If we really had to siphon funds from other projects, the Whitmore family would be finished for good.


    Still, years of business experience kept his legs from buckling. He forced augh and turned to Soren. "Mr. Fawkes, after all, we were family once-"


    "Family?" Soren cut him off with a cold, mockingugh. "Funny, because as I recall, Evangeline severed all ties with the Whitmores long ago. What family do you think we ever were?"


    He leaned in, voice sharp as a knife. "Besides, I''ve never heard of a father-inw who''d hand off his daughter''s wife to another man."


    As he spoke, Soren''s gazended on Mr. Wellington, who was trying to quietly slip away at the edge of the room.


    Mr. Wellington thought he could escape unnoticed, but the moment Soren''s words hung in the air, every pair of eyes turned to him.


    His knees nearly gave out. In a panic, he bolted, desperate to get away.


    No one bothered to chase after him. Soren simply watched Wellington''s retreat and shot Gregory a meaningful look.


    Gregory, Soren''s longtime assistant, instantly understood. For a small-timer like Wellington, once Fawkes Enterprises decided to make a move, hispany wouldn''t survive another day.


    At the same time, Finn, almost without thinking, pulled out his phone and fired off a quick text.


    Evangeline, standing beside Finn, immediately sensed a shift in the air around him. Though his smile remained as gentle and refined as ever, she could feel the anger simmering beneath the surface. Whatever it was, it clearly had something to do with Mr. Wellington.


    "Don''t pay attention to people like that," Finn murmured, leaning closer. "Besides, I happen to like women just like you."


    She dropped her voice as low as possible, but just then, Soren finished giving Gregory his orders, and Winston had fallen silent. In the heavy hush that followed, her words drifted through the room, loud and unmistakable.


    Soren''s fists clenched tighter. An inexplicable irritation gnawed at him.


    When they''d first gotten married, every time Evangeline said she liked something, his name was always attached. Now, barely divorced, she couldn''t wait to tter another man.


    The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He scoffed, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Does it even matter what you like? I wonder if Mr. Lockridge- who''s never been used of loyalty has any interest in divorced women."


    He spat out the words "divorced women" with deliberate emphasis.


    Evangeline looked up at him, her expression unreadable.


    She had been surprised when Soren showed up tonight. At first, she thought he was here to settle scores with the Whitmore family, but it was clear now-she was on his hit list, too.


    But honestly, after everything she''d been through, Soren''s words barely stung. She''d heard far worse.


    She was about to snap back when Finn let out a lowugh. "Divorced? That''s nothing. It''s not like she''smitted murder."


    A slow, teasing grin spread across his face as he added, "And even if she had, I''d still fall for a woman this gorgeous."


    He pressed a light kiss to the back of her hand, his eyes full of mischief.


    Soren''s gaze turned cial. His voice dropped to a frigid murmur. "Is that so? And when you''re in bed with her, does it never cross your mind that another man''s had her before you? Doesn''t that make you feel dirty?"


    Evangeline''s face went deathly pale, mortified and furious. "Soren!" she snapped.


    He heard the warning in her voice, caught the way Finn''s smile froze just for a heartbeat. For some reason, it filled him with a dark, twisted satisfaction.