Editor: Henyee Translations The roads winding through the private estate weren’t particularly busy, but they branched off in every direction like a maze.
Evelyn kept a steady foot on the accelerator, her hands moving confidently as she navigated one sharp turn after another.
Behind her, Miles watched the car ahead glide effortlessly through the twisting roads and immediately realized he had been spotted.
The gap between them widened rapidly.
He could have pushed the Cayenne harder, but he didn’t dare.
The memory of his last car accident was still painfully fresh.
Not only for him, but for his entire family.
One reckless mistake had already changed too many lives.
He couldn’t afford another.
But if he didn’t speed up, his future sister-in-law would disappear again.
Miles clenched his jaw, caught between caution and desperation.
By the time he made up his mind, the car ahead had already vanished around a bend.
To make matters worse, he had unknowingly turned onto a side road that was closed for construction.
“Damn it!” Meanwhile, back at the Ashford estate.
“Grace, it’s almost time.
Aren’t you coming downstairs?” “Yeah, and didn’t you say you would be choosing your opening dance partner tonight?
We are all dying to know who it is.” A group of friends surrounded Grace, urging her to make an appearance.
Of course, she knew the party should have started by now.
But Miles still hadn’t arrived.
She needed everyone to see him show up for her personally.
Tilting her head slightly, she smiled.
“Let’s wait a little longer.
There’s still someone important who hasn’t arrived yet.” The girls exchanged curious looks.
“Who?” “Someone that important?” Grace lowered her gaze shyly, pretending to hesitate.
One particularly observant girl immediately caught on.
“Oh?
You are blushing!
Don’t tell me this isn’t just a guest.” Grace lightly shoved her friend.
“Stop it.” Then, lowering her voice, she added, “It’s Miles Lowell.
Don’t go telling everyone.” The room fell silent.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then everyone erupted at once.
“Wait, Miles Lowell?” “Doesn’t he refuse to attend birthday parties?” “I thought he only showed up for Kevin Wright’s events.” “Grace, be honest.
What’s going on between you two?” All eyes turned toward her.
Some were curious.
Others were openly jealous.
Thinking back to how Miles had praised her kindness, Grace couldn’t help letting her imagination run wild.
Men liked sweet, innocent girls.
And Miles wasn’t the type to flirt casually.
If he had complimented her, he must already have had a favourable impression of her.
The thought alone made her cheeks grow even warmer.
Unfortunately, another thirty minutes passed.
Miles still hadn’t appeared.
The atmosphere gradually shifted.
The same girls who had envied her earlier now whispered behind their hands.
“What’s happening?” “He’s still not here.” “Did Grace get stood up?” “Keep your voice down.
She will hear you.” Grace heard every word.
Her smile remained flawless, but her fingers tightened around her champagne glass.
Pretending nothing was wrong, she continued greeting guests.
Only after finishing her drink did she excuse herself and step onto the balcony.
The moment she was alone, she pulled out her phone and called Miles.
At that exact moment, Miles was still stranded on the construction road.
The area was deserted.
Most of the streetlights were dim, and the detour signs were nearly impossible to see in the dark.
He had already called for a driver to pick him up.
Just as he ended that call, his phone rang again.
Seeing Grace’s name, he answered.
Before he could say anything, her voice came through.
“Miles, the party is about to start.
How much longer will it take you to get here?” Miles’s patience, already hanging by a thread, finally snapped.
He had just lost the woman he believed would make the perfect sister-in-law.
He was stuck on a dead-end construction road.
And now he was being pressured about a birthday party.
“I’m not coming.” His voice was cold.
“As for the plan involving Evelyn, Kevin can coordinate with you.
Contact him directly.” Kevin and Miles had always been close friends.
Originally, Kevin had agreed to accompany him to the party precisely because Miles didn’t want to attend alone.
On the other end of the line, Grace froze.
Miles wasn’t coming?
But she had practically announced his arrival to everyone upstairs.
If he failed to show up now, she would become a laughingstock.
Suppressing her anger, she forced her voice to remain gentle.
“Miles, what’s keeping you?
We agreed to work together.
You are backing out before the plan even begins?” Miles didn’t bother answering.
He simply hung up.
Listening to the deadline, Grace stared at her phone in disbelief.
Her grip tightened until her knuckles turned white.
Her chest rose and fell with barely controlled fury.
But now wasn’t the time to lose her composure.
No matter what happened, she had to break off the engagement between Evelyn and Matthias.
Taking a deep breath, she quickly called Kevin.
He answered almost immediately.
“Hello?” “Kevin, it’s Grace.
Are you here yet?” Kevin had only met Grace a handful of times and didn’t know her well.
What he did know came mostly from Miles.
And none of it was particularly flattering.
Keeping his tone polite, he replied, “Sorry, Miss Ashford.
My grandfather became ill unexpectedly, so I won’t be able to make it tonight.
I have already arranged for your birthday gift to be delivered, though.” Under normal circumstances, Grace would have been delighted to receive a gift from someone like Kevin.
Tonight, however, it only made her more irritated.
“I see.” Her voice was stiff.
“Thank you.” The moment she hung up, her expression darkened.
“Perfect,” she muttered.
“Everyone chooses today to disappear.” After a moment, her eyes hardened.
“It doesn’t matter.
I can handle this myself.” A few minutes later, Grace stopped outside a bedroom at the end of the third-floor hallway.
She knocked gently.
“Evelyn?
It’s me.
The party has started.
You should come downstairs.” Silence.
No response came from inside.
A sense of unease crept over her.
After a brief hesitation, she pushed the door open.
The room was quiet.
Far too quiet.
“Evelyn?” She stepped inside and checked the restroom.
Nothing.
She opened the walk-in closet.
Empty.
She searched every corner of the room.
Still nothing.
Her fingers slowly curled into fists.
A chill ran down her spine.
Turning sharply, she strode back into the hallway and stopped a passing housekeeper.
“Have you seen my sister?” The woman shook her head.
“No, Miss Grace.” No?
Grace’s expression stiffened.
Had Evelyn simply vanished?
How had nobody noticed she was gone?