The Queen Returns—And She's Unforgiving

After dinner, Lucas went outside to take a call. Evelyn waited a few minutes before following him out. He was smoking in the walkway. She pulled her coat tighter around herself as she walked over.

"Do you have a moment?" She wanted to talk to him about attending Naomi's memorial.

Seeing her approach, Lucas moved his cigarette away before putting it out altogether. "How long have you been standing there?" He looked her over with a scrutinizing gaze.

Evelyn immediately understood what he meant. He must have been on the phone with Tiffany.

"Not long. I came out right after you hung up." She exhaled lightly, keeping her tone indifferent.

Lucas finally lifted his gaze and slipped one hand into his pocket. Then, in a casual manner, he said, "That night-I was drunk."

Evelyn froze, not understanding what he meant.

A faint smirk tugged at his lips as he continued in an unhurried tone. "I assume you won't make a fuss about it, will you?"

Her mind buzzed, and in an instant, she understood. He was talking about that night when they had been intimate.

A chill ran down her spine. She was momentarily stunned, unable to believe what she had just heard. So, this was his way of warning her-telling her not to overstep, provoke Tiffany, or cause any misunderstandings.

"It was a mistake for you, and an inconvenience for me. You don't need to worry, Mr. Grant." She met his gaze, making her stance unmistakably clear. They could both go on with their lives, no strings attached.

Lucas studied her for a moment. Under the cool night sky, his expression seemed even more unreadable. After a brief pause, he withdrew his gaze. "Good."

With that, he said nothing more and started to walk away. Evelyn quickly spoke up. "Do you have time on the 24th? It's my mom's third-"

"Talk to Michael and check my schedule. I have plans tonight."

With that, he strode off without even waiting for her to finish. Evelyn wasn't upset as she had been through this too many times.

For the past three years, he had never attended Naomi's memorial. He was always too busy-caught up in work or suddenly out of town. Even when she had pleaded with him to spare just half an hour, he had never agreed.

Over time, the repeated rejection numbed the pain. But this year was different. Deborah and her relatives were placing great importance on the third anniversary.

If he still refused to show up despite the formal arrangements, there would be no hiding their impending divorce and his affair-unless he was willing to meet up with Deborah before the memorial and explain that they were separating amicably.

But knowing Lucas, always buried in work, that was unlikely. Evelyn let out a quiet breath. In the end, she was nothing more than a business associate, needing to schedule an appointment with him in advance. Whether he accepted or not depended solely on his mood.

She wasn't Tiffany. If it had been Tiffany asking for something, no matter how busy he was, he would have found the time. No negotiation would have been needed.

Evelyn didn't care where he was heading to. The answer was obvious. Lucas didn't stay the night. Not having to share a bed with him, Evelyn took the opportunity to stay in the guest room instead of making the late-night drive home.

...noveldrama

The next day, Lucas still hadn't returned. Evelyn didn't linger, either-she drove straight to the Flying Seal Group. Justine was looking much better today, though her voice was still hoarse.

The moment she saw Evelyn, she scowled. "I just got back from the hospital after spending the night there. Guess who I saw? Lucas! I asked around-it turns out Tiffany's mother is sick. He's really stepping up as the perfect future son-in-law, huh?"

Evelyn's hand, which had been idly spinning a pen, paused. Last night, she had practically begged him, and he didn't even give her five minutes of his time.

Yet, when it came to Tiffany's mother, he was right there, making sure everything was taken care of. Lucas never even tried to hide his favoritism, especially when the person in question was Millie.

Evelyn pressed her lips together for a moment, then exhaled slowly. She pushed these soon-to-be irrelevant details out of her mind and instead turned to Justine. "Do you know of any galleries or institutions in Clementon that specialize in modern art or art sales?"