The Billionaire Married His Brother's Widow

The first drop of rain fell just as the black casket disappeared beneath a sea of white lilies. Evelyn Dowin stood motionless at the edge of the grave, her trembling fingers wrapped around a single white rose. The scent of fresh flowers mixed with damp earth, making her stomach churn. She stared at the polished mahogany coffin as though she could will it to open. It couldn't be Leo, it is differently a mistake because he had promised he’d be home by Friday, but here she is burying on Thursday. Around her, mourners dressed in black whispered behind gloved hands. Cameras flashed from beyond the cemetery gates, where reporters fought for the best angle. The billionaire's son, the young widow, oh, their marriage is just a year, but Evelyn ignored every word. The pastor's voice drifted through the cold morning air. "Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust..." Her knees threatened to buckle as she tightened her grip on the rose until a thorn pierced her skin but definitely the sting barely registered. A week ago, Leo Dowin had kissed her goodbye in the kitchen of their penthouse. "I'll only be gone for three days," he'd said, stealing a bite of the toast she'd made. "Don't miss me too much." She'd rolled her eyes. "As if you won't be the one calling me every hour." He had a very deep, carefree laugh that always made her smile while he wrapped his arms around her. "When I get back, we're taking that trip to Santorini. No phones. No meetings. Just you and me." She remembered pretending to complain while secretly counting down the days not knowing she will be attending his funeral soon. She remembered them saying his yacht had exploded and nobody was recovered because he had been an excellent swimmer and he was annoyingly cautious because something did not feel right. A soft sob escaped her lips while she lowered the white rose onto the casket before it disappeared completely into the ground. "I love you, and I will always do" she whispered. Behind her came the sharp click of expensive heels. "I suppose the performance is over." Evelyn froze because she didn’t need to turn around to recognize the voice. She didn't need to turn around to recognize the voice. Brenda Dowin, her mother-in-law dressed in elegant black designer dress and a pearl necklace, even behind her dark sunglasses, her disdain was unmistakable. "You've cried enough for the cameras," Brenda said coolly. "People are beginning to think you're the grieving wife of the century." Evelyn slowly faced her. "I wasn't crying for the cameras." Brenda crossed her arms. "Then perhaps you were crying because your meal ticket is gone." A murmur rippled through the nearby guests. Evelyn's face paled. "I loved your son." Brenda laughed without humor. "You expect anyone to believe that? A waitress marrying one of the richest bachelors in the country? You knew exactly what you were doing." Evelyn swallowed hard. She had heard the accusation a thousand times since marrying Leo but nobody knew that he'd hidden his identity for months, insisting he wanted someone to love him, not his family's billions and when she finally discovered he was a Dowin, she’d almost ended the relationship but he pleaded with her, but now that he was gone, nobody vouched for her. "I didn't marry him for money," Evelyn said quietly. Brenda stepped closer until they were only inches apart. "Then don't ask for a single dollar from this family." "I wasn't planning to." "Oh?" Brenda removed a folded document from her handbag. "Wonderful." She shoved it into Evelyn's hands. It was a legal notice. Evelyn stared at the words. VACATE DOWIN ESTATE WITHIN FORTY-EIGHT HOURS. Her breath caught. "You... you're throwing me out?" "My son is dead." Brenda’s voice remained perfectly calm. "You are no longer a Dowin." Evelyn looked around helplessly but everyone looked away. Tears blurred her vision again. "I have nowhere else to go." "That," Brenda replied, "is no longer my concern." She turned and walked away leaving Evelyn rooted to the spot, with the eviction notice shaking in her hands. For the first time since Leo's death, fear outweighed grief because she had nobody else to return to as the rain began to fall harder leaving mourners to head towards their cars one after the other and within minutes, the cemetery was empty except for Evelyn and one man who stood several yards away beneath a black umbrella but unlike everyone else, he hadn't spoken a single word throughout the funeral but his sharp gaze remained fixed on the freshly covered grave. Adrian Dowin, Leo’s older brother, the CEO of the Dowin Group, the man newspapers called the Ice King of Wall Street. Adrian turned his eyes toward Evelyn but for one long moment, neither of them moved until he finally handed his umbrella to his bodyguard and started walking toward her each measured step echoed across the rain-soaked cemetery. When he stopped in front of her, droplets clung to his dark hair, but he didn't seem to notice. "Everyone has left." Evelyn nodded weakly. "It seems so." His eyes flicked briefly to the eviction notice