Chapter 216

Alexander's eyes widened in shock, his voice laced with disbelief. "What kind of nonsense is this?"

Evelyn mistook his reaction for guilt—proof that she had cornered him.

Blind to the truth and Liam's ignorance, Evelyn couldn't help but smirk, convinced she had dirt on both Alexander and Olivia.

"According to the doctor, the baby Olivia's carrying couldn't possibly be Liam's, not if you look at the timeline," Evelyn declared with calculated confidence. "During that period, you were the one she was seen with most. If you're not the father, then who is? Seems like you're trying to back out now. Poor Olivia, stuck in such a mess."

Alexander inhaled sharply, his mind racing as the implications sank in.

It hit him—the doctor must have been bribed. And Liam, that fool, was still clueless, unaware that Olivia's unborn child was actually his.

There had never been anything between Alexander and Olivia beyond friendship. A romantic entanglement was impossible, let alone an affair.

Alexander knew Olivia would never betray Liam. Her love for him was pure, unwavering.

Yet people like Evelyn stooped so low, fabricating scandals to ruin Olivia's reputation. Even Liam, who should have been her strongest defender, doubted her. The injustice burned in Alexander's chest.

Still, part of him saw a silver lining. With all this chaos, Olivia might finally break free from Liam and start fresh with her child, unshackled from the past.

But Evelyn's smug, venomous grin grated on his nerves.

Steeling himself, Alexander snapped, "Olivia is under the protection of the Whitmore family. Any insult to her is an insult to me. Don't delude yourself into thinking I'll back down just because Liam supports you. Your threats mean nothing. If you dare slander Olivia again, you won't like what happens next."

His voice carried a chilling promise, wiping the smirk off Evelyn's face instantly.

She met his unwavering gaze and understood—he wasn't bluffing. He had the power and the will to follow through.

Fear twisted inside her, mingled with envy. Why did Olivia always have someone defending her? What was so special about her supposed innocence?

Unwilling to back down, Evelyn challenged, "If you want to make an enemy of the Blackwood family, then go ahead."

"Is that so?" Alexander sneered.

Just then, Liam's voice cut in from behind. "Evelyn has a habit of joking too much. Mr. Hayes, don't take her words seriously."

Turning, they saw Liam approaching.

Evelyn immediately rushed to him, wrapping her arms around his waist, her demeanor shifting dramatically.

No longer the aggressor, she adopted a pitiful tone. "Liam, I was just upset for you. I asked Mr. Hayes not to bother you about Olivia, but he threatened me. I was so scared."

Liam swiftly pulled her behind him, shielding her. "Mr. Hayes, are you picking a fight with me?" His voice dripped with hostility.

Alexander scoffed. Sometimes, he truly questioned Liam's taste. How could he fall for someone like Evelyn?

But now that he'd pieced together the truth from Evelyn's accusations, his anger faded. Instead, he pitied Liam. "You two really are perfect for each other. I genuinely hope you have a happy marriage. After all, it's rare to find another couple so utterly lacking in morals."

Liam's expression darkened at the sarcasm. "When you seduced my wife, did you forget about your own lack of principles?"

Alexander couldn't resist asking, "Are you sure Olivia's child is mine?"

Liam's face twisted in disgust. "Mr. Hayes, do you take pride in these games?"

Alexander sighed, realizing further conversation was pointless. As he turned to leave, he dropped one last remark. "Liam, I just hope you won't regret this."

Watching Alexander walk away, Liam was seized by conflicting emotions.

Unbidden memories flashed through his mind—him holding Olivia's hand, whispering apologies, promising to care for her and their child. But he couldn't recall ever saying those words. Why did these fragments feel so real yet so foreign?

Though he'd identified the source of the drugs he'd been given and stopped taking them, the lingering effects persisted.

During a recent consultation, his doctor had warned, "If medication fails, we may need to consider surgery."

The doctor was en route to Eldermere, though his arrival time remained uncertain.

Evelyn touched his arm, concern in her voice. "Liam, are you okay?"

He blinked, his expression smoothing. "I'm fine," he said, gently pulling away.

Unaware of his withdrawal, Evelyn basked in the sweetness of him defending her earlier.

Softly, she asked, "I had Sebastian reserve a table at the restaurant. Are you free tonight?"

Liam nodded. "I have a meeting this afternoon, but I'll have Sebastian take you somewhere to relax first."

With that, he walked away.

Evelyn watched him go, her eyes shining with infatuation. As she plotted her next move, excitement surged.

With Olivia out of the picture, nothing could stop her now.

Alexander and William left shortly after, the venue growing quieter.

Liam hadn't bothered to hide their visit.

News of Olivia's plight spread like wildfire, sparking outrage online.

One comment read, "I was never her biggest fan, but what the Blackwoods are doing to her is cruel."

Another agreed, "She's Liam's wife, not his enemy. How can they be so heartless?"

"Honestly, she brought this on herself. Why cling to the Blackwoods? She should've just taken the money and lived quietly."

"That's harsh. She's missing now—we don't even know if she's alive. Have some compassion."

As debates raged, Liam "reluctantly" ordered a search for Olivia.

Evelyn, unable to stomach the criticism aimed at Liam, dropped her polished act to argue directly with commenters.

Liam observed the chaos with detached amusement.

"Keep painting Olivia as the victim," he instructed his team. "And stir up rumors about her bad relationship with Richard's family. That man conspired with Dean—whether Richard knew or not is irrelevant. As public pressure mounts, let's see if they turn on each other. I'll wait for the fallout."