"That's the one!""You were going to introduce me, remember? Roslyn, my savior, could you maybe..."The way he drew out the end of his sentence was tinged with urgency, but it was clear he was downright thirsty for talent.Roslyn had watched Matthew fret over finding a decent lyricist for years and figured it was time to lend a hand. So, she decided to set up an intro during a casual movie outing.Seeing his eagerness, Roslyn did not beat around the bush. "I was planning to introduce you guys anyway. Getting her to write for you, however, is not going to be a walk in the park."Let me lay it out straight: I will make the intro, and the rest is on you. Whether you can convince her to pen some lyrics, that is your gig.""I get it. If the work is good, she can name her price!"Matthew was not shy about pouring money into his music, especially when it came to a lyricist with serious chops.Alas…Roslyn waggled her finger in front of him. "My friend is the darling of the Foster fam
Evangeline was aware that her notoriety had spiked after her split with Walter, thanks to Julia, the deceptive charmer. It was absurd, however, to think that a quick restroom break would turn her into the talk of the town.Roslyn let out a sly chuckle. "Before we dive into that, Evie, let me introduce you to a friend."Of course, she was not just doing this for Matthew's sake—she was really trying to stall for time.With Evangeline looking on in surprise, Roslyn tugged Matthew to the front."Meet my friend Matthew Chale. He's got killer vocals and is a singer!" Roslyn beamed."Hi there, Ms. Evangeline," Matthew said, offering his hand confidently."Hello, Mr. Chale," Evangeline responded, shaking his hand with a polite nod before quickly letting go.Evangeline was more preoccupied with the sudden change in the room's mood than with this Matthew who had popped up out of nowhere.Unbeknownst to her, someone in the corner had snapped a perfect shot of her handshake with Matthew.
Evangeline did not make her move until the woman in question rose from her seat again. She trailed behind, stepping out into the corridor.The hallway outside the cinema was bathed in dim light, and Evangeline's face was a picture of discomfort. Words failed her.She and Matthew had plenty to chat about, sure, but they had only just met. His over-the-top enthusiasm was overwhelming, leaving Evangeline struggling to keep up.With Roslyn watching, she could not just brush him off without causing a scene. Thus, she put on a brave face and muddled through. Eventually, with no other options, she ducked out for another escape to the restroom.The sight of the restroom sign was like a beacon of hope. Relief washed over her.Roslyn, of all people, knew how much Evangeline detested these social dances. She would probably use the chance to fill Matthew in.So, Evangeline took her time. Just as she stepped into the stall, before the door could even click shut, a sudden force pushed her insi
What Walter did not realize was that his words cut through Evangeline like a blade, piercing her heart.She had fooled herself into thinking Walter was just jealous because he saw her chatting with Matthew. She even dared to hope, maybe because they had been close before, that she still meant something to him.What was the truth, though?It was all in her head. Walter's behavior was driven only by his fear of being betrayed!A wave of anger washed over her, and with a strength she did not know she had, Evangeline wrenched his hand away from her chin. "Don't act like I've been unfaithful. Even if I had been, what could you possibly do to me? Walter, remember this: Once the divorce cooling-off period is over, we're nothing to each other!"She wished she could just grab the divorce papers and slam them into Walter's face, telling him to get lost for good."Oh really? Evangeline, you're still putting up a fight when I've got the upper hand? Should I commend your courage, or should I
It was the midnight showing, so the restroom was practically a ghost town. Roslyn checked stall after stall—nothing but echoes.What Roslyn did not know was that Evangeline was trapped, just one stall over, her heart pounding in her chest. She had heard Roslyn's calls but before she could yell back. Walter's hand was clamped over her mouth, silencing her desperate cries.Evangeline fought like a wildcat, but Walter's grip was unbreakable, his hands like iron against her lips.The stall was too big and Walter had her pinned down, leaving her with only one leg free, desperately trying to kick the door to make some noise, to signal Roslyn. It was not enough, however.She was about to lose hope when Roslyn's voice grew nearer. 'Please, just a few more steps,' Evangeline prayed silently, 'you're so close to finding me..."Then, Walter's chilling whisper slithered into her ear, a dark promise that sent shivers down her spine. "Do you really think Roslyn showing up is going to save you?
The bodyguards stationed outside caught every word of Roslyn's outburst.Suddenly, a group of muscular men stormed into the restroom, pulling Roslyn to the side. The head bodyguard stepped forward with a stern reminder."Mr. Walter Gordon, we're here to ensure the lady's safety. You're putting us in a tough spot. Let her go now, or I'll have to step in!"Walter could not shake the image of Evangeline's face, the memory of her snide comments about him needing a urologist boiling his blood. He was so ticked off that he could not bear to look at her one more second.He had not even waited for the bodyguards to kick the door open; he did it himself. As he was about to step through, however, he spotted a guy with dreadlocks and punk-rock vibes standing among the bodyguards. The guy had looked all kinds of worried, his face scrunched up in anxiety.Walter's eyes narrowed to slits, his gaze cutting like a laser.If his memory served him right, this had been the dude who had hit it off w
Walter's mood soured as the head bodyguard brushed past him. The guy was a thorn in his side, and Walter vowed to make him vanish from Avalon City for good.The drama in the restroom wrapped up, and the bodyguard, Matthew, and the rest of the men knew it was time to clear out.Evangeline, totally spent from the ordeal, slumped against the cubicle wall, panting hard. "Walter is the worst!" she fumed.She felt like she could explode with frustration because of him.Meanwhile, Roslyn, who had just snapped out of her daze, blurted out without thinking, "Evie, about the movie...""Forget it, Roslyn, I'm heading home."The last thing she wanted was to sit through a movie.Evangeline figured it just was not her day. She had not checked the horoscope before leaving home, which must have been why she kept bumping into Walter, the walking disaster."Okay, I'll walk you home." Roslyn understood where Evangeline was coming from. She had suggested the movie just to keep Evangeline out a bit
Evangeline's eyes narrowed as she read the title.[Male Genitourinary Examination Report. Patient: Walter.]Evangeline's coffee went airborne in a surprise spit-take, narrowly missing the stack of papers on her desk. Seriously, Walter truly went to the urologist?She only booked that appointment to rib him a little, never thinking he would actually go through with it. Hey, since he did, she might as well sneak a peek at the results.She had barely cracked open the report when she caught Wade trying to snoop. "Ahem! I'm good here, Wade. Why don't you grab some lunch?" she said, shooing him out the door.With Wade gone, she flipped through the report, her cheeks turning 50 shades of red with each page. By the time she slammed her fist down on the last page, her face was a full-blown tomato. She had just wanted to check if Walter was healthy, not get the lowdown on his, well, everything—size, performance, even his swimmers' stats!Evangeline did not hesitate, dialing Walter's number