"Isn't drinking alone just boring? Let's knock a few back together, what do you say?"If Walter thought she was just being friendly before, he was sure at this moment that she was buttering him up."Let's do it." He grabbed his glass and took a swig, eager to see what kind of game she was playing.As she settled in across from him, unnoticed, a dude in baggy grey threads slipped out of the bar.Cut to Evangeline, deep in business talk with Hank, when her phone buzzed."Walter's at the Kronovia Royale Pub, knocking back a few."Evangeline smirked. "Big surprise. Since when is Walter hitting a bar news?"She was not a regular at those chaotic watering holes, but it seemed like every time she did show up, Walter was there too. The guy must have been a fixture."Guess what? That B-lister Felicia Edmonds is there too..."The moment the words were said, Evangeline's expression turned icy.It was bad enough that Walter hit the bars, but to find out he was fooling around, too?They
Walter was already in a foul mood, and some jerk had come looking to pick a fight? He was not about to turn down an opportunity to blow off some steam.He was about to get up when a flash of red stepped in front of him."This is my fault. Please don't hurt him!"Walter did a double-take. It was the red-dressed woman who had tried to flirt with him earlier and whom he had brushed off. All of a sudden, she was standing there, defending him?"You?"The brute burst into laughter. "Look at you, trying to play the hero!"The slap was coming. The woman did not flinch, ready to take the hit head-on.Walter's eyes were glued to the scene before him, his heart aching as he watched the woman take hit after hit. Just as he was about to jump in and stop it—Out of nowhere, a round of applause with a beat broke through the tension.The eagerly watching crowd parted like the Red Sea, making way for Evangeline. She strutted through in sky-high heels and a crisp white suit, commanding everyone
Just his luck, out for a drink and he bumped into her. She had brought a date, it seemed.Evangeline let out a cold laugh, wrapped her arms around herself, and slouched comfortably into the sofa. "What a question, Mr. Walter Gordon. People hit up bars for a good time, not for... other services, right?"Evangeline's eyes locked onto Felicia with a look that screamed volumes, and everyone in the room caught the drift in a heartbeat."Never would've guessed the Foster family's darling princess was into this sort of thing," remarked Walter nonchalantly.The tension between them could have sparked a duel, and there stood Felicia, smack in the middle, the picture of discomfort.She turned to Evangeline, her voice barely above a whisper, "Ms. Evangeline, please, you've got it all wrong. Mr. Walter Gordon just saw some creep hassling me and stepped in. There's nothing shady going on; we're totally honest…"Tears brimmed in Felicia's eyes as she spoke. Walter, however, cut her off before
"Cool?""Cool?"Caden did not even get to finish his sentence before Walter and Evangeline cut him off, their voices overlapping in perfect unison—and they were saying the same thing!Their unexpected sync drew a collective gasp from the crowd.Caden flashed a 'zip-it' sign and kept the banter going. "Look at you two, in perfect harmony. If that's not fate, I don't know what is. But this tit-for-tat thing is getting old. How about we spice things up with a game? Nothing too crazy, just a round of Truth or Dare. It'll be a blast!"Caden had his reasons for suggesting the game.Walter and Evangeline were constantly at each other's throats, which was not helping anyone. Maybe a game could have broken the ice, gotten them to open up, or even shared a close moment. Either way, it could have only helped.What Caden did not realize was that Evangeline had seen right through his little ploy.She did not respond right away but instead turned to Hank, who was standing nearby. "Hank, what
"Congrats, Ms. Edmonds, your turn to pick—Truth or Dare?"Caden's voice had been tinged with a mix of feelings.He had brought up the game to smooth things over between Walter and Evangeline. However, things seemed to be spiraling a bit out of hand.As expected, Felicia's hopeful eyes locked onto Walter right next to her. "I'll take a dare. Mr. Walter Gordon, how about we share a drink with linked arms?"Everyone knew what that meant—a gesture of closeness, usually reserved for couples.Felicia's motives for cozying up to Walter were as clear as day.Her challenge sent a wave of whispers through the crowd, all eyes fixed on Walter for his response."To link arms and drink with a new flame right in front of his ex? Talk about drama!""Walter won't actually go through with it, will he? I've heard those divorce rumors are bogus, and they're trying for a baby. If he takes up Felicia on her dare, he's basically asking for trouble, right?"What the crowd did not realize was that the
