Everyone in the booth froze, staring in stunned silence.

Evelina had her back turned to the room, supremely confident in her entrance. Since her pregnancy had ruined her waistline, she was relying entirely on her legs to captivate her clients.

Assuming her audience was struck dumb by her allure, she swayed her hips and strutted inside.

But the moment she finally looked up and registered who was sitting on the couches, she let out a bloodcurdling shriek as if she had seen a ghost.

Ah!!!

All the color drained from her face. She spun around to bolt, only to find Caleb's massive frame blocking the door.

She stumbled backward, sheer terror in her eyes. She had been caught.

It was over. The Langstons were going to destroy her.

Lemira gave her a predatory half-smile. "Why did the dancing stop, Princess? I hear you've been quite the performer lately."

"Drop the act, Lemira!"

Evelina's voice cracked with panic. She truly hadn't expected them to find her here.

"You still have the nerve to speak?"

Asher lunged forward and slapped her with everything he had. "You have no shame! Do you want to ruin our family completely?!"

Evelina crashed to the floor. She let out a bitter, ugly laugh. "Ruin your family? Your family is already a joke!"

Asher's hands shook with violent rage. "Say that again. I dare you."

"Am I wrong?"

Lucian stared down at her in disgust. "We raised you in the lap of luxury. We alienated our own blood sister for you. What more could you possibly want?"

"For me? Don't make me laugh!"

Evelina pointed a shaking finger at Asher. "He only brought me in to boost the family's charitable image And the rest of you? You were completely reliant on Lemira's talent but were too pathetic to admit it, so you bullied her to make yourselves, feel big. How is any of that my fault?"

Spitting venom, she added, "You're the most selfish people on the planet, yet you expect everyone to treat you like saints!"

Lucian stepped forward and delivered a second, echoing slap.

Evander practically threw himself at her, his eyes wild. "You're pregnant! Why would you run away to work in a degenerate place like this? Have you lost your mind?!"

"To get money, obviously! If I relied on a cripple like you, I'd barely get table scraps. No jewelry, no luxury cars, nothing!"

She dropped all pretense with him. She knew she was doomed anyway; there was no point in playing the devoted victim anymore.

Evander looked like he had been struck by lightning. "I am a Langston heir! If you wanted things, you just had to ask!"

"Ask a useless cripple? You don't have a dime to your name!"

She stared at him with naked contempt "I thought you could provide for me, but you're just a pathetic joke, if it wasn't for my own. survival, why would I ever look twice at a defective cripple?"

"I'll kill you!!"

Hearing the absolute, unfiltered truth finally shattered what was left of his sanity.

She had been using him the entire time. She never loved him at all!

Seeing him lunge for her throat, Lucian quickly yanked him back. "Stop! She's carrying your child."

"Like hell she is! Who knows if it's even mine!"

Evander looked ready to tear her apart with his bare hands.

Evelina just smiled, a cruel, vindictive

smirk. "Then take a guess. If it is e

yours, might be the only one you everget. Without this kid your bloodline dies with your

Evander's eyes were bloodshot with hatred.

Suddenly, Lemira noticed a dark stain spreading across the crimson fabric of

Evelina's skirt. She frowned. "Back off. She's spotting."