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
"Come on, spill the beans about the latest office drama. It's no fun when you leave me out of the loop."David's voice had been persuasive, yet there was an odd, almost naughty command to it.The man's face went white for a moment. Then, as if struck by a thought, he grinned bashfully.Seeing David's growing impatience, he leaned in and whispered as if he were sharing state secrets,"This is sort of embarrassing, so I'm not going to just blurt it out. David, head over to the chill zone, second magazine rack on the left, and grab today's morning paper. Check out the entertainment section's front-page story, and you'll be all caught up."He finished with a flourish, "Trust me, you won't regret it!"David scowled. "Sounds like a hassle. What if I do regret it?"The guy made a dramatic slicing motion across his neck, then tousled his hair, as if he were about to deliver some earth-shattering news.David was not into pointless tasks; the guy's air of mystery and confidence was too i
At the Foster Group's headquarters, Walter stormed in, his hand thudding down on the reception desk as he had demanded, "Where's Evangeline? I need to see her, now!"Their past relationship was common knowledge among the Foster Group staff.The receptionist, recognizing Walter instantly, hesitantly pointed him in the right direction, bending the rules. "Sixteenth floor, conference room. Just head straight down the hall and turn left for the private elevator."In the conference room, Evangeline was busy directing Wade to hand out documents to the executives. She was just about to introduce a promising new talent she had worked hard to recruit when a loud bang echoed from the door.Evangeline did not budge from her seat, only glancing up toward the commotion.Walter, clad in a sleek black trench coat, was making a beeline for the room."Mr. Walter Gordon, you can't go in there..." The young assistant, spotting Evangeline, looked like she was on the verge of tears.With a dismissiv
He could not let this opportunity to assert himself pass by, could he?Walter had totally misjudged the situation.He planned to use the handshake to show his strength, but as soon as he applied pressure, Hank's force came back at him. Seconds later, Walter was clenching his teeth, trying to hold on, while Hank was all smiles and composure.Then, Hank eased his grip, their hands parting.Walter fought the urge to massage his sore hand and sneered at Evangeline, "Never would have guessed, Evangeline. Since when did you have an old sweetheart?""What are you blabbering about?" Evangeline's face flushed with fury.Evangeline and Hank had been inseparable since their childhood days in the South, having shared a life side by side for over five years. Their bond was unbreakable.Upon catching wind that Evangeline was facing tough times, Hank did not think twice. He rushed to her side, his loyalty touching her heart deeply.Walter, the lowlife, had always been quick to put others down
Walter was floored. The Evangeline he remembered, always so eager to please, bending over backward to charm him, desperate to start a family with him, was an authoritative CEO.A newspaper smacked down on the desk with a thud.Walter demanded, his voice loaded with challenge. "What's the deal here? Out with it. Evangeline, you know I could sue you for trash-talking me like this in front of everyone, right? It's called defamation." His warning came with a legal edge to his voice.Evangeline just smirked, unimpressed, "Oh, so you can't handle a little criticism?"His incompetence?Walter's temper was ignited like a match. "You think you don't know what I'm capable of?" He was practically snarling the words, but then his anger took a sharp turn into a sly grin. "If you're questioning my skills, I'd be happy to give you a little demonstration right here, right now!"Walter looked like he was gearing up for a showdown, making a move to grab Evangeline. She sidestepped him with ease, h
Evangeline struggled to keep her cool, trying her best to sound normal. She never thought waiting for an assistant to drop off some papers could feel like an eternity.Again, the office door clicked shut.After a heart-pounding and totally unique experience, Evangeline slumped into her chair, feeling the dampness that told its own story of her longing.Out of nowhere, she was yanked from her chair to the floor. Walter's heavy, muscular frame was on her in an instant, careful not to crush her, yet making her acutely aware of his presence."I can let the newspaper slander slide," he murmured, his breath warm against her ear, "but you're going to have to put out the fire you started… Meet you tonight, at my place."Evangeline shoved at his solid form. "In your dreams!"Walter, as if playing a game, pressed down a little more. "You'll be there."He stood up abruptly, not even fixing his clothes, and strode out of the office.All the way down the hall, under the watchful eyes of the
In the fancy restaurant, Evangeline and Hank set down their wine glasses, laughing and sharing stories from when they were kids.The candlelight flickered across Evangeline's face, highlighting her flawless makeup. She was breathtaking, and her dark red checkered dress only added to her sophisticated allure.Hank was a chatterbox, always knowing just what to say to get a big laugh out of Evangeline.Whenever he did, Evangeline felt a thrill she had not felt in ages.Everyone said a great marriage should make life even sweeter. If there was only pain, however, then it was clear as day—that marriage was a mistake.She was getting more caught up in the evening by the minute.Then, out of nowhere, her phone buzzed with a notification.It was Walter.[If you don't show up, I'll have no choice but to prove my point by releasing this video.]Beneath the message was a clip.The thumbnail showed her, cheeks rosy and looking utterly smitten.The background was unmistakable—it had been
The room was pitch dark except for the glow of Walter's cigarette. Evangeline stumbled to switch on the light, marched up to him, and demanded, "Walter, hand over that video now!"Walter let out a ring of smoke and laughed softly. "Why should I give it to you just because you say so?" He nodded toward the bathroom and ordered, "Go take a shower."He could not stand her smelling like another man."Why should I listen to you?" Evangeline snapped back, her anger boiling over with no outlet. "Fine, don't shower. I'll do it for you!" Before she knew it, Walter had scooped her up and tossed her into the bathtub, already filled with water.Walter's grip was like iron around Evangeline, pinning her in the bathtub with the water lapping at her chin. She tried to speak, but her words were drowned out by his relentless questioning."Going out to dinner dressed to kill, huh? What were you up to with that pretty boy?"His eyes, dark as a stormy night, squinted with a smile that was anything b