Chapter 100

[Evelyn’s POV]

I couldn’t fathom how Michael managed to see through Alexander’s plan, much less how he managed to find me here.

It felt as though I was being backed further into a corner with nowhere to turn to. It was bad enough that I had to consistently watch out for Isabella, why on earth was I now plagued with having to deal with Michael too?

Well, at least it had given me an excuse to leave the dining room sooner. Thanks to Michael’s obscene remarks, I couldn’t risk my father or Isabella getting any more false ideas about my relationship with Alexander.

I quickly got up and led Michael and me toward the back gardens. Keeping my gaze forward, I didn’t so much as even glance at him as I spoke.

“Michael, you said before that you’re here because you believe I need support,” I said briskly. “Is that the real reason though?”

Michael managed to keep up with my strides. “You doubt me?”

My movements faltered only for a second. “If I’m being honest...Yes,” I responded. “According to what Wendy told me, Alexander gave you the opportunity to watch over the pack. What happened? Why would you drop everything and come here of all places?”

My plan was to play dumb. As far as he was aware, Alexander and I weren’t on good speaking terms, which was meant to ward off his suspicions of me being a part of the plan to deceive him in the first place.

The last thing I need is for there to be another person I need to keep an eye out for.

Michael leaned against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest. I noticed the unnerving way in which his eyes darkened with that predatory stare.

“It would appear that my dear brother had no real intention of leaving me with the responsibility of looking after the pack,” he said stiffly.

The way he was flaring at me, it was as if he was trying to decipher if I had known anything about it. I furrowed my brows and shook my head.

“Why would Alexander do that?”

“Who knows? Perhaps, it’s because he wanted to distract me from something,” he suggested plainly.

My heart skipped numerous beats. I let out a long breath and shrugged my shoulders back.

“Well, if that was truly the case, I’m sorry that happened,” I told him. “Although, I’m telling you now, all my focus and attention is purely on getting my brother through his recovery. I don’t have time to necessarily sit around and chat all day. I may not be the best company.”

The corner of his mouth curled into a knowing grin. “No worries, Evelyn. You’ll hardly know I’m here.”

...

Later that evening, I made the courageous decision to leave my brother’s room and head to the kitchen. My head was throbbing from all the stress that had been surrounding me. After Michael and I had spoken, I spoke to some of the staff and had him set up in one of the spare rooms on the far other side of the house.

As long as he’s far away from me, I don’t care.

My number one concern was still Isabella. I noticed the way she kept glancing at Michael and me when he had first arrived. God only knew it wouldn’t take long for her to try and spread some horrible rumor.

I was desperate for a decent cup of tea in hopes that it would bring my anxiety down a bit.

At the very least, Edward was just starting to show positive signs of recovery which made me feel a little confident that all my work hadn’t been for nothing. There was still a chance that it was all going to be okay.

As I made it to the kitchen, I noticed that most of the staff had already gone to bed. Not wanting to waste any time, I got straight to making my tea...

It wasn’t long before I felt a dreadful feeling of someone watching from within the shadows of the room. My heart slammed violently against my rib cage as I dared to glance over my shoulder. I squinted my eyes and saw the frightening sight of someone emerging from the darkness.

Isabella.

I fought back an ugly sneer as I went about my business. But, of course, she wasn’t planning on just standing there in silence.

“So...What’s the situation with this Michael?” she hummed in question.

I rolled my eyes. “There is no situation,” I said. “He’s Alexander’s Stepbrother.”

“Based on the way he was looking at you before, I could tell that he must carry some strong feelings toward you. I mean, he came all the way out here to see you.”

I snapped around to stare at her. “I can neither confirm nor deny Michael’s feelings. But either way, it holds no concern to me. Less you’ve forgotten, I am married to Alexander.”

Isabella merely laughed and leisurely moved closer to the counter.

“He’s quite handsome though, isn’t he?” she prompted. “I’m sure Alexander isn’t necessarily the easiest person to get close to, given his unfortunate physical state. Anyone would understand if you were, at the very least, tempted to let your eye wander elsewhere.”

I had been grasping the glass mug in my hands so tightly, that I was certain that it would shatter.

Stay calm. She’s trying to bait you, Evelyn. Stay calm.

Placing the mug carefully down on the counter, I turned my back for a single second to grab a spoon to stir in a bit of honey.

“If you’re asking me if I’ve ever thought of having an affair, the answer is and will always be ‘no’,” I stated firmly. “Goodnight, Isabella.”

I grabbed my tea off the counter and headed back toward my brother’s rooms. Taking small, even breaths through my nose, I did my best to ease the anger that simmered just beneath my surface.

“What the actual hell is wrong with her?” I mumbled to myself.

I took a large sip of my tea and felt an odd bitterness on the back of my tongue. Slowly, I glanced down into my mug and noticed a strange discoloration that wasn’t quite normal for my basic Earl Grey tea.

It didn’t take long for an overwhelming wave of dizziness to crash over me. I swayed back and forth on my feet, unable to gain a real sense of balance.

Then, came the excruciating heat that bloomed in my cheeks and began making its way down my body only to settle in my lower abdomen. It had me clenching my thighs together as a means to ease the ache between them.

But it was no use. The heat turned into a roaring pain that needed to be satiated.

Poison...No. Not poison...The aphrodisiac.

Somehow, Isabella had managed to slip into my tea. Before I knew what was happening, my mug had slipped from my hands and came crashing to the floor.

I let out a series of low gasps and tried to get my way back to my brother’s room. Close. I was so close to a safe and secure space that I nearly felt the door handle brush my fingertips.

“Evelyn?” a deep voice called out.

I snapped my head around to find Michael standing just a few feet away.

“I heard a loud noise,” he claims. “Is everything ok—”

“Stop,” I said shakily. “Don’t come any closer.”

Michael didn’t listen to me. He closed the space between us and gently reached out to grab my arms. The second his hands came into contact with my skin, I let out a broken, needy whimper.