The CEO's Dirty Little Secret novel Chapter 31

　　What was Evelyn doing with that boy? Had she not bothered to read the new rules even now?

　　“Is everything okay, Roman?” Vivian asked.

　　He pulled his gaze away from the taxi to look at the woman hanging onto his arm. Her grip was so tight as if she was trying to fuse herself to his side.

　　“It’s fine,” he lied as he pulled his phone out of his pocket while he led Vivian to the front door of her parents’ house.

　　He sent Philip a quick text. Tonight was very important to him and he wouldn’t let Evelyn derail him. What had she even been doing here? Making sure he saw her dressed like that? Showing him that she didn’t give a shit about the rules?

　　She was still playing her stupid games.

　　But the look in her eyes when she had seen Vivian beside him... She was hurt. That didn’t sit right with him.

　　“My father will be so happy to see us together,” Vivian said as the doors were opened for them.

　　He had nothing to say to that as they walked through the expensively decorated hall and followed the butler. Vivian’s father had been trying to pawn her off to a rich husband for years. He was sure daddy dearest would be ecstatic.

　　Cartwright had made his money in oil and shipping but everyone knew he’d made many bad business decisions over the years. The biggest was aligning himself with Bains; the whole reason he was there tonight inflicting himself to this torture.

　　“Mr. Ashfield! I’m so glad you could join us,” Mr. Cartwright said as he came forward and shook his hand.

　　His wife was beside him and she looked like she had probably used all of their money to keep herself looking as young as her daughter. They could have been sisters instead of mother and daughter.

　　He kissed the woman’s cheeks in greeting and ignored the satisfied smile she threw at her daughter.

　　“Thank you for having me."

　　“Most of the guests are outside, make yourself at home. I hope we’ll be able to have a proper conversation once you’ve settled in,” Mrs. Cartwright smiled.

　　Not if he could help it. But he smiled and allowed Vivian to lead him away and show him off as if he was her trophy. He kept his eyes peeled as Vivian made small talk with the other guests.

　　But instead of staying on the task at hand, his mind strayed to Evelyn. She’d never dressed up for him like that. Okay, so the contract stated she had to be half-naked when he knocked on her door, but she’d looked... Surely it was a crime for anyone to walk out in the streets like that? That boy wasn’t man enough to protect her if she came into any trouble, which she surely would.

　　She was sex on legs, and she was out there with another man on her arm.

　　“Roman!”

　　He looked back down at the woman beside him.

　　“I asked what you’d like to drink.”

　　Vivian had somehow led him out to the bar outside, next to the large marquee that had been set up in the manicured garden. He’d wanted a clear head for tonight, so he had planned to stick to water but now he felt he needed something stronger.

　　“Double whiskey, please. On the rocks.”

　　Once the bartender gave him his glass, he downed it all before he turned around to look at the guests. He still couldn’t see the man he was looking for. Had he not arrived yet? Or he’d slipped away while he’d been distracted by thoughts of Evelyn in that dress?

　　Where the hell were they going, anyway? She was a walking temptation, and that Brendan kid would have his hands all over her any chance he got.

　　“I’ll have another one,” he told the bartender.

　　"Shall we go and mingle a little before dinner?" Vivian asked.

　　"You go ahead," he said as he picked up his next drink, and that was the moment he saw the man he'd been looking for.

　　Bains. The man who's made his fortune off Charles Ashfield's back. Or rather, off his mother's back, because she was the one who's done that work. And the woman herself was on his arm, smiling at the other guests as if she wasn't a whoring wench who'd cleaned his father out and abandoned her child.

　　"You know what. You're right, let's mingle," he said as he took Vivian's arm again and led her straight to his target.

　　The moment Bains saw him, the smile dropped from his lips. He didn't bother looking at the woman on his arm.

　　"Leaving so soon?" he asked as he intercepted them.