Chapter 473

His fingers flew across the phone screen as he sent their coordinates to Michael Sterling with a frantic message.

[Evelyn Thorne confronting Margaret Thorne at Oceanview Grand! Get here NOW!]

When Michael saw the hotel location flashing on his screen, his blood ran cold.

Just this morning, Evelyn had been vomiting after barely touching her breakfast. She could hardly stand without swaying.

How in God's name had she managed to confront Margaret Thorne?!

Michael snatched his car keys, nearly knocking over his coffee as he bolted from his office.

Back at the hotel, Evelyn strode onto the stage with deliberate calm.

She took the microphone from the startled host and turned to face Margaret.

"I have one question for you, Mrs. Thorne," her voice rang clear through the speakers. "Is your assistant's name Fiona Montgomery?"

Margaret's eyes turned glacial. "That's irrelevant to today's discussion."

"Aren't we discussing ethical business practices?" Evelyn countered, producing several documents from her bag.

The large projection screen captured every movement, broadcasting the confrontation to the entire audience.

"On Harvest Festival night, your assistant bribed a media outlet to publish defamatory articles about me. She then repeatedly contacted social media teams to keep the story trending..." Evelyn's voice grew stronger. "You spent approximately seventy-five thousand dollars. Did you expense these transactions?"

Margaret's face contorted with rage as the evidence became visible to all.

"Since you have no shame, I'll expose you publicly!" Evelyn declared, flinging the papers at Margaret. "The police already have copies! Expect your subpoena soon!"

Margaret's bodyguard lunged forward, seizing Evelyn's arm and dragging her offstage.

Chaos erupted throughout the venue.

Evelyn's bodyguard charged forward, roaring, "Release her! Damn it, she's—"

He barely stopped himself from revealing her pregnancy, remembering it wasn't his place to disclose.

"Let me go!" Evelyn cried out in pain as two bodyguards now restrained her.

Her bodyguard managed to wrestle one away, but the other shoved Evelyn violently. "She started this! Don't blame me for defending my client! Get out!"

Evelyn stumbled backward, hitting the floor with a sickening thud.

Her head struck the ground, but her arms instinctively cradled her abdomen.

"Miss Thorne!" Her bodyguard's voice shook with panic. Without hesitation, he scooped her up. "Hospital! Now!"

As he carried her out, Evelyn's phone began ringing incessantly in her purse.

Meanwhile, Michael sat trapped in gridlocked traffic, pounding his steering wheel.

His Bluetooth earpiece connected as he tried calling Evelyn repeatedly—no answer.

The bodyguard's phone likewise went straight to voicemail.

Michael's knuckles turned white on the wheel.

He dialed Nathan Cross, who answered immediately.

"Evelyn's lost her damn mind! She could barely keep water down this morning, and now she's confronting Margaret Thorne!" Michael growled. "I can't reach her or her bodyguard, and this fucking traffic won't move!"

"Where is she?" Nathan's calm voice contrasted sharply with Michael's panic.

"Sending location now!"

Michael hung up and forwarded the hotel details.

Thirty minutes later, Dominic Blackwood's phone rang with Nathan's call.

Nathan carefully omitted that Evelyn had been hospitalized after being thrown to the ground.

He simply stated she was at St. Elizabeth Medical Center.

"Don't trouble yourself, sir. Michael and I have it handled," Nathan said.

Dominic slammed his laptop shut and stormed from his office. "Handled? Then explain what the hell happened!" His voice cut like ice.