The more Evelyn listened, the more uneasy she became. She glanced over at William, who was busy preparing tea. “Mr. Leighton, do you know about all this too?”

“It’s Sophie who told me,” William replied, rolling up his sleeves. He poured a cup of fruit tea for Evelyn, then filled a cup for Sophie.

Evelyn suddenly realized why William had taken the initiative to clear her name. He was thanking her for standing up for Sophie during the auditions instead of succumbing to financial pressure. At that moment, she felt a rare sense of relief wash over her.

William’s support made her mistakenly believe he had feelings for her; how self-deluded that was! Maintaining a friendship without any romantic undertones was what she needed to avoid any emotional baggage.

She looked at William with open, clear eyes. “I can’t believe I didn’t think to ask for your niece’s name.”

Just then, the doorbell rang.

William glanced at his phone before heading to the door. “I’ve made dinner reservations at Fortune Manor. We’ll have dinner before we start tutoring.”

“Calling you Miss Joy feels too formal; can I just call you Sister Eve from now on?” Sophie said, her eyes sparkling with admiration for Evelyn.

“It’s just a title; it doesn’t really matter what you call me,” Evelyn replied casually.

“You can’t call her sister; you have to call her Auntie,” William suddenly interjected. “I’m your uncle, so if you call Evelyn sister, it’s like I’m taking advantage of her.”

“Auntie? That sounds so old! I’m not calling her that; I’ll call her sister instead.” Sophie pouted and shot William a glare. “Sister Evelyn isn’t even going to be my future aunt-in-law, so you can’t tell me what to call her!”

Evelyn felt her cheeks flush as the atmosphere grew heavy with unspoken tension.

“Take your auntie Evelyn to wash her hands; I’ll serve the food,” William broke the silence, easing the awkwardness a bit.

The dinner spread was impressive: eight dishes and a soup, both sumptuous and visually appealing. To maintain her figure, Evelyn rarely ate carbs or meat in the evenings, but out of courtesy, she sat down at the dining table, eating a small bowl of rice, a few boiled shrimp, and some stir-fried vegetables.

After dinner, while William cleared the table, Evelyn followed Sophie to the study to begin the tutoring session. From the moment she saw Sophie, Evelyn realized this tutoring was unnecessary. Sophie’s professional skills far surpassed those of many other candidates who had advanced.

Today was Monday, and with the semi-finals scheduled for Saturday, any last-minute tutoring wouldn’t make much difference for candidates who were either very strong or very weak.

As soon as Evelyn closed the study door, her phone rang. Seeing it was Jason, who had been out of touch for two days, she quickly gestured for Sophie to be quiet.

“Still not off work?” Jason’s tone was laced with dissatisfaction.

Evelyn lowered her voice. “I’m tutoring a student for about two hours, then I’ll head home.”

Jason fell silent, but didn’t hang up.

“Is something wrong?” She asked subtly, considering Sophie’s presence.

“Nothing.” Jason abruptly ended the call, kicking over a nearby trash can in frustration.

After two days and nights away from 9Bliss Garden, he returned to find the house cold and lifeless, with no sign of any domestic warmth.

By the time Evelyn finished tutoring Sophie, it was already 9:30 PM. Before leaving, she offered some encouraging words.

Sophie wanted to accompany Evelyn downstairs, but William shot her a look that quickly sent her back.

“With Sophie’s talent, she’s already one of the best among her peers; there’s really no need for further tutoring. Today is the first and last session,” William said firmly.

As Evelyn stepped into the elevator, she explained her perspective to William.

“Sophie is competitive by nature; without guidance, she often feels uncertain. Let’s do three more sessions.” William, concerned for her feelings, quickly added, “Of course, two sessions would be fine too.”

Feeling awkward about turning down his offer, Evelyn replied, “Fine, just two sessions then. For tomorrow and the day after, let Sophie come to West Lake; I’ve rented a small place there.”

“Did I say something tonight that made you uncomfortable?” William asked, reflecting on the dinner he had planned for the next evening.

