The moment Jason finished speaking, Evelyn was the most unsettled of all.

Whether or not William had feelings for her, Jason’s words left no room for dignity.

Melora, aware that William had taken business from Jason, assumed Jason was belittling William out of spite and quickly tried to smooth things over. “Jason is just joking with Mr. Leighton! There are so many distinguished young ladies in Riverton waiting for him to choose from; who would be interested in a married woman?”

“Married women understand romance better than young girls; they have more depth. There’s nothing wrong with that,” William replied, meeting Jason’s gaze calmly.

Jason smiled with his thin lips, but there was no warmth in his eyes. “So, Mr. Leighton really prefers that sort of thing.”

“VP Stark may not appreciate it, but others might treasure it dearly.” William’s tone remained gentle yet firm as he slightly nodded to Jason, a silent farewell.

Once they exited the ward, Marcus finally realized something was amiss and hurried after them to see them off.

Evelyn’s mind was a jumble; she wished she could find a hole to hide in and never come out.

Melora, perceptive as ever, sensed the atmosphere was tense. Glancing between Jason and Evelyn, she meaningfully asked, “Jason, your comments about Mr. Leighton earlier were quite pointed, weren’t they?”

“Melora is always so clever, yet she still doesn’t understand my hints.” Jason lowered his voice intentionally. “You don’t know, do you? My brother is looking for a married woman who has had two sons to bear him a child. He’s keeping her on the side.”

“Marcus wouldn’t dare!” Melora’s expression changed dramatically, but with people coming and going, she managed to swallow her anger.

Evelyn secretly sighed in relief.

Whether Jason’s words were true or not, they served to extricate her from an uncomfortable situation.

Otherwise, Melora would have stubbornly pressed for answers, and she and William, merely friends, would be embroiled in rumors.

At the moment Jason had brought up “married women,” she felt both anger and helplessness, her face flushed with embarrassment.

Yet, just when she needed it most, he actively helped her escape Melora’s clutches.

She stared intently at Jason, a hidden sorrow in her eyes that others couldn’t see.

Finally, around noon, Jason allowed her to leave the hospital.

She returned to the television station, where in the afternoon, she accompanied the production team on a shoot. After recording the program, she headed to West Lake.

Tonight was the last time she would tutor Sophie, so Evelyn took it very seriously, preparing an electronic document with potential questions for the upcoming competition to give to Sophie.

Once the tutoring session ended, Sophie stood across from Evelyn, bowing deeply. “Thank you, Ev—Auntie.”

Evelyn chuckled softly, “Auntie sounds too old. Call me ‘sister.’”

“Uncle doesn’t allow me to call you sister,” Sophie replied, her lovely eyes glimmering with hope. “I really like you and wish we could be family, but it’s a pity you already have a boyfriend.”

“Being friends is just fine.” Evelyn patted her head, “You can share all your joys and sorrows with me from now on.”

William was waiting for Sophie in the underground parking lot, and as he saw them exit the elevator, he handed over two cups of steaming milk tea.

“Thank you, Uncle.” Sophie accepted and took a sip.

Evelyn, out of politeness, accepted her cup, warming her hands.

“You’ve worked hard these past few days, Evelyn,” William said, handing the car keys to Sophie, who quickly got into the vehicle.

“It’s just things I learned before and experiences I’ve accumulated over the years; it’s nothing to be called hard work.”

Evelyn took her car keys from her bag, unlocking her vehicle, ready to leave.

With the seeds of doubt already planted in Jason's mind, she didn’t dare to stay alone with William for too long.

“I never dreamed your husband would be Jason,” William said, leaning closer, his handsome features bright with a teasing smile. “I know your husband quite well from the business world.”

Jason's reputation as a playboy was well-known in Riverton, and William's seemingly casual remark felt like a mockery to her—suggesting she was blind to reality and had married a scoundrel.

She simply replied, “Mm.”

William's gaze was deep, and he had a few more words caught in his throat, but noticing her lack of enthusiasm, he refrained from asking further. He personally opened the driver’s side door for her. “Don’t forget, you still owe me a meal.”

She looked at him in surprise, taking a few seconds to recall that she had mentioned treating William to dinner as a thank-you for the twenty million in advertising funds.

“I’m free anytime; just let me know when, and I’ll make the reservation.”

“It’s a promise.” William gently closed the car door for her.

Still troubled by Jason's words from earlier in the hospital, Evelyn paused and lowered her window halfway. “Mr. Leighton, what Jason said today was all nonsense; you shouldn’t take it to heart.”

“I’ve never thought Jason’s words were nonsense.” William’s gaze held an inexplicable light as he looked at her. “Every word I say comes from the heart; it’s not nonsense.”

She was momentarily speechless.

If she had known William would say that, she wouldn’t have bothered to defend Jason!

“It’s getting late; I should go.” She started the engine and rolled up the window.

Before William could even say “drive safely,” Evelyn's car had already left the parking lot.

Half an hour later, she received a text notification about a money transfer.

Thirty thousand dollars, with the account name as William’s, and a note stating “tutoring fee.”

William had helped her achieve twenty million in advertising performance; assisting Sophie with her studies was just a small favor. If she accepted this money, it would seem too heartless!

She had no idea how William managed to find her bank account number. She opened her mobile banking app, located the transfer information, and returned the thirty thousand dollars.

Before long, William transferred the money back to her.

She pulled over and transferred the money again, then called William.

“Mr. Leighton, Sophie and I get along quite well; discussing money can ruin our friendship. If you keep this up, we won’t even be able to be friends.”

William laughed on the other end. “From now on, we’re not allowed to discuss money.”

She recognized he was referring to the twenty million in advertising funds and felt embarrassed. “I still want to thank you, Mr. Leighton.”

“I just said discussing money can ruin feelings; why are you bringing it up again?” William lightly reprimanded. “Let’s not talk about it for now; drive safely tonight.”

She smiled and said goodbye.

Dealing with Jason was exhausting and frustrating, while William was warm and considerate, making her feel at ease.

Unconsciously, she found herself comparing the two men again.

Jason hadn’t returned to 9 Bliss Garden for two consecutive days, and Evelyn didn’t ask about it.

She understood that getting tangled up in Jason’s issues would only stress her out further; it was better to give herself a way out.

On Saturday morning, the number one studio at the television station held the semifinal for the host competition, broadcast live. Dane was personally overseeing it, with five judges scoring on-site, ensuring transparency, fairness, and justice.

Evelyn was one of the five judges and witnessed Sophie’s advancement firsthand.

Sophie’s performance was even more spectacular than in the preliminary round.

Afterward, Evelyn turned on her phone, which had been off for three hours.

Several missed calls popped up, all from the Stark household’s landline number.

An ominous premonition surged up within her instantly.