in her trembling hands. "I saw what my mother did." Evelyn quickly folded the paper, embarrassed. "I'll figure something out." Adrian looked at her with pity before he spoke. "I don't think you understand what's happening." She frowned. "What do you mean?" "My brother's death wasn't an accident… but before Evelyn could respond, a deafening screech of tires tore through the cemetery gates heading straight toward her. "Evelyn!" Adrian's voice cracked through the rain, before she could process what was happening, a strong hand seized her wrist yanking her toward him. The black SUV tore past the spot where she had been standing barely a second earlier. Evelyn's heart slammed against her ribs because if Adrian hadn't pulled her away, she would have been dead. "You need to breathe," he said calmly. "I..." She couldn't finish the sentence. Her chest tightened as panic took over. "That car..." "It wasn't an accident; it was coming for you." Rain soaked through Evelyn's black dress as she stared at him. "Why would anyone want to kill me?" "I don't know yet." His voice remained steady, but his jaw tightened. "And that's exactly what worries me." Within minutes, the cemetery security team surrounded them. "Mr. Dowin!" one guard called. "Should we notify the police?" "They're already on their way." Adrian didn't take his eyes off Evelyn. "Check the CCTV footage immediately." "Yes, sir." The guards hurried away. Evelyn slowly pulled her arm from Adrian's grasp. "I don't understand any of this." "You will." "When?" "When I know enough to keep you alive." She blinked. The police arrived ten minutes later. After taking statements from witnesses, they concluded that the driver had likely lost control on the slippery road. Evelyn stared at the officer in disbelief. "Lost control?" "Yes, Mrs. Dowin." "The vehicle was driving directly at me!" "We'll continue investigating." His polite smile did nothing to reassure her. As soon as the officers left, Adrian let out a quiet, humorless laugh. "They're either incompetent... or someone paid them." Evelyn looked at him. "You really believe this wasn't an accident." "I don't believe in coincidences." His gaze drifted toward Leo's grave. "My brother dies, his widow is thrown out of the family, then minutes later, someone tries to run her over; that's not coincidence." Adrian's driver opened the rear door of a sleek black sedan. "I'll have someone take you wherever you need to go." Evelyn hesitated. "I don't have anywhere." The words were barely audible. Adrian nodded once, as though he'd expected that answer. "My mother changed the locks this morning." Evelyn stared. "How did you know?" "I told you." "I notice things." She looked away, humiliated. "I'll book a hotel." "You won't." "I have savings." "They already froze your joint accounts." Her head snapped toward him. "What?" "The Dowin family lawyers moved quickly." "No..." Her voice trembled. "They can't do that." "They already did." Tears burned behind her eyes as she remembered everything Leo had promised but all is now gone in less than 48 hours. The drive into the city was silent but life continued. "Did Leo ever tell you about me?" Adrian kept his eyes on the road ahead. "Constantly." She blinked. "He did?" "He talked too much." A tiny smile tugged at the corner of Evelyn's mouth before disappearing. "He loved you." Adrian's expression softened almost imperceptibly. "I know." "Were you close?" Adrian took longer to answer. "When we were children." "And later?" "Business got in the way." The sedan pulled into the underground parking garage of one of the city's most luxurious residential towers. Evelyn frowned. "This isn't a hotel." "No." Adrian stepped out of the car. "It's my penthouse." She froze. "I can't stay with you." "You can." "I don't think that's appropriate." "The tabloids already think the worst of you." She looked down. He wasn't wrong. "If I stay here, they'll say terrible things." His tone remained calm. "The difference is that here, you'll be alive." The penthouse was breathtaking just like Adrian. A housekeeper greeted them. "Mr. Dowin." "Prepare the east guest suite." "Yes, sir." She smiled warmly at Evelyn. "Would you like tea?" Evelyn nodded gratefully as the housekeeper disappeared, while Adrian walked into his study but he returned moments later carrying a thick brown envelope. "I found this in Leo's office." He placed it on the coffee table. "My name is on it." He nodded softly while she reached for the envelope across the front were three handwritten words. For Evelyn Only. Her breath caught. With trembling fingers, she broke the seal, inside was a single sheet of paper with only one sentence written across it. If anything happens to me... trust Adrian. No one else. Evelyn stared at the handwriting with tears filled in her eyes before she looked up slowly. "Why would he write this?" Adrian's face was unreadable. "I've been asking myself the same question." But before either of them could speak, the lights in the penthouse suddenly went out making everywhere dark, then, a loud crash echoed from somewhere upstairs. Someone else was inside the house.