The CEO's Midnight Remedy novel Chapter 323

Chapter 323

Aria’s POV

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I pushed the wheelchair into the elevator, the doors sliding shut behind us with a soft chime. The enclosed space amplified the awkward silence between us. I stole a glance at the girl’s neck, where the “Ruby Tears Collection necklace caught the elevator’s light, sending crimson reflections dancing across the mirrored walls.

My chest tightened. That necklace–the very one Devon had paid ten million dollars for at last night’s auction. Yet he’d given me diamonds instead.

Sophia caught my expression changing and shot me a questioning look. I gave a slight shake of my head, hoping she wouldn’t press the issue.

The wheelchair girl removed her large sunglasses, revealing striking amber eyes that seemed oddly familiar.

“I’m Evelyn Smith,” she said with a gentle smile. “You look familiar. Have we met before?”

“Aria Harper,” I replied, maintaining my composure despite the storm brewing inside me. “I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure.”

Her eyes widened slightly at my name before her expression settled back into a polite smile. “Thank you for your help. These old buildings aren’t always accommodating.”

The elevator reached our floor with a gentle bump. I nodded politely as Sophia and I stepped out, but Evelyn’s voice stopped me.

“Perhaps we’ll see each other again, Aria.”

An hour later, Sophia and I were browsing at Tiffany & Co.’s Fifth Avenue flagship store when I spotted Evelyn again. She was examining a display of men’s cufflinks, her wheelchair positioned perfectly under the soft, flattering lights.

When she saw me, she waved enthusiastically, as if we were old friends. “Aria! What perfect timing.”

I approached cautiously, Sophia trailing behind.

“I need a man’s opinion, and you seem to have excellent taste,” Evelyn said, gesturing to the display. “It’s for someone special–a birthday gift for the person who’s been protecting me all these years.”

The way she said it carried weight, like she was sharing a precious secret.

“What’s his style like?” I asked, slipping into the conversation despite my reservations.

“Classic, elegant. He wears a lot of custom suits–navy or charcoal, typically. Nothing flashy, but everything expensive.” Her description matched Devon perfectly.

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Chapter 323

I pointed to a pair of sapphire cufflinks with platinum settings. “These would complement navy suits beautifully.”

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“They’re perfect,” she exclaimed, her eyes lighting up. “You have an uncanny insight, Aria.” The way she used my nickname, shortened as

Devon often did, made my stomach clench.

“Would you like to grab lunch?” Evelyn asked suddenly. “I’d love to chat more.”

“I’m afraid I have meetings back at the office,” I lied, unable to bear spending more time with this woman who seemed to know Devon intimately enough to receive a ten–million–dollar necklace. “But thank you for the invitation.”

In the underground parking garage, Sophia and I were heading toward my car when I froze mid–step.

Devon was there, approaching a black Bentley where Evelyn sat waiting. His face–usually so controlled, so masked–wore an expression I’d never seen before: pure tenderness. He lifted Evelyn from her wheelchair with gentle movements, carefully setting her in the passenger seat before folding the wheelchair and placing it in the trunk.

“You shouldn’t be out alone,” I heard him scold, but his voice lacked its usual edge. “It’s not good for your health.*

Evelyn’s laugh floated across the garage. “Don’t be such a worrier, Devon.” Then she spotted me. “Aria! Look who I found! This is Devon, and those cufflinks you helped me pick are for his birthday!”

Devon turned sharply, his expression transforming from tender care to something complex and unreadable. Our eyes locked for a long moment before he leaned toward Evelyn, saying something I couldn’t hear. Then he instructed Marcus, who appeared from nowhere, to

take Evelyn home.

With determined strides, Devon approached me. My heart hammered in my chest, a confusing mixture of jealousy, hurt, and anticipation making it difficult to breathe.

“I’ll catch an Uber,” Sophia murmured, squeezing my arm before slipping away.

Devon reached me, his presence filling the space between us with tension. Without a word, he opened my car door–the passenger side.

“I’m driving,” he stated, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Inside the car, Devon’s knuckles turned white against the steering wheel. The silence stretched between us, electric and dangerous.

“How do you know Evelyn?” he finally asked, eyes fixed on the road.

“I don’t,” I replied coolly. “We met in the elevator today. Why did you give her the ruby necklace from the auction but give me diamonds?”

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The CEO’s Midnight Remedy

Chapter 324

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