Evelyn knew that Cecilia was cunning and eloquent, but she underestimated Cecilia’s ability to twist the truth. Before Cecilia could finish her defense, Evelyn interrupted sharply, “Cecilia, God as my witness, if you didn’t put that fake money in there, swear on your parents’ lives.”

Cecilia tried to shift the conversation. “I know Mrs. Stark has always had a problem with me—”

“Enough.” Jason’s cold command silenced Cecilia instantly.

“Cecilia, go downstairs and wait for me. Evelyn, come to my office.”

Evelyn was taken aback as Jason pulled her into the adjacent room. The door locked behind them, leaving her no chance to confront Cecilia.

As she raised her eyes, she met Jason’s piercing gaze. Before their confrontation even began, she sensed that she would be defeated.

“I’ll give you an explanation if that’s what you want,” Jason said, lighting a cigarette and taking several deep drags.

Evelyn fought to control the overwhelming emotions threatening to surface. “Cecilia is the one who needs to explain herself, not Mr. Stark.”

“Cecilia has been with me for six years; her issues are my issues,” Jason replied, flicking ash into the ashtray with an air of nonchalance.

Evelyn’s mind was still sharp. If she couldn’t win on emotional grounds, she would fight for financial compensation.

“Cecilia switched the cash for fake money; I expect Mr. Stark to refund me the twenty thousand dollars.”

Jason’s expression remained impassive. “One person’s word isn’t enough; I’ll need to get to the bottom of this first.”

“Since Mr. Stark chooses to believe Cecilia, I’ll call the police right now.” Anticipating Jason’s response, she deliberately pulled out her phone.

He snatched it from her hand. “Two million dollars is not a loss the Stark Group can afford over such a trivial matter.”

“Then I expect Mr. Stark to transfer me the twenty thousand right away, and we can put this behind us.”

Evelyn’s cold gaze remained fixed on Jason, her heart filled with despair rather than any lingering affection.

After finishing one cigarette, Jason pulled out another, idly rubbing it between his fingers. “The envelope was packed in front of me by Cecilia. There’s no mistake. You know exactly who tampered with it.”

“Give me my phone back, or I will call the police.” She reached out, determined. “Let the police clear Cecilia’s name.”

In truth, it wasn’t just about the money; it was about Jason’s attitude. Even if he didn’t treat her as a close partner, he should at least take a neutral stance on the matter rather than unconditionally siding with Cecilia.

“Evelyn, you’re a well-known host at the TV station; it wouldn’t look good for you to keep making a scene.” Jason tossed the unlit cigarette into the trash and slammed her phone onto the table. “If you push this any further, you’ll lose this year’s two million in advertising revenue.”

Evelyn felt a significant portion of her anger deflate.

Over the years, the TV station prioritized revenue generation, and every employee had varying performance metrics based on advertising. Regular employees had targets around five hundred thousand, while top-tier hosts like Evelyn had targets of two million.

If they met their targets, they earned a two percent commission. If they fell short, there would be no year-end bonus. Evelyn had entered the station as a civil servant and, with more than three years of experience plus various allowances, barely earned enough for living expenses and her car loan. She relied on freelance jobs to fund her wardrobe and cosmetics.

The Stark Group had always collaborated with the TV station, and after marrying Jason, she had to shamelessly ask him several times to secure two million in advertising funds.

Now, in January, the finance department would soon begin pressing for payment. If those two million were lost, her income would take a massive hit.

True to form, Jason always knew how to hit her weak spots and make her comply. Without needing to deliberate, she understood that twenty thousand dollars paled in comparison to two million in advertising revenue.

Pale and drained of color, she picked up her phone and left the room without looking back.

Jason was restless, habitually searching his pockets for a cigarette, but all he found was an empty pack, which he angrily tossed aside before dialing Cecilia's number.

Evelyn waited at the entrance of the Stark Group building for nearly ten minutes before finally catching a ride. With a heart full of bitterness and resentment, she went upstairs, locked the door to the master bedroom without removing her makeup, and lay on the bed, tears streaming down her face.

Half an hour later, she heard the sound of the security door unlocking. Jason had returned.

He didn’t disturb her, but she couldn’t sleep a wink that night. When she got up the next morning, she found that Jason had already left for work. Her eyes were red and swollen, and despite applying a layer of dark concealer after washing up, it didn’t help much. She had no choice but to put on a pair of tinted glasses before heading downstairs.

Around noon, she received a call from Jean, who informed her that the biopsy results indicating malignancy were ready. Evelyn felt her heart race and quickly asked if falsifying the results would endanger Jean’s job.

“That scum only cares if it’s not thoroughly investigated. If you don’t say anything and I don’t say anything, who would know? I bet he’s too eager to divorce you and elevate that Cecilia bitch to a legitimate status to worry about whether it’s a misdiagnosis,” Jean’s words eased Evelyn’s fears.

“Enough of this and that. I almost forgot to wish you a happy birthday! Let’s have dinner tonight; I have a gift for you,” Jean said cheerfully.

Only then did Evelyn remember that it was her birthday. She perked up and asked, “Thank you, J! Should I book a table? Do you want Western or Chinese cuisine?”

“Let’s go for Korean,” Jean suggested, mentioning a trendy restaurant that was all the rage online.

After hanging up, Evelyn sat with her phone, deep in thought. With her divorce from Jason imminent, should she rent a small apartment?

After three years as Mrs. Stark, she had very little financial interaction with Jason. He had occasionally gifted her bags or shopping vouchers for designer clothing but had never given her cash.

In the last two years, as her talk show’s ratings soared, she had gained significant recognition in Riverton and received several lucrative opportunities on the side. Riverton, a second-tier city, had exorbitant housing prices, making it unthinkable for her to buy a home now.

She had about six to seven hundred thousand in savings, so renting a decent apartment wouldn’t be a burden. She began searching for suitable housing on her phone and, in less than half an hour, circled two small apartments near the TV station. Just as she left her contact details, she received a call to schedule a viewing for the afternoon.

Director Logan knocked and entered her office, asking if she had offended Jason at the annual meeting last night.

A bad feeling washed over her. “Logan, just tell me straight.”

“Ten minutes ago, the Stark Group not only withdrew the two million advertising contract but also terminated all cooperation with the TV station.”

Director Logan was a seasoned professional who examined her while speaking, trying to find out where the problem lay.

Evelyn gasped in shock. Jason’s ruthlessness once again pushed the limits of her emotional endurance. She never imagined he would give her such a “surprise” on her birthday.

“Which god did you manage to get the two million advertising fee from the Stark Group through? You need to contact them and see if there’s any chance to salvage this,” Director Logan advised, unaware of her true relationship with Jason. “If all else fails, buy a nice gift and reach out to Miss Brooks. She can put in a good word for you with Jason.”

She remained silent. It was Cecilia who had initially set her up with the fake money. Jason not only refused to provide an explanation but also cut off cooperation, pressuring the TV station to corner her!

After a bit more probing, Director Logan finally left.

Evelyn couldn’t sit still anymore. She drove back to 9Bliss Garden, grabbed her ID, marriage certificate, and household register, and headed straight to the most renowned law firm in Riverton.