Chapter 84: A Walking Scandal
Evelyn approached them calmly, stopping a few steps away.
"Here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to sit there quietly, and you’re going to pray that the people on the other end of this earpiece don’t find enough dirt to bury you alive. Because trust me, once they do? Jail will look like a vacation compared to what’s waiting."
The bald man whimpered, touching his bleeding head.
The bodyguard shifted uncomfortably, unsure whether to fight, flee, or faint.
Evelyn smiled sweetly, the kind of smile that made men like them sweat.
"Now then... shall we continue?"
No words.
No action.
They just stare at her in silence as if their souls had already left their bodies.
And at the same time,
Evelyn felt the earpiece buzz against her skin like a tiny, obedient wasp.
Oscar’s voice slid into her ear, "My goodness, Eve! This old man is a walking scandal. His name’s Lewis Harrison. He’s a minister."
Her stomach feels twisted instantly. There was no graceful exit from this one. She had already picked a fight with a man who wore the state on his lapel and power in his pocket.
Quietly, with the helpless dignity of someone watching a slow-motion train wreck, she cursed under her breath. ’Oh, fuck. How did I casually hit a minister?’
As if reading the panic in her silence, Oscar chuckled.
"Relax, my friend... You can make him lose his job, his family, and his reputation. Hell, you could make him wish he had never learned to write his name."
Relief flooded through her, warm and mixed. She didn’t say a word, but a small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.
Inside, she felt a bit more confident, like a cat eyeing a drowning goldfish.
Oscar fed her more details. "Your sister, or rather the Walters Group, was supposed to win that million-dollar tender. Harrison has been holding it; he has not yet signed the contract. He only agreed to talk if Stella came to this city herself. That is why she is here."
Evelyn’s smile sharpened into something dangerous. She turned her attention to the bald man sitting stiffly.
She moved forward to reduce the gap, carrying the calm of someone about to unleash chaos.
"Mr. Harrison," she called, her voice soft but clear enough to cut through the murmurs. "Do you really want to be remembered as the minister who sold his soul for corruption?"
Color drained from his face. He blinked, then forced his jaw tight. "I don’t know what you’re talking about..."
"Do you want me to remind you?" she asked sweetly, her words folding like knives.
She did not wait for his permission. "During your tenure as a minister, you altered thirty-seven contracts and used the company that gave you more money..."
"Three hundred thirty-eight million dollars, if we are being exact. Eight dormant bank accounts in three different countries. And here is a fun detail. You gamble online, which, as you know, is very much a crime in our fine country."
The man’s composure cracked like cheap glass. He groped for words and came up empty.
"Continue... Roasting him, Eve... This is so fun!" Oscar whispered in her ear, delighted.
"Mr. Harrison, do you still want me to continue?" Evelyn asked.
"No," he stammered. "No, please."
Evelyn’s smile widened with theatrical delight. "Wonderful. Because I was just getting to the juicy part."
"You have a lovely wife and four children. Congratulations. But apparently, you are also the proud owner of three, no wait, five mistresses."
She pretended to be shocked, "Oh, my goodness... Mr. Harrison... You have one in every major city. You are practically the country’s first official harem king. Bravo." She claps.
A soft laugh escaped from Stella behind her.
And of course Oscar, unable to contain himself, snorted into her ear. "Stop it, Eve. I am going to die laughing here. Stop torturing him now..."
But she was not finished.
"Does your wife know? No? Oh.... This is interesting, your wife is the daughter of a military general. What a delightful twist. Imagine what she would do if she discovered your mistress. Divorce papers, probably with a side of public disgrace."
Lewis Harrison’s face turned the color of old newspapers. He motioned frantically, eyes pleading with his bodyguards like a drowning man begging for a rope.
"You will get your contract," he croaked. "Please, I will sign it now. Anything you want." His henchman rushed forward with a glossy folder and a pen that gleamed like it knew it was about to betray its owner.
Stella, who had been sitting frozen, finally found her voice. She stared at Evelyn in shock. "Sis... What are you doing? No need..."
"You can relax," Evelyn said with a sly smile. "Just let them sign. It doesn’t matter anymore. He will get his punishment."
Lewis Harrison’s voice shook, "Miss, I beg you. What do you want? Please do not cause any trouble for me..."
"You pleading after you lay a hand on her...? How dare you!" Evelyn’s tone turned cold, "I’m sorry, sir. But this time, I get to destroy your life. People like you can’t wield that power, because it would bring misery to many lives."
The words carried a chill, and even Evelyn felt it. However, her gaze remained sharp. This man had tried to use her sister as a bargaining chip, and now he would have to pay the hefty and painful price.
"Miss Stella, I am truly, truly sorry," Lewis stammered once more, offering a trembling pale hand that seemed fragile and had lost all its power.
Stella turned her eyes away.
Evelyn ignored him and slid her hand to Stella’s elbow, guiding her away.
"Let’s go..." Evelyn said while holding her hand. She feels her heart ache as she notices the trembling of Stella’s body.
The heavy oak door closed behind them.
Harrison’s voice followed them, desperate and broken, spilling promises of signatures.
Evelyn didn’t bother to say anything more; she continued to walk with Stella down the corridor.
When they finally reached the first floor, Stella, who had been holding her thoughts inside, finally found the courage to ask, "Sis... where have you been? I miss you so much..."