The Queen Returns—And She's Unforgiving

Jessica noticed Evelyn and greeted her warmly, saying, "Come join us. We're all family, after all."

Technically, she wasn't wrong-she was still Lucas' wife.

Blake raised a brow and said, "Sounds good to me. What do you say, Mr. Hill?"

Sebastian glanced at Evelyn. At this point, refusing would just seem petty. Evelyn gave him a slight nod.

They all took their seats.

Lucas and Tiffany sat side by side while Blake and Jessica were practically inseparable. Evelyn hesitated over where to sit, debating whether to take a seat opposite them. But before she could decide, Jonathan and another executive had already taken the seats across from Blake and Jessica.

Left with no other option, she ended up sitting directly across from Lucas and Tiffany.

Tiffany glanced at her. She had noticed something. Ever since Evelyn had switched jobs and started working with Sebastian, she had been crossing paths with Lucas more often. Was she trying to take the long way around to get closer to Lucas again?

A strategic backdoor approach?

The conversation at the table revolved around business-mainly discussions on ongoing technology projects.

Evelyn had no interest in contributing. She kept to herself and focused on her meal.

That was when she learned that Blake and Lucas had just finalized a major business deal. The contract was signed today. But what caught her attention was something else.

Confidentiality was crucial in these high-level collaborations, yet Lucas made no effort to keep Tiffany out of them.

Was he simply mentoring her? Or had he already started treating her as his wife? Midway through the meal, a restaurant manager arrived and personally delivered specialty drinks from the chef as a courtesy.

Each person took a glass.

That left three remaining-one mango juice and two coconut water.

Evelyn reached for the mango juice because she didn't like coconut water. Before she could grab it, Lucas took it first and set it in front of Tiffany.

Tiffany said with a smile, "You always pay attention to the details and remember what I like."

Evelyn froze for a second. She couldn't help but recall how, in the past, she had always adjusted to Lucas' tastes. Whether she cooked herself or had the housekeeper prepare meals, everything had been tailored to his preferences.

He had never once asked what she liked. To this day, he still didn't know. And truthfully, he had never cared to find out.

Her hand paused for a moment before she pulled it back. She silently took a glass of coconut water and set it beside her plate. The last glass naturally went to Lucas.

The discussion continued for a while before Jonathan suddenly turned to Evelyn and Sebastian.

"Ms. Reed and Mr. Grant, are you two together?"

The table fell quiet.

Blake shot Lucas a glance but didn't say anything.

Evelyn remained composed as she responded, "No."

Jonathan looked surprised. "Really? You two seem to work so well together. I must've misunderstood. Ms. Reed, you look quite young. Are you married?" The table went silent again.

Even Tiffany frowned. She didn't believe Evelyn would be bold enough to answer honestly. After all, she had no leverage, so she wouldn't dare.

Lucas had no visible reaction. He simply gave Evelyn a glance, his expression unreadable.

Evelyn calmly placed her cutlery down. Her tone was light as she said, "I'm divorced and widowed."

Jonathan's expression froze.noveldrama

Sebastian was the first to break. He let out an involuntary laugh before clearing his throat. "Apologies. That caught me off guard."

Lucas looked across the table at Evelyn, who appeared entirely unbothered. His sharp features remained impassive, but for a fleeting moment, something unreadable flashed in his gaze.

Tiffany, after a brief frown, looked away. She had seen this kind of thing before. A woman with nothing left to lose, relying on sharp words to mask the pain of being discarded. She was just desperate to act like she didn't care.

Evelyn didn't elaborate. As far as she was concerned, she hadn't said anything wrong.