As soon as the call connected, and Evelyn opened her mouth, the outcome of their power struggle was already evident.

Jason's cold laugh echoed through the line. “To facilitate your divorce, you went and fabricated a false medical report. Evelyn, you’re nothing but a liar.”

She didn’t argue, her pride and dignity buried once more in the dirt. “I was wrong. I shouldn’t have used a fake report to deceive you. Yes, it had Jean's name on it, but I obtained it from the black market. Jean had no idea.”

“Jean had no idea?” Jason's voice dripped with sardonic amusement. “I’ve already had it verified by a professional agency. Not only is the report a perfect forgery, but all the doctor’s signatures on it are real.”

Evelyn felt as if all her escape routes had been severed.

No matter how much Jason attacked or belittled her, she could endure it. But she would never let Jean suffer because of her.

Jean came from a prominent medical family, the sole hope of her lineage. Both her grandfather and father were renowned gynecologists in Riverton, and great expectations were placed upon Jean. If this case went to court and Jean was found guilty, her medical license would be revoked, destroying her promising future in an instant.

She would be forever burdened by an unpayable debt of gratitude.

This was not what she wanted!

Compared to Jean’s future, what did her own suffering matter?

“Jean was dragged into this because of me. Please, just drop the lawsuit. Whatever grudge you hold, take it out on me,” she pleaded, her voice tinged with desperation.

On the other end, Jason fell silent.

“If you don’t want a divorce, then let’s continue as we are. If you really want a child, I’ll get another check-up next month, and if all is clear, we can start preparing for it.” Evelyn tried to placate the man on the other side of the line.

At that moment, her only thought was to protect Jean at all costs.

“Evelyn,” Jason finally spoke her name slowly, a mocking tone lacing his words. “Yesterday you were shouting for a divorce, and today you’re willing to have a child with me? Where’s your pride and your backbone?”

A chill ran down her spine. She lowered her voice, desperately saying, “It’s all my fault. Please, withdraw the lawsuit. Don’t take Jean to court.”

“Evelyn, what makes you think I can be swayed by a few words?”

With that, Jason hung up.

The busy tone that followed tightened the tension in Evelyn’s nerves.

Jason was never someone easy to negotiate with. He was notorious for his ruthlessness in business—calculating, vengeful, and those who dared to cross him rarely ended up unscathed.

Evelyn returned to 9 Bliss Garden without even removing her makeup.

The large room was empty, and Jason still hadn’t returned.

After calling him four or five times with no response, Evelyn scrolled through her contacts until she found Tyler’s number and dialed.

When the call connected, Tyler respectfully greeted her with a “Ma’am.”

She could clearly hear the sound of the door unlocking on his end, along with Jason’s voice. The two of them were likely in the car together.

“Tyler, I’ve been trying to reach Jason, but he isn’t answering. Can you help me get in touch with him?”

Tyler was Jason’s most trusted aide, so she approached the situation with utmost courtesy.

“I’m sorry, Ma’am, but I can’t reach VP Stark either,” Tyler lied smoothly.

“Alright then,” Evelyn said, trying not to expose his lie. “Please let him know I need him to call me as soon as he can.”

“Of course,” Tyler replied with a smile before hanging up.

Evelyn knew that Jason was avoiding her after suing Jean; it was just another tactic to keep her entangled in this hopeless marriage, to control and torment her.

Jason was clearly in love with Cecilia, keeping her in the position of Mrs. Stark for three years merely as revenge against Victor and his son for their past schemes.

Three years ago, she had been nothing but a pawn in that game, and Jason wouldn’t let her forget it.

Before Jean was involved, she had tried to fight for herself. Now, she had to accept her fate and humiliate herself to appease Jason, all to spare Jean from his wrath.

Evelyn changed out of the formal dress she had worn to the annual meeting and into a pair of sweatpants, a hoodie, and a knee-length down jacket before driving off to find Jason.

As long as he didn’t leave Riverton, she still knew a few places he might frequent after work.

After checking the parking lots of several upscale private restaurants and clubs, she finally spotted Jason’s rarely used gray sedan parked at the Midnight Club.

The Midnight Club was both a high-end venue and a man’s playground.

Jason had long spent money maintaining a private room there, hosting business partners and so-called friends.

As a seasoned VIP, he had been issued two consumption cards by the club, one of which he had carelessly tossed into the drawer of his study.

The more exclusive the club, the more it prioritized client privacy, and the Midnight Club was no exception. Without a card, you couldn’t even get past the first door.

Before heading out, Evelyn had taken that card with her and easily made her way to Room 6, where Jason was located.

The lavish corridor boasted opulent Western-style decor, and the sounds of raucous laughter spilled from the slightly ajar door of the room.

“My breasts were done in Japan—the flexibility and fullness are top-notch. No matter how beautiful a natural bust is, it can’t compare to mine. Mr. Stark, come tell me I look good!”

“Silicone feels so fake; it’s like a cow in heat. That’s my verdict.”

“Mr. Stark, it’s not nice to talk about someone like that! I can see you prefer women like Miss Brooks—cold in public, but a little wild when it’s just the two of you.”

“Which of your eyes sees Cecilia as wild?”

“If she weren’t wild, how could she catch Mr. Stark’s attention?”

The playful banter between Jason and the woman pierced through Evelyn’s already calloused heart, leaving her feeling raw.

She had promised herself not to be upset, but for some reason, her emotions still swayed with Jason’s.

Hearing the voices of Jason’s childhood friends, Julian Wellings and Ethan Cust, in the room made her hesitate to walk in.

She stepped into a nearby stairwell, dialing Jason’s number again.

The phone rang until it went to voicemail, unanswered.

Two minutes later, she took a deep breath and knocked on the door of Room 6.

“Come in,” Julian called out first.

Pushing the door open, the strong smell of smoke and alcohol hit her, and she instinctively covered her mouth and nose.

Through the haze, she spotted Jason with a stunning woman sitting on his lap.

The woman wore a red fringed dress that barely covered her behind, her face and body clearly altered by surgery. One hand held a glass of red wine while the other wrapped around Jason’s neck as she pouted playfully.

Though Evelyn had long since built up immunity to Jason’s infidelities, witnessing this scene still felt like a heavy blow to her heart.

A deep sense of suffocation left her too weak to speak.

“Ah, Miss Joy is here to check up on us! Come on in; just a moment ago, Jase was raving about how great you are,” Ethan greeted her with a smile, turning to wink at the woman in Jason’s lap.

The woman picked up on the hint, reluctantly rising from Jason’s lap and brushing past Evelyn, casting her a glance full of mockery.

“Miss Joy, would you like something to drink? I’ll get it for you,” Julian said, rising from his seat beside Jason.

Julian and Ethan were Jason’s closest friends, and their way of addressing Evelyn reflected Jason’s own attitude toward her.

“Miss Joy,” they called her, entirely dismissing any connection to “Mrs. Stark.”

Jason lifted his glass, taking a slow sip without even glancing at Evelyn.

“Jason, can we talk privately for a moment?” Evelyn said, fixing her gaze on the man just a few steps away, her voice tinged with pleading.