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After Axel left, Evelyn spent the day with Oliver.
They love skimming through books, watching fun cartoons, and building towers, though they’ve copsed at least five times!
Plus, they enjoy munching on muffins and donuts every hour, making every moment sweet and delightful.
By afternoon, Oliver finally grew sleepy and drifted into a peaceful nap.
Evelyn sat beside him for a while, watching his chest rise and fall, then quietly left the room and headed to her home office.
Only then did she check her phone.
The moment Evelyn unlocked the screen, she was utterly shocked.
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:
The news notifications had changed; they no longer reported stories about her and her son.
The headlines she saw made her fingers tremble.
[<i>CEO </i>Natalie Martinez Is <i>Not </i><i>Who </i>the <i>Public </i><i>Thinks </i><i>She </i><i>Is</i>]
<i>[</i><i>Exposed</i><i>: </i>Natalie <i>Martinez’s </i><i>Private </i>Scandals <i>Rock </i>the Entertainment Industry]
[Behind <i>Closed </i><i>Doors</i><i>: </i><i>How </i>Natalie Martinez <i>Exploited </i>Young Talents for Personal <i>Gain</i>]
Her fingers trembled slightly as she scrolled
down.
Each headline felt heavier than thest. She hesitated for a moment, then tapped the first
article.
The opening paragraph hit her like a cold wave. The article detailed how Natalie Martinez, once praised as a visionary leader in the entertainment world, had allegedly abused her authority.
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Multiple anonymous testimonies described how young talents under her agency were pressured into maintaining inappropriate personal rtionships in exchange for career
opportunities. Contracts, messages, and financial records were cited as evidence, painting a picture far uglier than Evelyn had expected.
Her lips parted in disbelief as she opened the following article.
This one went even further. It spoke about private vis,vish gifts, and secret arrangements hidden behind legal uses. Investigators had reportedly confirmed that several underage trainees had been removed from public records after leaving the agency abruptly. Parents were silenced through settlements. Former staff members described a culture of fear, control, and maniption.
Evelyn’s hand flew to her mouth.
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“This is insane…” she whispered.
The third article left herpletely speechless. It detailed how Natalie’s carefully crafted public image had been maintained by suppressing rumors for years, until one leaked internal report triggered a chain reaction. Authorities were now involved. Sponsors had begun withdrawing. The empire Natalie Martinez built was copsing in
real time.
Evelyn leaned back against the sofa, stunned.
Then, slowly, understanding dawned on her.
A softugh escaped her lips, followed by another. Soon, she was shaking her head in disbelief, a smile forming against her will.
“Axel…” she murmured.
Of course, this was him. But she didn’t expect him to move this fast. She remembered that onlyst night they had talked about it, and here he
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was, already punishing Natalie.
She scrolled down to thement section,
curiosity recing shock. The tone had entirely shifted from yesterday.
<i>“</i><i>She </i><i>deserves </i>this. <i>Power </i>like <i>that </i>was <i>wasted </i><i>on </i>
<i>her</i><i>.</i><i>” </i>
<i>“So </i>this is the woman <i>who </i><i>thought </i>she <i>could </i>destroy <i>someone </i>else’s <i>family</i><i>.</i>”
<i>“</i><i>Karma </i><i>works </i>fast <i>when </i><i>you </i>hurt someone else’s <i>innocent </i>son<i>.</i><i>” </i>
<i>“</i><i>She </i>is a <i>bitch</i>. <i>How </i><i>could </i>she <i>after young </i><i>people</i><i>?</i><i>” </i>
Evelyn exhaled deeply, satisfaction settling in her
chest.
And somehow, for the first time since the rumors about her and Oliver surfaced, she felt relieved.
She was just about to text Axel when her phone
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suddenly rang, the sound slicing through the quiet room.
Evelyn nced at the screen, her smile widening when Ste’s name appeared. She answered immediately.
“Ste…”
“Hello, big sis. You have no idea how much I miss you,” Ste’s cheerful voice burst from the other end, loud enough that Evelyn instinctively pulled the phone slightly away from her ear.
“Sure, sure. Anyway, why are you calling at this hour?” Evelyn asked, amused.
A dramatic sigh followed. “Because I just finished myte lunch. It is practically dinner for normal people. And suddenly, I missed you. Also, I have something important to ask.”
Evelyn smiled softly. She knew how brutal Ste’s schedule was at the emergency room.
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“Hmmm. Knowing you should be resting instead of calling me, this must be important. What is it?”
“When are youing back? And can I visit you on Saturday?” Ste asked quickly, clearly excited.
“We’re already here. We returned yesterday.”
“What?” Ste nearly shouted. “I thought you would stay longer. Oliver was supposed to conquer the beach, right?”
“That was the n,” Evelyn said gently. “But Oliver had a fever, so Axel decided we shoulde back
early.”
The line went quiet for a second.
“A fever?” Ste’s voice sharpened immediately. “How high? When? Have you given him any medication? How is he now? Is he okay now?”
Evelynughed softly. “Slow down, Doctor Ste. He is fine now. His fever went down quickly.”
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Ste exhaled audibly.
“Thank God! You scared me so bad for a moment.
Who treated him? Did you go to the hospital
there?”
“Your big boss. He’s happened to be in Willowcrest,” Evelyn replied casually.
“My boss?” Ste paused. “Wait. You mean my
CEO?”
“Yes. David Hamm was in Grayenfall. He flew to Willowcrest by helicopter and helped treat Oliver right away.”
There was a beat of silence.
Then Ste groaned. “Why does my boss always show up in the most dramatic ways? Now I cannot evenin about him at work anymore. He rescued my little Oliver.”
Evelynughed.
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“You can stillin. Just quietly.”
“So,” Ste said, her tone softening, “can Ie visit you on Saturday? I want to see Oliver and make sure he is really okay.”
“Saturday is not good,” Evelyn answered. “I already have ns.”
Ste clicked her tongue. “What kind of ns could be more important than your favorite
sister?”
“You can visit us on Sunday instead,” Evelyn corrected. “On Saturday, we are visiting someone
else.”
“Someone else?” Ste’s curiosity spiked. “Who?”
“You don’t know them. But I have to have lunch
with them.”
“Oh,” Ste breathed. “That sounds serious if someone drags you out of your house.”
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Evelyn nodded even though Ste could not see her. “It is. Well, I will tell youter…”
“Well,” Ste said lightly, “I will wait, sis. I wille on Saturday with my mom.”
Evelyn chuckled. “Alright, then. See you both…”
After ending the call, Evelyn leaned back against the sofa, feeling calmer. Yet as her thoughts drifted back to the Morgan family, her heart fluttered again.
Excitement and worry tangled together, reminding her that Saturday would bring another turning point in her life.
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<strong>Olivia Harris</strong> is an emerging author celebrated for her captivating romantic and steamy novels. With a talent for crafting deep emotional connections and fiery chemistry between her characters, Olivia’s stories offer readers an escape into worlds filled with passion, intrigue, and heart-stopping drama.