Better Late, But Never His Again novel Chapter 157

The red marks on her wrist were glaringly obvious under the hallway lights. She rolled her wrist, feeling a sharp twinge of pain. Julian was ridiculously strong.

Julian lifted his chin, glaring at Marcus, his voice devoid of all warmth. "Mr. Thornton, getting handsy with another man's wife—what kind of standard is that?"

The corner of Marcus's mouth twitched up, an icy chill reflecting in his deep eyes. He took a step forward, instantly closing the distance between them.

"Wife? Didn't you say Hazel was just a friend? Your possessiveness over a friend seems a bit excessive, don't you think?"

Beside him, Evelyn grabbed Julian's sleeve, tugging gently. He ignored her entirely, his jaw locked tight as he met Marcus's gaze, raising a brow.

"Hazel is my wife. Are we clear on that now, Mr. Thornton?"

"Then why weren't you admitting it before?" Marcus asked, his tone perfectly steady.

Julian's expression faltered for a second. "We had our reasons before, but that's over now. She is my wife, and I expect you to keep your distance."

Marcus let out a cold scoff, the sound escaping his throat laced with undisguised mockery.

"Get one thing straight, Julian. We are still on the clock. Hazel is my employee, and she reports to me. I don't care who you are; you have zero authority to order her around."

Julian glanced at the watch on his wrist before looking back up. "It's well past business hours. Are you trying to force your employees to work overtime?"

Hazel squeezed her eyes shut. The two men stood barely six feet apart in the hallway, the air between them thick with a crackling, silent tension.

She had no desire to be the prize in their little pissing contest, nor did she want Julian to blurt out anything else humiliating in front of Marcus.

The divorce wasn't finalized yet. She couldn't afford any complications.

"Enough, Julian," she said, her voice quiet but piercing. "We are only here to attend the banquet. It's not whatever you're imagining."

Marcus's brow furrowed slightly. She was so desperate to explain herself. Was she really that eager to distance herself from him?

Hazel didn't look at Marcus. She just knew that if Julian kept throwing a tantrum, this would turn into a massive disaster. It would make the divorce a nightmare and cause endless problems with Beatrice and the rest of the Hayes family.

She had calculated her exit strategy flawlessly, and she wasn't about to screw it up now.

She looked up at Marcus, her tone returning to its usual professional calm. "Mr. Thornton, since we're done here, I'll be heading out."

Without another word, she turned and left. Her lavender dress brushed against the marble floor, leaving behind a soft rustle.

Her footsteps faded away down the corridor, eventually disappearing completely.

Julian shot Marcus an icy glare before pivoting on his heel and storming off, completely abandoning Evelyn in his wake.

Evelyn was about to chase after him, but he was already gone. A wave of bitter humiliation washed over her.

Now, it was just the two of them left in the hallway.

Zane Nicholas Sheridan was dressed in a dark blue suit, his collar slightly open. One hand was in his pocket, while the other was raised, as if he had been about to push open a door.

Retracting his hand after the collision, his gaze fell on her face.

"Ms. Vance? What are you doing out here all alone?"

Evelyn recognized him instantly. It was the second Master Sheridan, whom she had met at the last banquet. She was genuinely surprised he still remembered her.

"Good evening, Mr. Sheridan. I came out here to meet Arthur."

A flash of surprise crossed Zane's eyes. Arthur was a recluse. Very few people got to see him, and even fewer actually secured a meeting with him.

For this woman to have made her way to his door, she clearly had some serious skills. He gave Evelyn a second, more assessing look.

She was dressed in an elegant cream gown, her hair falling softly over her shoulders. Her makeup was refined without being overpowering, and her eyes were slightly red, as if she had just suffered some indignity but was biting back her tears. He felt a sudden, intriguing pull.

"You are certainly full of surprises, Ms. Vance."

Evelyn dipped her head slightly, a subtle, calculating smile playing on her lips. She didn't bother to correct him. "You flatter me, Mr. Sheridan."

Watching her look down, catching sight of her exposed neck and her trembling eyelashes, Zane felt a distinct flutter of interest.

Gorgeous, capable, and humble. Women like this were a rare find these days.