Chapter 199

Julian's voice cracked with indignation. "Evelyn! Are you comparing me to a dog?!"

Evelyn smirked. "Absolutely. I know Victoria well enough to realize she wouldn’t dare hire an assassin."

She crossed her arms, her gaze icy. "But honestly, I couldn’t care less about either of you. Whether you live or die means nothing to me. Keep bothering me, and I won’t hesitate to dig into this mess myself."

Julian’s expression darkened. "Evelyn! I wasn’t here for you—I just happened to pass by. We’ll talk another time!"

She hadn’t expected her offhand remark to rattle him so easily.

Julian despised Dominic but lacked the nerve to use his name to hire a hitman, leaving Victoria to take the fall.

Her phone buzzed with a new message.

Evelyn unlocked it—Sophie’s name flashed on the screen: How could Dominic stoop so low?! Calling you for that woman! What’s wrong with him? He should know you better than this!

Julian noticed her distraction and stood to leave.

Then, by chance, he caught a glimpse of her chat background—two children, a boy and a girl.

The girl’s face struck him as eerily familiar.

"Evelyn, who’s that girl in the photo?" Julian took a step closer, curiosity piqued. "I think I’ve seen her before..."

She jerked her phone away, her glare sharp enough to cut glass. "Leave. Now."

He flinched, raising his hands in surrender. "Fine, I’m going. But that girl—the one who’s been harassing me—she looks just like the one in your picture. Maybe I’m mistaken. I’ll go."

Once he was gone, unease coiled in Evelyn’s chest.

Had Lily sought Julian out?

She knew Lily and Henry had been skipping school lately. She hadn’t pressed them, assuming they needed time to readjust after returning. She’d given them space—too much, perhaps.

The more she thought about it, the more it unsettled her.

Why would they go to Julian?

To her, he was just as dangerous as Dominic.

Meanwhile.

After his call with Evelyn, Dominic went to check on Zoe.

Her hands were wrapped in bandages, the burns hidden beneath layers of gauze.

"Did you see a doctor?" he asked, his voice tight.

She shook her head. "I can handle it myself."

"How bad is it?"

Another shake. "Not sure. It just hurts... a lot."

Dominic’s jaw clenched. "Why did you go to Evelyn? We’re divorced. You had no business involving her."

Zoe’s eyes welled with tears. "I’m sorry, Dominic. I heard she studied under Professor Whitmore. I thought we might have common ground. I didn’t expect... this."

A pained gasp escaped her as fresh tears spilled over.

Dominic sighed, his frustration dissolving at the sight of her distress.

"It hurts so much," she whimpered, leaning into him. Her voice cracked. "What if the burns are bad? What if I can’t operate again?"

Without another word, he scooped her into his arms. "I’m taking you to the hospital."

Zoe looped her arms around his neck, pressing close.

A sly smile curled her lips as he carried her away.