“Mr. Leighton, don’t overthink it. You’ve helped me; tutoring Sophie is just a small favor. And you went through the trouble of making such a nice meal; it feels like too much.” She decided to be straightforward. “Tomorrow, I’ll send Sophie the details of the West Lake address so she can have dinner early and come over on her own.”

“Sounds like I’m the unnecessary one here,” William joked, trying to lighten the mood.

Evelyn quickly clarified, “Mr. Leighton, don’t think like that. The tutoring time is short, and I have to manage everything; it’s a bit overwhelming.”

“I was just kidding; don’t overthink it. Make sure Sophie gets there on time tomorrow,” William replied with a smile.

Curious about Sophie’s background but too shy to ask, Evelyn called Jean on her way back to 9Bliss Garden. “Does William have a sister?”

Jean was well-known for her gossip and had her finger on the pulse of Riverton’s elite.

“William’s sister is quite a bit older than him; she used to be the top student in Riverton. After graduating, she stayed in the Capital and made a name for herself in politics, but she’s as low-key as Henry and William. I heard she married a poor guy from a small town, and after having a daughter, they divorced,” Jean explained.

Evelyn couldn’t help but say, “Oh,” thoughtfully.

Sophie clearly inherited the Leighton family's brilliance, able to craft such an impressive background story out of her father's death and her mother's work as a sanitation worker.

“Why the sudden interest in William? You didn’t have an accident that led to some kind of fate, did you?” Jean’s tone hinted at something more.

Evelyn playfully admonished her, “Don’t be ridiculous. William’s niece is participating in a hosting competition, and she’s asked me to tutor her.”

“William’s sister is a prominent figure in the Capital; she has all the resources. If she’s seeking your help for tutoring, there must be ulterior motives,” Jean said with a hint of melancholy. “Eve, are you okay?”

“I’m perfectly fine.” Evelyn sensed Jean had something else on her mind. “If there’s something you want to say, just say it.”

“I’ve heard that the elder Mr. Stark’s health is deteriorating; his sons are fighting over the inheritance.”

“That has nothing to do with me,” Evelyn replied dismissively, wanting to distance herself from the gossip.

When she returned to 9Bliss Garden, she barely stepped through the door when something tripped her foot. If she hadn’t reacted quickly, she would have fallen.

It was a trash can.

The room was dark and filled with a heavy smell of smoke. The living room curtains were wide open, letting the moonlight cast shadows, and sitting by the floor-to-ceiling window was a figure.

With a tall stature and striking features, he looked even more mysterious in the swirling haze.

“Look who finally decided to come back,” Jason said slowly, flicking ash from his cigarette, his voice unusually cold.

Evelyn clutched her chest, her heart racing from the near-fall and the tense atmosphere. “That’s exactly what I wanted to say to you.”

Jason had left 9Bliss Garden Saturday afternoon and only returned late Monday night.

“Found a new partner, huh? Someone backing you up, making you bolder now?” Jason stepped closer, reaching for her wrist.

She quickly backed away, running into the master bedroom. As she tried to lock the door, Jason rushed in, pinning her against the wall.

“Evelyn, have you been miserable and suffocated in these three years of marriage?” he pressed, his breath hot against her neck, their noses almost touching, their gazes locked.

“You’ve been looking for every excuse to stay late at work, going out to teach, tutoring—”

“And what about you, Jason?”

Evelyn didn’t expect him to bring this up, interrupting him with a choked voice. “In these three years, how many nights have you come home before eleven? With Cecilia by your side at the office and the top hostess in clubs waiting for you out there?”

Jason’s body slightly trembled at her words.

“I earn only eight thousand a month. I need to eat, dress, pay for my car, and deal with social obligations. If I don’t hustle outside, how can I make ends meet?”

As she finished, tears streamed down her face, and she sank to the floor, leaning against the wall.

Jason’s hand hung in the air, motionless for a long time before it finally fell.