Upon hearing that, Evelyn was a little surprised by the man's sudden politeness, but didn’t think much of it.

“It’s fine. I’ll report in tomorrow,” she replied. “Are you heading back to the government office later?”

Seeing that he had already set down his coffee cup and was tidying up the documents on the table, Evelyn frowned slightly.

“It’s the rainy season now, and with frequent typhoons, we can’t afford to slack off on flood control and disaster prevention. I need to check on the drainage system construction and operations over in Hawk’s Ridge.”

Hawk’s Ridge was one of D.C.’s older districts. Many of the buildings there had already been scheduled for demolition and reconstruction. Since the city’s planning started early, many of the infrastructure projects were already outdated and overloaded. Renovations and preventive measures were absolutely necessary.

No wonder she had just seen a book on urban drainage systems on his desk.

This man was always meticulous and serious in everything he did. He was well-versed in many related fields. Truly, a man of vast knowledge and broad learning!

She remembered Benjamin once jokingly said, “Our VP Lincoln can do everything… except give birth!”

At the time, Evelyn had scoffed at Benjamin’s flattery. No wonder Lincoln had recommended him for the Inspectorate—he clearly enjoyed being buttered up!

Such behavior had always disgusted Evelyn. She prided herself on being upright and principled.

That was why she had always, recklessly, kept challenging him—until one day, she crossed a line. Honestly, no wonder he had made her life so miserable back then.

But after all those years working with him, she had to admit—this man was truly enigmatic, intelligent, and wise. The achievements they had made together were impressive and widely recognized.

Could it be that he actually liked being praised? Flattered?

Evelyn often felt like she didn’t quite understand her superior. So, she decided to test it out.

Even though she felt a little embarrassed, she thought to herself: Who cares about pride? Pride got me nowhere last time—just a tragic end.

If he really responded well to this, maybe their relationship could finally warm up, maybe even become real allies… maybe even lead to a promotion?

“Sir, you’re truly brilliant and knowledgeable—there’s nothing you don’t know. So impressive!”

Evelyn hesitated for a second, then forced a smile she thought looked sincere onto her elegant face.

But the moment the words left her mouth, Lincoln suddenly stopped what he was doing. His deep, unreadable eyes flicked over to her—first in surprise, then turning cold. His lips pressed into a thin, indifferent line. Without a word, he grabbed the documents and strode toward the door.

Even a blind man could sense how annoyed he was!

What had she done wrong?

She praised him! That’s all!

So awkward!

For a brief moment, Evelyn felt like she was right back where she started. He had always been so unpredictable—she could never figure him out.

Her aloof and stoic boss had a mind that was impossible to read.

The flattery didn’t work—she hadn’t kissed his boots, she’d kicked his shins!

But now, Evelyn didn’t dare throw a tantrum like she used to.

She had to hold it in.

She had to endure.

She told herself that her current tolerance level for Lincoln was like the ocean—vast and all-encompassing.

...

“I’ll get it.”

Just as Lincoln was about to walk to the car, Evelyn took two quick steps forward and deftly opened the back door for him.

She had never acted so attentively before. Lincoln looked at her with puzzled eyes, deep and probing.

Under his intense, penetrating gaze, Evelyn felt a little nervous, but still straightened her back and met his eyes calmly.

After a few seconds, he finally looked away and got into the front passenger seat.

Seeing that, Evelyn let out a small breath of relief and quickly got in the car as well.

The car sped down the wide road, slicing through the steady curtain of rain. The typhoon hadn’t passed yet. When they left Tranquil Haven, the drizzle was still falling—dense enough that the wipers had to work overtime.

Evelyn kept her hands steady on the wheel, saying nothing to disturb the man beside her who was deeply absorbed in his work.

Ever since they got into the car, he had been taking call after call, all related to flood control and disaster prevention.

Back when they had traveled to R City to inspect and guide typhoon prevention measures, the authorities in D.C. had already laid out a detailed emergency response plan. But no one had expected this typhoon to hit so hard—it far exceeded previous forecasts. The old district's drainage system had long posed safety risks, and when Lincoln took over, one of his first major initiatives was to prioritize its reconstruction.

The Hawk’s Ridge old district had been under renovation for two to three years now. The government had announced ambitious plans to transform it into a modern urban zone, and the scale of redevelopment was massive.

As Evelyn’s thoughts wandered, a sudden realization struck her—
Something important.
The Southcrest Project!

Back then, one of the key reasons she got engaged to Joseph—besides her own personal motives—was because of this project.

One of the old residential zones under the Southcrest Project had been designated for redevelopment into a new model village: a compact architectural complex featuring a high-end, five-star, coastal resort. The area’s location near the sea made it prime real estate.

The government had poured enormous investment into this project. On the one hand, it was meant to boost the tourism industry in the old district; on the other, it was aimed at easing the city’s employment pressure.

And if she remembered correctly, the project’s bidding was set to begin this fall.

In her past life, the James family and the Harrison clan had arranged their marriage alliance primarily to win this project!

At the time, the lead for this project under the HuaDa Group had been Joseph. Meanwhile, the person in charge on their side—HC.Co—was none other than Chloe.

In other words, her engagement to Joseph had merely served one purpose:
To pave the way for Chloe.

Chloe had skyrocketed thanks to this project. She had her own bold and unique ideas for the resort’s design, and this opportunity allowed her to break into the upper echelons of architectural design. She eventually became the last personal apprentice of the renowned architect, Glenn, and from then on, she became a near-goddess figure in D.C.

Beyond that, she rebranded herself as the face of the resort, quickly rising to internet fame. With media hype and clever PR, she transformed into D.C.’s beloved daughter—elegant, charming, and universally admired.

This woman was a force of nature. Compared to her, Evelyn had been nothing more than dust—an insignificant little grasshopper.

The thought made Evelyn’s scalp tingle with unease.

In her previous life, Lincoln hadn’t been responsible for this area, and she herself had never been involved in the operations of HC.Co. She had been completely in the dark.

So how was she supposed to fight back?

How was she going to bring Chloe down?

If it hadn’t been for Lincoln’s earlier comments, she might not have remembered any of this!

But the bidding for the project was scheduled for this fall. There was still some time left. Plus, now that her engagement with Joseph was off the table, there was no guarantee that HuaDa and HC.Co would continue their partnership…

Which meant—this was her chance.

She had to take action.

She couldn’t let that treacherous pair, Chloe and Joseph, win again.