Claimed by His Stepbrother

Chapter 07

Chapter 07-Evelyn

I lay still on the wide hotel bed, staring at the ceiling as morning came too quickly. It wasn't the sunlight creeping through the blinds that kept me awake. It was him, Adrian.

The memory of the elevator weighed down on me with every breath. His nearness, the way his gaze pinned me in place, and his words that kept replaying in my head.

God, even now it echoed inside me.

I turned to my side, pulling the sheets closer like they could do anything to relieve me. I was shaken, not just because of what he did, but because of how I responded. My body betrayed me. I would be lying to myself if I said my heart was still with Paul at that moment.

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to banish the thought. As if to help, the buzz of my phone broke the silence. I flinched, coming back to life and reached for it on the nightstand.

‘My heart’ glowed on the screen, which was Paul.

I shook my head in disbelief of how my real heart has been betraying me lately.

I put on my perfect smile and picked up. My husband came to view, looking so handsome in his suit.

“Good morning, Mi amor.” His voice boomed. “Did you sleep well?”

“I did, Paul. Good morning to you too.” I replied dryly. It wasn't enough to raise suspicion. Just…cool enough to make him wonder.

There was a pause. “Paul? Why Paul?” He laughed lightly, but I heard the faint edge beneath it. “What happened to mi corazón? Did I do something?”

“Did you do something?” I repeated, as if considering.

“Ah,” he exhaled quickly, “was it because I didn't check up on you yesterday?”

And that's when it hit me. Yesterday, I'd been so tangled in everything—the airport, the hotel, the elevator, Adrian—that I had completely forgotten he never reached out.

“Yes, maybe that.” I murmured, letting the silence work in my favor.

“I'm sorry, lyn. You know how things are. Work got…hmm, complicated. And I was really into it.” His voice dipped into that serious tone I didn't really like. “I'll make it up to you.”

I hesitated, then pushed the question out before I lost my nerve. “Paul, why have you never brought me here? To this hotel. It's beautiful.”

Another pause that was too long slipped in, long enough that I could almost see him tightening his jaw on the other end.

He was about to say something when the telephone in his office rang.

“Evelyn, we'll talk later, hmm? There's a matter I must handle and this call is really urgent.” His tone is dismissive now. “I'll call you back.”

And before I could say more, the line went dead. I set the phone down slowly, staring at it, my chest heavy.

When faced with anything uncomfortable, he disappeared behind business.

But what lingered more than his absence was the thought of how he became tensed when I asked that question. He even forgot to tell me his usual ‘I love you’.

I brushed off my thoughts, and stood up to proceed into today's activities. And one of my plan is to stay out of Adrian's way.

***

By late morning, a sleek black car pulled up to the hotel entrance as I peaked through the blinds. Camille knocked softly at my door to let me know it was waiting for me. I was grateful, I needed the distraction.

The car glided through Paris streets. I kept my eyes on the window, but my mind refused to obey. It wandered back to the elevator, back to that moment I wished I could erase yet couldn't stop remembering.

When the car stopped in front of an exquisite boutique lined with tall windows, I assured myself that I was going to enjoy my time here since this was one of the things I love.

Inside, mannequins in shimmering gowns stood like queens frozen in place. Two attendants opened the glass doors, their smiles bright.

“Madame Hartwell, welcome.” one of them said, dipping her head slightly.

I smiled. “Thank you.”

They led me into a private fitting room that was spacious, with floor-length mirrors framed in gold and a faint scent of lavender clinging to the air. Racks of gowns stood waiting, each more beautiful than the last.

I really hoped I was not going to regret it, since I decided that I wasn't going to wear one of my own designs from my company.

“Would you like to begin?” another attendant asked softly.

“Yes, please.” My voice sounded steadier than I felt.

The first gown was ivory silk that slid over my skin like water. They fussed with the hem, the waist, stepping back to tilt their heads critically.

I stared at myself in the mirror, trying to see what they saw. A woman dressed in beauty, standing straight, chin lifted, every hair in place.

“Does it fit well, Madame?”

The attendant’s voice pulled me back. I nodded quickly. “Yes. It’s… it’s fine.”

Then I thought, would Paul even notice the color? Oh, he wasn't going to come anyways.

Halfway through another gown, one of the women slipped back into the room with a quiet note in her tone. “All expenses are already covered, Madame. Adjustments too. Everything has been arranged.”

I frowned. “Arranged? By whom?”

She smiled politely. “By Mr. Blackthorne. He left instructions this morning.”

My breath caught. For a moment I forgot how to stand, how to hold my arms as they pinned the fabric in place.

I turned back to the mirror, keeping my face calm, though inside, my heart thundered. Adrian had thought ahead of me, placed his mark here too, even when I had spent all morning avoiding him. He hadn’t even needed to be present to remind me that he was.

“Madame?”

I blinked and forced a smile. “Yes, thank you. That’s… very considerate.” My voice shook only a little.

They believed the lie. I didn’t.

***

After I had my dinner in my suite, I wrapped a shawl around myself and told myself I just needed some fresh air.

The hotel gardens were quiet when I reached them. For the first time all day, I let my shoulders drop, breathing deep.

Then a voice cut through the stillness. “You're restless.”

My heart jolted. I recognized that voice immediately. Then fixed my face to look mean before turning back.

“What the heck was that? Paying for my fitting…Seriously?” I said all at once, with a very sharp gaze that could kill.

“Ouu, hello to you too.”

I didn't care about his greetings. I pressed further. “Don't you think you've been crossing the line lately?”

He chuckled. “You look more beautiful when you're angry.”

“What—” I was speechless.