Chapter 13

Mitchell Estate.

In the living room, the TV was playing the midday financial news.

The composed newscaster was reading the latest update: "Breaking news: well-known publicly listed company, Fisher Group, has suffered a sudden major operational crisis. Its cash flow has collapsed, and the company has officially filed for bankruptcy..."

Evelyn, sipping floral tea while flipping through a fashion magazine on the couch, caught the announcement just in time.

She let out a pleased little hum.

Alexander had acted even faster than she'd expected.

She had been thinking about how to settle the score with Ryan Fisher and the whole Fisher family. The moment he dared step out of line with her, their downfall was already sealed.

With a glimmer in her eyes, Evelyn picked up her phone.

Her fingers hovered over the chat with Alexander.

His profile picture was simple—a deep galaxy, mysterious and distant, just like the man himself. Powerful, unreachable, yet always in control.

Thinking about everything he had done for her gave her a rush of confidence.

Taking a deep breath, she typed quickly.

[Are you free tonight? I'd like to treat you to dinner.]

Send.

...

Top floor of Gray Group, in the largest meeting room, the atmosphere was tense.

Executives lined both sides of the table, all focused on the sharp-faced man at the head.

Alexander was in the middle of listening to a report on an international project, twirling a pen between his fingers.

He casually dropped a blunt question that immediately made the reporting director sweat.

Then—ping—a message alert broke the silence.

Heads turned toward Alexander's seat in disbelief.

Group policy said no interruptions. Phones on silent during meetings was practically sacred.

Who the hell dared message the boss during a meeting?

But instead of showing irritation, Alexander just raised a brow.

He calmly set his pen down, picked up his phone.

His expression—usually cold and unreadable—softened with the tiniest hint of a smile.

Without hesitation, he cut into the conversation. "Meeting's paused."

No explanation. No follow-up.

Phone in hand, he stood up and walked out without looking back.

The stunned executives just sat there, slack-jawed.

It wasn't until the door closed behind him that the room exploded.

"Did he... smile just now?"

"He just up and left—paused the meeting!"

"Seriously, who's got that kind of pull?"

...

Evelyn waited a few minutes after sending the message. No reply.

He's probably in a meeting, she thought. Busy.

Worried she might have disturbed something important, she quickly followed up.

[Are you in the middle of something? No worries—focus on work, we can do it another day.]

Moments later, her phone buzzed again—instant reply.

Alexander: [Not busy. 7PM, at Valentin. Want me to pick you up?]

Staring at the message, she couldn't help the smile that slowly spread across her face.

Evelyn: [Sounds great! No need to pick me up—I'll meet you there. See you tonight~]

Setting the phone down, her mood was sky-high, just like the sunlight pouring in from outside.

She jumped off the couch and dashed straight to her walk-in closet.

The dinner was set for Valentin—a top-tier Michelin three-star spot known for its romantic setup and top-notch French cuisine.

And this? This was going to be their first proper date.

She had to bring her A-game.

The walk-in closet was packed with this season's haute couture dresses.

Evelyn stood there, stuck. She held up one dress after another, only to put them back down.

Too formal looked try-hard, too casual felt like she didn't care enough.

She went back and forth for hours.

"Chloe, mom, can you two come help me, please!"

Eventually, she gave up and called for backup.

Vera and Chloe White came over as soon as they heard, exchanging a knowing smile at Evelyn's little crisis.

"This one's perfect, miss. That white gown really brings out your elegance," Chloe said, handing over a sleek fishtail dress with simple lines.

Vera nodded in agreement. "Munchkin, it's clean-cut and shows your figure nicely. Just throw on a necklace and you'll look amazing."

Evelyn's eyes lit up — right, the necklace!

She had totally forgotten about the teardrop-shaped blue diamond Alexander gave her. She'd never even worn it before.

Quickly, she got changed into the dress, put on the necklace, and sat down at her vanity to do a light makeup look.

Her already striking features now had this soft glow.

"Our Evelyn is absolutely stunning," Vera walked up to help tuck a loose strand behind her daughter's ear. "He's been waiting for you for so many years. Don't waste it. All mom wants is for you two to finally make it work."

Evelyn blushed a little, warmed by her words.

She gave a soft nod. "I know."

Then she headed out, humming a little as she got in the car.

Once Evelyn had left, Vera couldn't stop smiling.

She grabbed her phone and dialed quickly.

The call was picked up almost immediately. A gentle voice answered, "Vera, what a surprise! What's up today?"

"Helena, wait till you hear this," Vera's voice was practically bubbling. "My silly girl is going out to dinner tonight... with your son Alexander! At Valentina's!"

On the other end, Helena Hayes gasped in delight. "No way! It's finally happening!

"You have no idea how hard it's been watching him all these years. I've introduced him to so many lovely girls, and he never even glanced. Every time I asked, he just said there's someone already — and that someone, of course, is our Evelyn. He's stubborn, just like his dad."

"And Evelyn got all dressed up and nervous tonight. It's adorable," Vera added, clearly proud.

The two moms just kept talking, joy bubbling on both ends of the call.

"Let's hope everything goes smoothly this time," Helena said with all her heart. "Our families go way back, and the two of them would be a perfect match. If it works out, it'll be a dream come true."

After hanging up, Vera couldn't wait to tell more people.

She invited a few old friends over for tea at the Mitchell estate's tea room — women from other prestigious families.

As the scent of Earl Grey filled the cozy room and fine porcelain cups clinked softly, she casually mentioned,

"Evelyn's going out tonight with Alexander. Dinner at Valentina's.

"She even asked for my opinion on what to wear before she left. I wonder how the date's going," she added just a touch more casually.

The room that had been full of idle chatter now buzzed with curiosity.

"Valentina's? That new place everyone's talking about? They say couples come out of there engaged!"

"Evelyn and Alexander finally going on a proper date?"

"Oh Vera, this is big news, congratulations in advance!"

Vera picked up her teacup, hiding the huge smile at the corners of her lips.

She sipped her tea while soaking in their cheerful reactions, heart full.

She had always hoped Evelyn would give Alexander a chance.

As long as it wasn't Nathaniel.

Now that things were finally moving in the right direction, even the weather looked better.