Evelyn looked troubled. “I can file for divorce again, but Jason always finds a way to make me withdraw it.”

“Just submit it, and leave the rest to me.” Grace picked up her handbag, her expression turning serious as she headed for the door. “Evelyn, I’m counting on good news from you.”

As the door closed, Evelyn slumped onto the sofa, a dull ache starting to throb in her forehead. Even with Grace backing her up, she didn’t dare pursue divorce proceedings against Jason so recklessly. The evidence of her faked pregnancy was still in Jason's hands, and she couldn’t afford to cross Grace. She felt trapped, caught between two powerful forces.

She spent the entire morning distracted, only snapping to attention when Director Logan knocked and walked into her office.

“Listen up,” he commanded. “After much internal discussion, Jenny can’t be eliminated. We’re holding a resurrection round tomorrow afternoon, and we’ll pick six contestants from those who were eliminated. Since you were the one who eliminated Jenny, you’ll need to oversee the round and announce her advancement personally. It’ll carry more weight coming from you.”

Evelyn felt a surge of anxiety. She had no say in her boss’s decisions, but Jenny's performance was far below even the passing mark. There was no way she could pull Jenny up during the live resurrection round—she simply didn’t want to!

“Director Logan, I have a corporate annual meeting to host tomorrow afternoon, so I can’t participate,” she said, trying to back out.

“I checked your schedule, and that company doesn’t have much business with us. I’ll find another host to cover for you. Focus on what you want to say during the resurrection round, and try to be sincere. The audience should feel that Jenny’s earlier failure was due to nerves, not lack of talent.”

Director Logan didn’t give her any room for argument as he pushed through the door and left.

Just then, her phone rang. It was Grace.

She ignored the call, but it rang again. She quickly typed out a message: “I’m in a meeting; I’ll call you back later.”

Finally, the calls stopped.

Deep down, she knew that leaving Jason wouldn’t end well, but with Grace’s help, it seemed like the best option. What she feared most was that Jason would refuse to agree to the divorce and then take out his frustration on Jean.

Their divorce hadn’t even begun, and now Jean would be the one facing the consequences, potentially losing her medical license after a lawsuit.

After thinking it through, Evelyn figured the best approach was to keep a low profile. She had to avoid provoking Jason while also appeasing Grace, letting the two of them play their game. Whoever lost wouldn’t take it out on her.

Taking a deep breath before dialing Jason’s number, Evelyn steeled herself.

“Are you planning to submit the divorce petition to the court again?” Jason’s voice was as cold as ever.

“No.” She gripped the phone tightly, pressing her hand to her chest. “It’s your mother who’s been pushing me. She just called again, but I told her I was in a meeting.”

“Give me a straight answer—are we getting a divorce, or are we sticking together?”

“I’ll do whatever you say.” She felt like a puppet with no will of her own, responding in a dull tone.

“From now on, don’t answer any of your mother’s calls,” Jason said after a pause. “If she comes to the station, try to avoid her. Don’t meet if you don’t have to.”

“Avoiding her for a day or two is one thing, but eventually, I’ll have to face her,” she thought, wishing Jason could handle Grace entirely, yet not stating it outright.

“Take care of it today,” Jason’s tone softened suddenly. “Your priority right now is your pregnancy.”

“I’ll do my best,” she replied, a wave of guilt washing over her.

The two fell into a sudden silence. Not knowing what to say, she feigned curiosity. “Jason, do you hate me for ruining your engagement with Selene three years ago?”

“That's old news; talking about it now is pointless.” Jason hung up the phone without another word.

Evelyn set her phone on the table, pressing her fingers against her throbbing temples. After four diligent years at the station, she finally secured her position as a lead anchor. She would never sacrifice her conscience for money!

For tomorrow's resurrection round, she planned not to participate, but she needed a solid excuse. Just then, her phone rang again—it was the one person she desperately wanted to avoid: her mother, Agnes.

After putting the call on speaker and tossing the phone onto the table, Evelyn locked the office door.

“Eve, how have you been lately? Busy with work?” Agnes asked, her voice dripping with ulterior motives.

“I have a lot to do. Just get to the point,” Evelyn replied, feeling irritated.

“The Stark Group’s pharmaceutical company is scouting locations in Harborville for a storage project worth over a billion. The Lycheeville city government is eager to attract investments this year. Victor wants to know if Jason can bring the project to Lycheeville. It would not only boost the local economy but also create thousands of jobs.”

Evelyn rested her head in her hand, closing her weary eyes. This was when Agnes would think of her, using the promise of economic growth and job creation as a facade to curry favor for Victor.

Noticing her silence, Agnes continued, “I called Jason; he neither approved nor rejected it. If you sweet-talk him a bit, that should do the trick.”

Evelyn took a deep breath before responding. “You might not know, but Jason and I are about to get divorced.”

“Divorce? He’s making a scene, tangled up with a female secretary. Any woman in your position would have put up with that for long. What’s he not satisfied with?” Agnes shot back, her temper flaring.

“Three years ago, you and Victor plotted against him. He married me to please you. If I hadn’t barged in, he would have successfully married into the Leighton family. How can you expect him not to hate you?”

“Regardless of how bad things get, you can’t divorce him. You’re a remarkable woman—your looks, height, and career are all commendable. Think about how to win Jason back. Most men prefer gentle persuasion over force. Show him more care and affection, and eventually, he won’t be indifferent.”

“It's not just Jason wanting a divorce—Grace is putting pressure on me too. I can’t hold out much longer.” To throw Agnes off her trail, she exaggerated, claiming Jason was definitely seeking a divorce.

“Delay the investment talk for now. From this moment on, focus all your energy on Jason. I told you years ago to have a child quickly; that’s the only way to secure your place in the Stark family. But you never listened.”

Agnes sighed in frustration.

“If there’s nothing important, don’t call me again,” Evelyn said, ready to end the conversation.

“Adrian is getting engaged this Saturday. You and Jason must come to Lycheeville to celebrate.”

“I can’t go.” She decisively rejected the invitation and hung up the phone.

The office felt even smaller now. Perhaps it was the door being shut for too long, but a weight settled in her chest, making her uncomfortable.

She opened the window, letting in the crisp outside air, but the pent-up frustration inside her only intensified. It felt like she was trapped in an icehouse, completely frozen.

She wondered if there were others like her in the world.

So young, thrust into a marriage riddled with wounds, her husband filled with resentment, her mother only using her, and her mother-in-law willing to see her suffer infertility rather than allow her to have children…