A few minutes later, Meghan, with a coquettish look, sat on George's lap and sobbed, straightening her clothes. She lowered her eyes, attempting to hide the disgust within them.

When the Gallagher family discovered Meghan wasn't their biological daughter, Evangeline overheard George and Bethany discussing temporarily moving her out to accommodate their real daughter. They wanted to avoid making Evangeline feel awkward or uncomfortable. They also planned to imprison her birth mother.

Meghan felt insecure, fearing that after moving out, the Gallaghers would ignore and eventually abandon her. To remain, she continued to flatter them; however, George still searched for a house for her elsewhere. Unwilling to leave—to lose her wealth, prominent status, and the chance to inherit the Gallagher family's assets—she gave herself to George. She wanted to defeat Evangeline, their biological daughter, at all costs.

With George's unwavering support and protection, she quickly secured her position within the family. George felt little for Evangeline, having given her away at birth. He chose Meghan's youth and the thrill of their taboo relationship over a daughter with whom he had no bond. Many middle-aged men, he felt, were similarly susceptible to such desires. Meghan's youth and their forbidden relationship proved irresistible. For added excitement, he even brought Meghan to his room after Bethany had been sedated with sleeping pills.

"Don't worry, Meghan," George reassured her. "I won't let them hurt you or drive you away."

Meghan responded morosely, "What if Mom and Sam don't forgive me and force you to send me away?"

George sneered. "I'm the head of this household. If they refuse to listen to me and don't accept you, they will move out!" Meghan was relieved. Leaning her head on his shoulder, she said with a grievance, "Dad, Evangeline made me like this. I don't dare go out anymore. You have to avenge me"

A fierce look hardened George's eyes. He clenched his teeth and declared, "Even if she hadn't harmed you, I wouldn't be lenient. She sold 30% of the company's shares to Arthur, causing chaos, conned me out of a significant amount of money, and even attacked me. She started this feud!"

Meanwhile, Evangeline returned to Mansion No. 1 in Bayside Residence, a property Arthur had lent her. Her nerves, frayed for seven days, finally relaxed. She washed, lay down on her soft bed, and savored the comfort after sleeping on hard ground. The firm mattress and silk quilt felt heavenly compared to the discomfort of the forest.

She was just about to fall asleep when her phone rang. Without turning on the light, she found and answered it.

"Who is this?" Her voice was hoarse and languid.

A low, deep male voice replied, "Evangeline, this is Arthur."

"Oh, what's up?" she asked flatly.

Arthur said, "Can we talk? I need to discuss how we can suppress the Gallagher family."

Evangeline replied, "Maybe tomorrow. I'm tired today."

A hint of glee was audible in Arthur's voice. "Okay. I'll come to you tomorrow."

Evangeline mumbled incoherently, hung up, and fell asleep. She slept for thirteen hours, waking up near noon, starving and physically exhausted. Her back and shoulders ached. She even had to crawl downstairs on her hands and knees before she reached the living room.

Suddenly, she felt she was being watched. She looked up and met Arthur's deep, complex gaze.

"Evangeline, are you all right?" he asked softly, his expression a mixture of concern and something else.

He was dressed casually in black pants and a T-shirt, his strong physique only hinted at beneath the attire. His neatly combed hair revealed a handsome face. Beside him sat another handsome young man in a suit and gold-rimmed glasses, staring at Evangeline in astonishment.

Evangeline, dumbfounded, calmly stood and clapped her hands. "The hygiene in this house is quite good," she remarked quietly. "I crawled downstairs, and my palms are still clean."

She sat across from them and looked coldly at Arthur. "Mr. Ferdinand, why are you here?"

The corner of Arthur's mouth twitched. "I called you last night. We're supposed to meet today."

Evangeline remembered their conversation but hadn't expected him to enter the mansion without permission. Her tone stern, she warned him, "Mr. Ferdinand, I hope you understand: you lent me this mansion; I am the occupant until I return it. Even though you own it, you must ask my permission before entering. For the sake of our partnership, I'll overlook it this time. But not again."

Arthur bowed his head. "I apologize for my thoughtlessness. I will ask your permission before coming next time."

Evangeline replied, "I'll let it go this time. Let's focus on our business."

Arthur suggested, "Take your time. You must be hungry. Let's get you something to eat."

Evangeline, hungry, nodded in agreement. Arthur went to the kitchen. Finnegan Jennings, Arthur's companion, watched in disbelief. This was not the decisive, indifferent Arthur he knew. He was being bossed around, even scolded, by a woman – and he was apologizing!

"Oh, my goodness! I must be hallucinating!" Finnegan thought.

Evangeline, noticing Finnegan, addressed him indifferently. "Don't just stand there. Cut a plate of fruit for me. I'm in the mood for cold watermelon. As you're Arthur's guest, remember your place and don't overlook the homeowner."

Finnegan was taken aback. The guests should be serving the hostess, not the other way around. Yet, Evangeline's assertive tone compelled obedience. He found himself heading for the kitchen.

He closed the kitchen door and confronted Arthur. "What are you doing? She's taking over your house, and you're cooking for her? Are you out of your mind? You need psychological treatment, too!"

Finnegan, Arthur's friend and a renowned psychologist, had been contacted by Arthur after watching Evangeline's livestream, concerned about her mental state. The discussion of the Gallagher family was merely a pretext to bring Finnegan to evaluate Evangeline.

Arthur said quietly, "It's my fault. I lent her the house; she's the occupant. Bringing you here without her permission was my mistake. She did nothing wrong."

Finnegan's expression turned even stranger. "I can't believe you're admitting your mistakes. Are you still the Arthur I know?"

Arthur gave him a cold look. "Do you think I'm so unreasonable that I wouldn't acknowledge my mistakes?" Finnegan was speechless.

Arthur continued, "Let's talk about her. You saw her coming downstairs. Did you notice anything unusual?"

After a moment's thought, Finnegan stated seriously, "There are some signs of atavism in her behavior. She can be self-centered and inconsiderate, exhibiting some psychological abnormalities. However, her reasoning and expressive abilities are normal. The issues aren't severe; active treatment will significantly improve her condition."

He added, "This is just an initial assessment. Further professional testing is needed. You'll have to persuade her to cooperate."

Arthur nodded. "Go cut the watermelon. She's waiting."

Finnegan exclaimed in frustration, "I'm a top psychologist and hypnotist globally! Do you know my hourly rate? And you want me to cut a watermelon!?"

Arthur picked up a knife. "Stop talking, or I'll cut your hand." Finnegan shrunk back and went to find the watermelon.

He stopped and turned to Arthur, surprised. "Arthur, do you have feelings for that 'atavistic lady'? I've never seen you treat a woman so kindly, accepting her reprimands so readily! You're even willing to cook for her!"