Mr. Howard''s icy gaze fell upon the dagger on the floor, his eyes colder than the polished steel. He had deliberately revealed Soren''s lingering affection for Evangeline, fully expecting it to drive Poppy to murder. His n had been simple: let Poppy kill Evangeline, then release her while simultaneously leaking the truth. He had only promised to let her go and hide the evidence, not to keep her secret. The ensuing scandal would be delicious.


    The man he loathed, tormented by the fact that his beloved fiancée had killed the woman he once loved. Even someone as cold as Soren wouldn''t be able to bear it. And that was just the first step. With Evangeline dead, her boyfriend, Finn, would surely not stand idly by. Soren would not only be haunted by guilt but would also gain a powerful new enemy. It was a perfect n.


    But he hadn''t counted on Poppy being so indecisive. A few words from Evangeline about Soren''s potential ''lingering feelings'' had been enough to spook her. Women were so troublesome.


    Mr. Howard let out a coldugh. "Miss Yates, I thought you were a woman of conviction. I never imagined you''d be so easily swayed by the words of your rival. With Evangeline dead, you would be the only one by Soren''s side. Even if he couldn''t let her go, you''d still have him. What does it matter if you have his heart when you have the man himself?"


    Poppy bit her lip, her eyes darting nervously. When she first returned, that had been her n: to use Soren''s status and the Fawkes family name to elevate her own position. But the more time she spent by his side, the more greedy she became. She didn''t just want to be in the Fawkes family; she wanted to be with Soren.


    "You wouldn''t understand," Poppy said, her gaze firming.


    Mr. Howard just chuckled.


    "More importantly," Poppy added, "I don''t believe you would have helped me out of the goodness of your heart."


    In her panicked state, she had almost fallen for his lies. But Evangeline''s words had jolted her back to reality.


    If Howard''s only goal was to kill Evangeline, he wouldn''t have bothered kidnapping her as well. He clearly had another, more sinister agenda.


    The smirk slid from Mr. Howard''s face as it became clear his mind games were failing, reced by clear irritation.


    But then, a new, brilliant idea formed in his mind. His expression smoothed over, and he raised a hand.


    Immediately, his men stepped forward, pulled Poppy to her feet, and retied her to the chair.


    Surrounded by Howard''s men, Poppy knew resistance was futile. She didn''t struggle as they bound her.


    After Mr. Howard left, Poppy gasped


    for breath, the sheer terror of her recent decision washing over her. She hadn''t argued back because she knew he was right. He hadn''t been trying to help her he''d been setting a trap for her. And in her impulsive rage, she had almost walked right into it.


    Thank God she had listened to Evangeline.


    With that thought, she turned to look at Evangeline. Compared to her own frayed nerves and panic, Evangeline seemed remarkablyposed. Whether it was an illusion or not, Poppy found that Evangeline''s calmness had a steadying effect on her. But a momentter, a wave of irritation washed over her.


    Why was Evangeline so calm? Was she not afraid? Or was it all just an act for her benefit?


    Evangeline was oblivious to Poppy''s inner turmoil. Her face was a mask of indifference, but beneath her


    cid exterior she had already


    activated the tiny dagger hidden within her ring.