Chapter 447

Soren was certainly being generous. Any other company at the center of this kind of PR storm would be talking bankruptcy or threatening legal action, yet here he was, willing to settle it all for a single meal.

Evangeline laughed. “So, should I be thanking you p>

At her words, the corners of Soren’s mouth lifted even higher. “You owe me this big a favor, and all I get is a ‘thank you p>

Evangeline looked at his smug expression and realized he truly had no idea what was going on.

She smiled. “Soren p>

Soren raised an eyebrow. “Yes p>

Evangeline said, “I used to think that to reach your position, to build Fawkes Enterprises into what it is, you’d at least need a sharp mind and a keen eye p>

Turns out, all you needed was an untouchable family background.

She used to believe Soren was a formidable force, skillfully managing Fawkes Enterprises and making it seem unreachable. But now, she suddenly felt that even she could do his job.

Soren caught the undercurrent in her words. “What’s that supposed to mean p>

Evangeline replied, “The plagiarism claims online aren’t false. But it wasn’t UME that plagiarized Fawkes Enterprises. It was Fawkes Enterprises that plagiarized UME p>

Soren laughed, a sound of disbelief and anger. “Are you kidding me p>

“Fawkes Enterprises released its new product first. UME was a full month later, and you’re telling me that Fawkes Enterprises plagiarized UME p>

“What? Don’t tell me our designers at Fawkes Enterprises stole your design drafts?” Soren sneered mockingly.

Evangeline just stared at him, her expression blank, saying nothing.

Seeing this, Soren’s smile gradually faded.

His brow furrowed as he realized Evangeline wasn’t joking this time.

“What proof do you have?” Soren demanded, his tone clearly skeptical.

In the past, whenever he questioned her, Evangeline would immediately present evidence to prove she wasn’t lying. Even when he accused her of having a black heart, she had seemed desperate enough to rip open her own chest to show him her vibrant, beating heart.

But this time, Evangeline was different.

She just smiled faintly. “You’ll see it when we’re facing off in court one day p>

“I’d rather not have my evidence destroyed or run into any other… complications p>

Technically, Soren was the CEO of a

rival company; she shouldn’t even be

telling him this much. But

Evangeline couldn’t stand his arrogant, condescending attitude toward UME from just a moment ago.

Soren stared at her cold demeanor, listening to her openly suggest he would destroy evidence, and felt a knot tighten in his chest.

He laughed out of sheer anger. “Evangeline, you’re being completely unreasonable p>

Evangeline nodded. “Since you know that, why don’t you go find your reasonable Poppy p>

Soren was speechless.

He had never been treated with such

defiance. But strangely instead of

getting angry, he found this version of Evangeline to be inexplicably charming.

Was she jealous of Poppy?

So, she did still have feelings for him deep down; she just didn’t realize it herself.

With that thought, Soren calmed down.

He dropped the topic of business. Reaching into his pocket, he closed his hand around the ring inside.

It was the ring he had found when he went searching for Evangeline at the bottom of the cliff.

He remembered Finn had given it to her. For this ring, Evangeline had once jumped

into the water without hesitation, nearly drowning.

As much as he wanted to throw it away, to toss it so far that

Evangeline would never see it again and he wouldn’t have to be bothered

by the sight of the understo

one

thing clearly: this ring was extremely important to her.

He had broken her heart bit by bit, and now he had to mend it, piece by piece.

No matter how much he despised this ring, if it could improve Evangeline’s opinion of him, then he had to keep it.

Thinking this, Soren held his hand out to her. “I”

Before he could finish, another car pulled up and stopped smoothly beside them.

Poppy—the “reasonable Poppy” Evangeline had just mentioned-stepped out of the

car.

She hurried over to Soren’s side, her face etched with worry and her hair slightly disheveled. It was clear she had been in a rush.

“Soren? What are you doing here p>

“I got a call from the doctor and came looking for you right away. He said your wound hasn’t healed and you shouldn’t have left the hospital yet p>