Chapter 250

Evelyn stumbled back into the karaoke bar, her head clearing slightly after emptying her stomach. But the lighthearted joy from earlier had completely evaporated.

Of all the cursed luck—running into that bastard during a rare night out with her sister.

She clenched her fists, determined to exorcise this persistent ghost from her life once and for all.

Suddenly, warm fingers encircled her wrist.

Blinking up through her lashes, Evelyn forced a smile when she recognized Arabella. "I'm fine."

"Evie, was that man harassing you earlier really your ex-husband?" Arabella slipped an arm around Evelyn's waist, steadying her with concern. "The ridiculously handsome one?"

"Yeah," Evelyn muttered, the single word dripping with exhaustion.

"Oh my God! He's absolutely breathtaking!" Arabella's eyes sparkled like champagne bubbles. "I thought Sebastian, Dominic, Maxwell and Donovan were the pinnacle of male beauty, but your ex-husband? He could give our brothers a run for their money! Are you sure he's a CEO? He looks more like he belongs on a movie screen!"

Evelyn massaged her temples. "Visual impact? Please, he's not some IMAX feature."

"No wonder Mom kept saying your ex was more gorgeous than George Clooney! I thought she was exaggerating—you know how obsessed she's been with him since Pretty Woman. But seeing him tonight? Mom wasn't lying one bit!" Arabella continued gushing about Nathan's devastating looks.

"Handsome face, rotten soul—like a gilded toilet bowl," Evelyn snapped, narrowing her eyes at her sister's flushed cheeks. "Keep praising that bastard and I'll tell Harrison that Camille's celebrity crush is George Clooney!"

Since it was so late, Arabella decided to stay at Evelyn's penthouse rather than return to campus. She'd head back to her dorm in the morning.

Noticing her usually alcohol-resistant sister was unusually affected tonight, Arabella grew concerned. Evelyn kept rubbing her temples, leaning heavily against the car window with shallow breaths.

"Let me help," Arabella murmured, gently massaging Evelyn's pressure points.

Evelyn melted into her sister's touch. Even intoxicated, she carried an intoxicating floral scent, her flawless skin glistening with a delicate sheen of perspiration.

Arabella swallowed hard. It was criminal how breathtaking her sister looked even in this state—like some intoxicated goddess from mythology.

Evelyn directed the driver to stop at the gated community's entrance. She preferred walking the last stretch when tipsy—the night air helped clear her head before bed.

Arm in arm, the sisters strolled down the tree-lined path.

The crisp evening breeze carried the scent of magnolias. A nearly full moon dominated the sky, leaving only the brightest stars visible. The serene scene gradually eased Evelyn's tension.

Suddenly, Evelyn froze. Her grip on Arabella's hand turned vice-like.

"Evie? What's—"

"Someone's following us," Evelyn whispered, every sense on high alert. Arabella's palm grew clammy as she nervously scanned their surroundings.

"Don't panic. Stay behind me." Evelyn's lips curled into a dangerous smirk. "I could use some stress relief after tonight."

Still seething from Nathan's provocation, Evelyn welcomed the opportunity to unleash her fury. Her childhood nickname "The Kingsley Ninja" from her brothers hadn't been given lightly.

"Enough skulking in shadows! Show yourself!" Evelyn's commanding voice sliced through the night.

A twig snapped ominously from the nearby foliage.

Evelyn's eyes darkened as she shoved Arabella protectively behind her.

Heavy footsteps crunched through the underbrush. A hulking figure emerged—dressed head-to-toe in black tactical gear, his face obscured by a ski mask. The way he cracked his neck sent chills down Arabella's spine.

Evelyn remained unnaturally calm. Though she recognized trained muscle when she saw it, she'd spent years sparring with her special ops brother Maxwell. Normal fighters didn't intimidate her.

"Which one of you is Evelyn Carter?" The masked man's accent marked him as non-local.

"That would be me," Evelyn taunted, raising a defiant eyebrow. "Care to kneel while you're at it?"

The response was instantaneous—a gleaming switchblade flashing toward her.

"Evie, watch out!" Arabella screamed as Evelyn shoved her aside.

"Run, Arabella!"

But Arabella stood paralyzed—how could she abandon her sister?

The ensuing fight became a blur of whirling limbs and deadly precision. Each strike generated palpable shockwaves through the air.

Within seconds, Evelyn had exchanged over twenty blows with her attacker, their movements almost too fast to follow.