Chapter 19

Evelyn was drunk.

Her vision blurred as she clutched the man beside her, mistaking him for her brother. Tears spilled freely down her cheeks.

"Why doesn’t Nathan love me?" she sobbed. "Why?"

Nathan’s chest tightened. His jaw clenched as he listened to her broken words.

"I tried so hard," she hiccuped. "I gave him everything. But the more I tried, the more he pushed me away."

She turned abruptly, throwing her arms around him. Her face buried into his chest, muffling her cries.

Her tears smeared against his pristine shirt, her makeup staining the fabric.

Nathan stood frozen.

Every tear burned through him, searing into his skin like acid. His throat constricted, his pulse erratic.

After a long silence, he finally spoke, voice low. "Do you really love Nathan?"

Evelyn lifted her face. Her eyes were swollen, lips trembling.

Nathan’s gaze dropped to her mouth. His fingers twitched with the urge to claim them.

He instantly regretted asking.

It didn’t matter anymore.

Their divorce was inevitable. His future was with Victoria.

Then—

The bathroom door slammed open.

"Nathan Blackwood!" Dominic roared, eyes blazing. "What the hell are you doing with my sister?"

Nathan’s brows furrowed.

Dominic Kingsley—ever composed, ever controlled—was unraveling before him.

And it was all because of Evelyn.

The realization was a knife to his ribs.

"Mr. Kingsley," Nathan said coldly, "she was drunk. If you cared about her, you wouldn’t have brought her here."

Dominic’s grip on Evelyn tightened. "She can do whatever she wants. If she wants to drink, I’ll drink with her." His glare sharpened. "You lost the right to interfere when you signed those divorce papers."

He moved to leave, but Nathan blocked him.

"Do you love her?" Nathan demanded.

Dominic scoffed. "What kind of question—"

"Will you marry her?"

Silence.

Dominic’s jaw worked.

Nathan’s voice turned lethal. "Evelyn isn’t someone you play with. If you can’t commit, walk away before you break her."

A harsh laugh escaped Dominic. "You’re unbelievable. You divorced her for Victoria Sterling, and now you’re giving me a lecture?" His knuckles whitened. "You used her. Discarded her. And you dare act like you care?"

Nathan flinched.

Dominic shoved past him. "Get out of my way, you hypocrite."

Nathan didn’t remember returning to his table.

Julian Montgomery smirked at him from across the booth, swirling his drink. "Where’s your ex-wife? Gone already?"

Nathan grabbed his whiskey and downed it in one gulp. The burn did nothing to numb him.

"If it weren’t for you," Julian mused, "I would’ve broken Damian Sterling’s hands for touching my girl."

Nathan’s grip tightened on the glass. "She’s not Victoria."

Julian’s grin widened. "No. She’s mine now."

Nathan’s head snapped up.

"Since you don’t want her," Julian continued, "I’ll take her off your hands." He leaned in. "Wonder how you’ll feel seeing her as Mrs. Montgomery."

Nathan’s glass shattered in his grip.

"The divorce isn’t finalized," he growled.

Julian shrugged. "It’s just a matter of time."

Nathan’s smile was deadly. "What I do know is you’re not far from a hospital bed."