - what would you like to see happen regarding Cassandra Blackwood?"

Skylar's fingers twisted in the sheets. "What can someone like me do against the Blackwood heiress? The videos disappeared overnight. Money silences everything."

Evelyn's eyes flashed. "Blackwood Industries may have bought your silence, but I won't." She leaned forward. "If you want Cassandra to apologize, we'll need to make waves. But this will put you in the public eye—"

"Just a private apology would be enough," Skylar whispered.

Evelyn shook her head. "She humiliated you publicly. The apology should match the offense." Theodore added quietly, "Public pressure is the only language people like Cassandra understand."

Skylar shrank back. "I don't want to cause trouble for the hotel..."

Evelyn's smile was razor-sharp. "If Cassandra retaliates, she'll only dig her own grave." She took Skylar's hand. "Trust me. I won't let my employees suffer injustice."

As Evelyn strode from the ward, her heels clicked a determined rhythm against the polished floors. Nathan Blackwood wouldn't sweep this under the rug - not if she had anything to say about it.