Chapter 429

Reginald stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Oh? Is that so?"

"Absolutely."

Penelope quickly came to Cassandra's defense. "A gentleman like Julian wouldn't visit a lady at her home without good reason. He must have developed feelings for her if he sought her out. Circumstances may have been different back then, but things have changed now."

She shot a pointed look at Nathan. "Besides, you might be scheming to pair Ms. Kingsley with Julian, but last I heard, she's already moved on with someone else."

Nathan's gaze turned icy as it locked onto Penelope.

His jaw tightened, and he swallowed hard, as if forcing down a surge of emotion.

Reginald raised an eyebrow. "Evelyn has a boyfriend? Who?"

"Alexander Whitmore, the youngest son of Whitmore Enterprises' chairman," Penelope replied smugly.

She had gotten the information from Victoria.

Cassandra had casually mentioned that Evelyn still kept in touch with Alexander.

Penelope didn’t care if it was true—her priority was stopping the old man from playing matchmaker.

"Evelyn and Alexander aren’t together," Nathan snapped.

Unable to contain himself any longer, he slammed his fist on the table with a resounding thud. His expression darkened dangerously.

"I heard they’ve been on multiple dates," Penelope continued, undeterred. "Strolling through the rose gardens, attending the symphony—"

"I said, they are not together."

Nathan’s furious glare pinned her in place. "I suggest you verify your information before spreading baseless rumors."

His voice was low, laced with warning. "Evelyn is a lady—the heiress of Monarch Group and the general manager of Monarch Grand Hotels. Your careless words could tarnish her reputation."

Penelope’s face twisted in outrage.

"Nathan! Is that any way to speak to your elders? How dare you—"

Before Leonard could finish, Nathan pushed back his chair and stood abruptly. "I’m done with dinner. Enjoy yours."

Reginald narrowed his eyes as Nathan stormed out.

Frustrated, Nathan loosened his tie and strode into the garden, desperate for fresh air.

Ever since Reginald had brought up pairing Julian with Evelyn, Nathan had been on edge.

But when Penelope claimed Evelyn was with Alexander? That had nearly suffocated him.

His chest tightened as reality crashed over him.

With a grimace, he pulled out a cigarette and lit it, inhaling deeply.

The bitter taste did nothing to soothe his rising agitation.

He yanked out his phone and dialed Julian.

"To what do I owe this unexpected call, Nathan?" Julian’s voice was lazy, tinged with amusement. "You haven’t visited since my food poisoning incident. Don’t tell me you’ve found someone else."

"I have news for you."

Nathan exhaled sharply. "Leonard and Penelope are planning to marry Evelyn off to you."

On the other end, Julian bolted upright. "What the hell? Keep your family drama to yourselves! Why drag me into this mess?"

Nathan smirked coldly. "You always said it didn’t matter who you married—that she’d just be eye candy. What’s wrong with Evelyn? She likes you, and a marriage alliance with Monarch Group would only strengthen your position."

"Yeah, I said that, but—"

"But nothing. She can’t outsmart you anyway." Nathan took another drag.

Julian groaned. "You know exactly what kind of woman Evelyn is. Don’t play Cupid and throw me into misery."

Nathan’s grip on the cigarette tightened. "Misery loves company."

Julian didn’t deserve Evelyn.

And Alexander? Absolutely not.

Nathan gritted his teeth, resentment burning through him.

All he wanted was to keep Evelyn close—to shield her from every potential rival.