The Queen Returns—And She's Unforgiving

Evelyn's mind raced for a moment before things became clear.

She had probably overreacted. She had already closed the document screen, so Lucas hadn't seen any of Flying Seal Group's core project details.

Still, her instincts told her that the way he had looked at her just now carried some unspoken emotion.

She didn't dwell on it. She turned off the light and went to bed. As for Lucas, she assumed he wouldn't be coming back.

...

She hadn't been asleep long when she heard the door open. Footsteps moved steadily across the room, unhurried.

She blinked awake in the darkness, her eyes adjusting just in time to see a tall figure moving toward the other side of the bed.

The mattress dipped slightly under his weight.

Even with the space between them, she could still catch the faint, familiar scent of cedarwood-Lucas' scent-mixed with the warmth of his skin. It was a scent that was impossible to ignore.

She froze. Lying on her side, her body went rigid, unmoving. Why hadn't he left? Why was he back?

Confusion swirled in her mind. They were getting divorced, and sharing a bed at this point felt almost absurd.

But Lucas didn't say a word. He didn't touch her. It wasn't long before his breathing evened out as if he had already drifted off like Evelyn wasn't even there.

Slowly, her tense nerves began to settle. It made sense-he was just keeping up appearances for Maria. That was the only reason he was here.

After all, Lucas had always been cold and distant with her. Even when they had slept together, it had been a duty, not a desire. He had never really wanted her. That thought was enough for Evelyn to finally let sleep pull her under.

...

The next morning, she was startled awake by the vibration of a phone next to her pillow. Still half-asleep, she reached for it and blindly swiped to answer. A woman's voice, soft and teasing, came through the speaker.

"Good morning, Lucas. Are you picking me up later?"

Evelyn snapped awake, the realization hitting her like a slap to the face.

"Lucas? Are you there? Is someone with you?" the woman on the phone asked, suspicion creeping into her tone.

Evelyn instinctively turned to glance at the person beside her.

Before she could react, a warm, solid body pressed against her back, strong arms caging her in, pulling her into the heat of his chest.

The sudden proximity sent a rush of awareness through her. She could feel his presence, his scent, and his sheer intensity. Stunned, she turned her head.

Lucas was already awake. His expression was calm and alert as if he had been up for a while. Without a word, he reached over and smoothly slipped the phone from her hand and answered in an even tone, "No."noveldrama

Evelyn's chest tightened. She was his legal spouse, yet she felt like some secret that needed to be hidden like she was the one who had to avoid being caught.

Her back remained pressed against his solid frame, his body heat unmistakable. Her face flushed, and she instinctively tried to pull away.

Lucas moved first. He sat up, putting distance between them. "I'll call you later." Then, he hung up and looked at her.

Evelyn straightened, regaining her composure. "Sorry, I didn't realize it was your phone."

Lucas let out a short, amused scoff. He stood and walked toward the bathroom. "Then do me a favor, Mrs. Grant. Don't make that mistake again."

Evelyn pressed her lips together. She got the message. He was worried Tiffany would misunderstand. Or worse-he thought she had done it on purpose.

She frowned slightly. No explanation would change his mind.

She got out of bed, tidied herself up, and headed to freshen up.

Lucas stepped out just as Evelyn was passing by. He had noticed it earlier, how

much thinner she had gotten in his arms.

Now, up close, her bare face looked even more pale, drained of any color. Without thinking, he suddenly asked, "Are you feeling unwell?"

Evelyn froze. Her heart skipped a beat from sheer surprise.

Lucas studied her for a moment before speaking again, his voice unusually

neutral as he asked, "Do you need me to take you to the hospital?"

The unexpected question jolted her back to reality. Had he noticed something? Did she look that bad?

She couldn't let him find out. If Lucas knew she was sick, it would only give him more reason to justify his affair.

She quickly shook her head. "No need."

His concern caught her off guard.