Chapter 449

When he first entered the mansion, he'd only caught a brief glimpse of Evelyn from across the room. She had been smiling brightly - until her eyes met his. That radiant smile vanished instantly. By the time he took his seat, she'd already slipped away unnoticed.

Now seated next to him, Dominic could see how sharply defined her cheekbones had become. The panic flashing in her hazel eyes was unmistakable.

'She's lost so much weight,' he realized with a pang.

The fierce, independent woman he knew had transformed into someone fragile. She looked breakable now - as if he could shatter her with just one careless touch.

Their gazes locked for one electric moment before Evelyn tried to bolt.

Dominic's hand shot out, fingers wrapping around her delicate wrist like a manacle.

The entire room watched the unfolding drama with bated breath. Everyone present knew about Dominic and Evelyn's tumultuous past. The tension between them was palpable, sparking excited whispers.

As if responding to the collective anticipation, the situation escalated rapidly.

"Beep!"

The heart rate monitor on Dominic's wrist suddenly blared an alarm. His pulse had skyrocketed from 80 to 120 bpm in seconds.

This was the same man who'd remained stone-faced through videos of gorgeous models, handsome actors, adorable babies, and even explicit love scenes. Yet Evelyn's mere presence had shattered his composure completely.

'Fascinating,' the guests murmured, exchanging knowing looks.

The piercing alarm seemed to physically strike both Dominic and Evelyn.

Evelyn's cheeks burned crimson. She buried her face in her hands, mortified. Dominic reacted differently - he ripped off the monitor and flung it across the room.

'Damn that infernal device,' he cursed internally.

His expression was a storm of embarrassment and irritation. The guests struggled to contain their amusement - until Lucas lost the battle and burst out laughing. The dam broke, and soon the entire living room echoed with raucous laughter.

Evelyn wrenched her wrist free and fled toward the nearest exit. Her furious gaze locked onto the obvious instigator - Sophie.

Dragging her friend into a guest room, Evelyn slammed the door. "Sophie Mercer! Have you lost your mind?!"

Sophie couldn't stop giggling. "It was deliberate. Don't you want to know why he showed up unannounced? I suspected he came for you, but needed proof... Well, now we have it!"

Evelyn was speechless.

"Don't be angry," Sophie pleaded. "I did it for you. Now that we know he's still obsessed, you can avoid him properly! The man's terrifying - you stabbed him and he still won't let go! I'm almost impressed."

Evelyn's anger didn't dissipate. She hadn't wanted this confirmation. After finally finding peace, this confrontation had thrown everything into chaos again. How could she face him now?

"I'm sorry," Sophie said contritely. "Stay here tonight. I'll tell you when they leave."

Though furious, Evelyn wouldn't ruin Sophie's wedding eve. "Fine. Go enjoy your party. I'm going to shower." She opened the door to let Sophie out.

Back in the living room...

Having failed the challenge, Dominic and Lucas had to drink an entire bottle each.

Lucas sipped his drink leisurely from a glass. Dominic took a different approach - he raised the bottle to his lips and downed the entire contents in one long, desperate gulp.