BOUND TO My EX'S UNCLE

Evelyn sat in her best friend's apartment, an ice pack pressed against her swollen cheek. The sting was nothing compared to the pain in her chest, but at least the physical hurt was something she could treat.

"We need proof," she said quietly, staring at her phone. "Real, undeniable proof that Nathan's been cheating. If I'm going to destroy him, I need evidence his grandfather can't ignore."

Lena paced around the small living room, her face twisted with anger. "I still can't believe your father hit you. His own daughter."

"He made his choice." Evelyn's voice was flat. "Money over his child. I won't make that mistake again."

As they sat in tense silence, Evelyn's phone buzzed. Nathan's name flashed on the screen. She let it ring.

"Answer it," Lena said suddenly. "Put it on speaker. Let's hear what lies he's planning to tell you."

Evelyn stared at the phone as it stopped ringing, then started again. Nathan was persistent with his calls.

On the third call, she finally picked up.

"What do you want?" Her voice was ice cold.

"Evelyn, thank God." Nathan's voice sounded strained, and desperate. "We need to talk. Please. Just give me five minutes to explain everything."

"Explain?" Evelyn almost laughed. "What's to explain? You got my stepsister pregnant while we were engaged."

"It's not that simple-"

"It's exactly that simple."

"Please," Nathan begged. "Meet me somewhere. Anywhere. Let me tell you the whole truth."

Evelyn looked at Lena, who was nodding eagerly and making recording gestures with her hands.

"Fine," Evelyn said. "Where?"

"The Grand Meridian Hotel. They have a quiet bar on the fifth floor. I can be there in an hour."

Evelyn knew the place. It was one of the Sinclair family's luxury properties.

"One hour," she agreed. "But Nathan? This better be worth my time."

She hung up and immediately started getting ready, her mind already planning.

"This is perfect," Lena said, pulling out her own phone. "I'm going to download a recording app. Get him to admit everything about the affair, the pregnancy, how long it's been going on. Once we have that recording, we can take it straight to his grandfather."

Evelyn nodded, applying concealer to hide the worst of her bruises. "Alexander Sinclair built that empire on honor and reputation. If he finds out Nathan's been lying and cheating, especially with the Hayes business merger on the line..."

"He'll cut Nathan off completely," Lena finished. "Perfect revenge."

---

Meanwhile, across town, Nathan was having a very different conversation.

"Are you sure this will work?" Maya asked, lounging on his couch with an ice pack on her nose. The swelling had gone down, but she still looked like she'd been in a fight.

"Trust me," Nathan said, checking his watch. "Everything's set up. Evelyn will go to the bar, order a drink, and within twenty minutes she'll be too dizzy to think straight."

Maya raised an eyebrow. "You're really going to drug her?"

"It's just a mild sedative. Nothing dangerous." Nathan was already putting on his jacket. "Once she's disoriented, the hotel security will 'help' her to a room upstairs. A room where my photographer friend is waiting with other men."

"And then?"

Nathan's smile was cruel. "Then we'll have photos of Evelyn in a compromising position with another man. We'll say she's been having an affair, that she's unstable, making up stories about me because she got caught."

Maya clapped her hands together softly. "Brilliant. No one will believe her accusations after that."

Nathan's phone buzzed with a text from the hotel manager: "Everything ready as discussed. Room 1247."

He showed Maya the message. "See? It's foolproof. By tonight, Evelyn will be completely discredited, and the contract will go through as planned."

Just then, Nathan's phone rang. His father's name appeared on the screen.

"Nathan, where are you?" his father's voice was tight with stress.

"What's wrong?" Nathan felt his stomach drop.

"Your grandfather wants to see you. Immediately. He's at the estate."

Nathan grabbed his keys, his mind racing. "I'll be right there."

He turned to Maya. "I have to go see my grandfather. Handle the Evelyn situation if anything goes wrong."

"What could go wrong?" Maya asked.

Nathan was already heading for the door. "Nothing. Just... keep your phone on."

---

The Sinclair estate loomed like a fortress on the hill overlooking the city. Nathan's hands were sweating as he drove through the iron gates.

Inside the main hall, Alexander Sinclair sat in his armchair like a king on his throne. At almost eighty, he still looks sharp and dangerous. Nathan's parents stood on one side, both looking nervous.

"There you are," Alexander said as Nathan walked in. "Where have you been hiding?"

Nathan bowed his head respectfully. "Just handling some business matters, Grandfather."

"Good. We need to discuss your wedding."

Nathan's heart stopped. "My wedding?"

"At my eightieth birthday celebration next week, we'll be announcing your wedding date to Evelyn. The merger documents will be signed the following Monday."

The room felt like it was spinning. Next week? Nathan forced himself to nod. "Of course, Grandfather. Whatever you think is best."

Alexander's eyes narrowed. "Is there a problem? You look pale."

"No problem at all," Nathan lied smoothly. "I'm just honored by your confidence in me."

"Speaking of confidence," Alexander continued, "your uncle Roman is returning from his business trip tonight. He'll be staying at the Grand Meridian Hotel with some international clients."

Nathan broke out in cold sweat. Uncle Roman. There were only two people in the Sinclair family that everyone feared - his grandfather and his young uncle.

"I want you to personally ensure his accommodations are perfect," Alexander said. "This is your chance to build a relationship with him before you officially join the company."

Nathan nodded numbly, his grandfather's words barely registering. All he could think about was Evelyn and the plan that was about to happen.

Alexander's butler approached with a card. "Master Roman's contact information and room preferences, sir."

Nathan took the card with shaking hands. He quickly typed the number into his phone, then sent a text with the room details to his uncle. In his panic and haste, he barely looked at what he was typing.

His phone buzzed with a confirmation from the hotel staff, and Nathan assumed everything was handled correctly. He was too distracted by his grandfather's piercing stare to double-check anything.

"You seem nervous," Alexander observed coldly.

"Just eager to make a good impression on Uncle Roman," Nathan managed.

Alexander grunted, apparently satisfied. "See that you do. Your future in this family depends on it."

As Nathan left the estate, his phone buzzed with a message from Maya: "Evelyn just arrived at the hotel. Phase one is starting."

Nathan stared at the message, a cold dread settling in his stomach. Between his grandfather's announcement and his uncle's sudden return, everything was happening too fast. But it was too late to call anything off now.

He just had to trust that his plan would work.

---

Evelyn walked into the Hotel. The elevator ride to the fifth floor felt endless. When the doors opened, she stepped into the bar area, a dimly lit space with leather chairs and soft jazz playing in the background.

She found a table in the corner where she could see the entire room and activated the recording app on her phone before sliding it into her purse, positioning it so the microphone wasn't blocked.

A few minutes later, a server approached with a glass of red wine on his tray.

"Compliments of the gentleman," he said with a professional smile.

Evelyn looked around the nearly empty bar. "What gentleman?"

"He stepped out to take a call, miss. Said he'd be right back."

"Thank you," she said politely, accepting the glass but not drinking from it.

The server lingered for a moment, as if waiting for her to take a sip. When she just held the glass, he finally walked away.

Evelyn stared at the dark red liquid, her mind racing. Nathan wasn't here yet, but he'd already ordered her a drink? That wasn't like him. Nathan was many things, but he wasn't thoughtful enough for romantic gestures.

She checked her phone. The recording was running perfectly. Now all she had to do was wait for Nathan to show up and dig his own grave.