Chapter 12

Evelyn arched an eyebrow at Theodore.

Theodore immediately moved to intercept the intruder.

"Ms. Kingsley!"

Vincent Prescott, the disgraced vice president of Monarch Grand Hotels, burst through the door before Theodore could stop him.

Evelyn's lips thinned as she watched the sweating man charge toward her desk.

"Mr. Prescott, why are you still here? Your resignation was approved hours ago." Her voice dripped with ice.

"You can't do this to me! Twenty years of service! I've sacrificed my health for this company!" Vincent's jowls trembled as he slammed his palms on the mahogany surface. "Even Harrison Kingsley wouldn't have treated me this way!"

Evelyn tapped a manicured nail against her tablet. "Medical records show fatty liver and gallbladder polyps. Quite the indulgent lifestyle you've led."

Vincent's face drained of color.

"I had no idea Luxe Furnishings was supplying substandard products! They're a reputable Crestview brand with competitive pricing-"

A manila folder smacked against his chest.

"Three years of financial discrepancies." Evelyn sipped her espresso, watching him over the rim. "Rather obvious for someone heading the finance department."

Vincent's hands shook as he scanned the documents.

"And then there's the anonymous tip." She set down her cup with a decisive click. "Detailing your... arrangement with Luxe Furnishings. Quite the generous kickback scheme."

The vice president's knees buckled. "Ms. Kingsley, please! I was manipulated! Richard Sterling approached me-"

"Save it." Evelyn swiveled her chair toward the floor-to-ceiling windows. "Theodore, escort Mr. Prescott out."

As the door clicked shut, Theodore grinned. "That was satisfying. The man's been skimming profits for years."

Evelyn smirked, booting up her gaming console. "There was no whistleblower."

Theodore's jaw dropped. "You bluffed?"

"Mhm." She decapitated a zombie with practiced ease. "Guilty men always confess."

Theodore shook his head in admiration. "We should sue to recover every cent he stole."

"Not yet." Another zombie fell to her virtual axe. "Father promoted him. We'll monitor his communications with Damian Sterling."

Her phone chimed repeatedly.

"The Kingsley Intelligence Network is active," Theodore reported, handing over the device.

Evelyn nearly dropped her controller. The encrypted group chat - containing Sebastian, Dominic, Donovan, and Maxwell Kingsley - was blowing up.

[Sebastian Kingsley: Nathan Blackwood is dead to me.]

[Donovan Kingsley: I'll have Blackwood Industries audited by week's end.]

[Maxwell Kingsley: Give me 48 hours to arrange an unfortunate accident.]

Evelyn's fingers flew across the screen. [WHAT HAPPENED?]

Dominic shared a news link.

[Dominic Kingsley: That bastard announced his remarriage. The comments section is calling you a homewrecker who forced him into marriage.]

[Maxwell Kingsley: I'll make them regret breathing.]

[Sebastian Kingsley: Psalm 37:8 - Refrain from anger...]

[Dominic Kingsley: Not now, Bible-thumper.]

Evelyn exhaled sharply. [Leave it. Let them talk.]

Confused emojis flooded the chat.

[Evelyn Kingsley: Evelyn Carter is Nathan's ex-wife. I'm Evelyn Kingsley of Monarch Group.]

[Dominic Kingsley: Right! No public appearances together. This doesn't touch you.]

A slow smile curved Evelyn's lips. [But someone's about to have a very bad day.]

Across town, chaos erupted at Blackwood Industries. Reporters swarmed the lobby while Oliver Sinclair fielded endless calls.

"Sir, #WhoWasNathanBlackwoodsFirstWife is trending," Oliver reported, scrolling through his tablet. "The comments about Ms. Sterling are... unflattering."

Nathan's knuckles whitened around his pen. "Sue them all."

"Even Crestview Daily? They broke the story after Ms. Sterling personally visited the editor."

"Especially them." Nathan's voice could have frozen hell. "And contain the narrative."

Oliver hesitated. "The young madam must be devastated."

Nathan's phone lit up with Victoria Sterling's caller ID. His thumb hovered over Sebastian Kingsley's contact instead.

With a curse, he answered Victoria's call.

Meanwhile, Evelyn watched her zombie massacre high score climb, humming as scandalous headlines continued to flood every news outlet in Crestview.