Chapter 20 - EVELYN WESTBROOKEvelyn finally told the truth when she ran out of useful lies.
Dorian confronted her with Arielle present.
Not because Arielle needed Dorian’s support.
Because Evelyn had harmed both.
Evelyn sat in the Westbrook library beneath portraits of dead men who had controlled companies and families.
She looked at Arielle.
“You were never right for him.”
Arielle smiled faintly.
“There it is.”
“You challenged everything.”
“Yes.”
“You delayed children.”
“Yes.”
“You made him question family decisions.”
“Yes.”
“You made him weak.”
Dorian flinched.
Arielle did not.
“No.”
She leaned forward.
“I made him responsible for his own decisions.”
Evelyn looked at Dorian.
“He was happier before you.”
Dorian answered:
“I was easier.”
Evelyn stopped.
He continued.
“That's what you mean.”
Silence.
Evelyn finally admitted introducing Cambria intentionally.
She encouraged proximity.
Fed Cambria complaints about the marriage.
Told her Dorian needed someone “warm.”
She asked Kendra to disable cameras so Cambria could confront Arielle without “misinterpretation.”
She claimed she did not know about the planned fall.
Arielle did not believe her.
But Evelyn’s next sentence mattered more.
“If your wife had been softer, none of this would have worked.”
Dorian stared at his mother.
Arielle smiled.
Not because it was funny.
Because Evelyn had finally said the entire philosophy aloud.
Arielle stood.
“You're right.”
Evelyn looked surprised.
“If I had been softer, maybe I would have spent another twenty years apologizing for making you uncomfortable.”
May you like
She picked up her bag.
“Fortunately, I’m not.”
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