But she knew perfectly well that the Fawkes family would never let her get her


    hands on those shares. Even with the will in her favor, she stood no chance if they decided to fight her on it. It was a battle she was bound to lose.


    This agreement was the most strategic move she could make under the circumstances.


    Evangeline calmly waited for his counteroffer.


    Soren took a couple of steps toward her, his eyes locked on hers. "Get back with "


    Before he could finish, a phone rang.


    "One moment," Evangeline said, pulling out her phone. The screen showed Finn''s name. After a brief hesitation, she declined the call and sent him a quick voice note.


    "I''m busy right now. I''ll get back to you in a bit."


    Then she slipped the phone back into her pocket.


    Soren''s gaze fell to the diamond ring she still wore on her finger, and a familiar irritation churned in his chest.


    Evangeline sensed his darkening mood, but she knew Soren''s temper could turn on a dime. The smallest thing could set him off. In the past, she would have done anything to soothe him, saying whatever he wanted to hear to distract him and cate his anger.


    This time, however, she had no intention of doing so. She was here to negotiate terms, not to manage his emotions.


    "What are your terms? Just say them," Evangeline said, her voice t.


    Soren stared at her calm, indifferent expression, and his chest felt tight, as if it were stuffed with cotton. He let out a cold sneer and closed the distance between them in two long strides.


    His towering frame radiated an intimidating energy, and before Evangeline could even process it, she had already taken an instinctive step back.


    She was deliberately putting distance between them.


    The realization sent a fresh wave of fury surging through him. He


    crossed the remaining space in an instant, and just as she was about to retreat again, his hands shot out and mped down on her shoulders. His fingers were as cold and hard as iron vises, and a sharp pain shot through her.


    "With me..." Soren''s voice was a chilling, seductive whisper. He leaned in, his lips brushing against her ear. "Spend one night."


    He pulled back just enough to watch her face. "Spend one night with me, and I''ll sign the agreement. How about it?"


    He savored the look of shock that washed over her features. He wasn''t sure why he''d said something so


    perverse, but now that the wor


    were out, a weight lifted from his chest, reced by a strange


    vindictive pleasure But that


    satisfaction was fleeting The


    moment he saw the color drain from her face, a pang of regret hit him.


    For the first time, he had no idea what answer he wanted to hear.


    He expected she would burst into angry tears. Or maybe she''d feel humiliated, p him across the face, and curse him out. Her temper had certainly sharpenedtely, after all. He wouldn''t even have been opposed to that.


    But after nearly a full minute of silence, all Soren heard was her steady, unruffled voice.


    "Alright."


    She said it so calmly, as if they were discussing what to have for dinner or some other trivial matter.


    Soren thought he must have misheard. "What did you say?"


    Evangeline repeated herself without missing a beat. After what Soren and Poppy Yates had


    done-showing up at her house just to spite her-nothing he proposed shoulde as a surprise. So, after that initial flicker of shock, she


    simply epted his demand.


    Disbelief shed in Soren''s eyes.


    Thinking he might not have heard her, Evangeline rified, "You said you wanted me to spend the night with you, right? I agree."


    She met his stunned gaze. "It''s not like I''m some virtuous maiden, and you''re not some monster. We were married for five years. We slept together more times than I can count. What''s one more night?"