Evangeline and her colleague Hank were not exactly cozy with each other, so Caden figured that his best bud Walter was Evangeline's only real option.Caden's perfect plan was about to crumble, which was too bad."This dare... sure is spicy," Evangeline remarked coolly, almost as if she were merely commenting on the weather.As everyone watched with bated breath, her gaze glided over the crowd and settled on Hank. Her eyes made her choice clear without a word.Caden was stunned. Had he just helped his rival?On the other hand, Felicia could not contain her glee.She did not care who Evangeline picked, just as long as it was not Walter. She was thrilled!Always one for drama, Felicia clapped and eagerly asked, "A French kiss, is it? So, who's the lucky guy, Ms. Evangeline?"Hank, ever the gentleman, opened his arms in a welcoming gesture."If you're game, I'm ready."He gazed at Evangeline, his deep blue eyes brimming with emotion. Their locked gazes in the midst of the crowd w
"Evangeline, can you not make a scene, please?"Evangeline was not playing around, however. She meant business this time.She had always known about Hank's crush on her. She just never reciprocated because Walter was the only one in her heart. Since she and Walter were on the brink of divorce, it was time to cut the cord for good.Taking advantage of this dare, kissing Hank was her bold declaration to Walter that she was done with him for good.Hank's years of silent devotion had not gone unnoticed by her, moreover. If she could, she would be ready to open up to him.Even though Walter was not there to see it, with everyone watching, it would have the same effect.Evangeline was sure of it: By sunrise, the whole of Avalon City would be buzzing about her steamy kiss with Hank. Once that happened, there would be no turning back for her and Walter…Lost in thought, she locked eyes with Hank. The excitement in his gaze was unmistakable. Why did she feel this twinge of guilt staring
Evangeline and Hank froze.A glimmer of hope sparked in Caden's dull eyes.The crowd had scrambled to find the source of the mood-killing noise.Hank scowled as he fished out the offending phone from his pocket.His eyes had shown a tinge of regret, and the urge to keep going with Evangeline had disappeared as soon as he saw who was calling.With Evangeline looking on, worried, Hank had taken the call. The more the person on the other end had talked, the tighter Hank's frown had become.Hank ended the call, and Evangeline noticed a sheen of sweat on his brow—a rare sight. He was always so cool and collected, like a prince out of a storybook."What's up?" she asked, her voice laced with concern."Just a little hiccup at the company," he replied, trying to sound nonchalant, but Evangeline could hear the edge of worry in his voice.The company had to be Foster Group, which Hank had recently taken charge of. Suddenly, Evangeline was not in the mood for games. She took hold of Hank
"What do you plan to do next?" Evangeline pressed, her mind spinning with ideas.Southern Crownlands would inevitably seek accountability; only then could the Gordon Group avoid the inevitable losses from the diamond case. Once the financial burden was lifted, the company would have the resources to deal with The Bennex Corporation.That was her assumption.Walter, however, never acted according to conventional wisdom, leaving her unsure of his next move."Nothing. I'll stay silent," he replied calmly.Gordon Group's reputation had already taken a hit. Any statement from him might not salvage the situation and could even be seen as a guilty conscience.He was not interested in pointless efforts that would only invite more criticism.Given the company's state, the only way to make a comeback was to let the negative news reach a tipping point before delivering a stunning reversal. Of course, one misstep could easily set the company's recovery back three to five years.As Walter p
"Heh..."Evangeline let out a cold laugh. Her mouth moved faster than her brain as she remarked, "Truly, we're a perfect pair. I sent my own father to prison, and you sent your own brother in as well..."Conflicted, Walter ran his fingers through his hair. "I had no choice. He's done far too much."If he had not taken action, not only would Evangeline's suffering have been for nothing, but Gordon Group would have been destroyed too.At that point, Walter would not have even had a place to stand, let alone care for the ailing Trey in bed.So many factors piled on top of one another. Even though he felt compassion, he had no choice but to harden his heart and hand Alex over.Evangeline had never seen Walter like this before. To her, he had always been proud, confident, and untouchable—someone who would never bow to anything or anyone.Watching him grip his hair in anguish, she could not help but feel moved."It's done. Since you've made your choice, don't regret it. There's no ro
As she sipped her coffee, Evangeline was deep in thought. She tried to figure out a topic that could naturally steer the conversation toward what she truly cared about.Walter, on the other hand, felt ignored.The stark contrast left him uncomfortable, but since he was the one who had invited Evangeline, he could not exactly complain.The silence as they each focused on their coffee grew increasingly awkward. Summoning his courage, Walter attempted to break it."How have you been, Evangeline?"The last time he had seen her was when he rescued her from Alex's clutches.Evangeline had been forced to take an unknown drug, leaving her feverish and burning up. However, because something urgent had happened at Gordon Group, Walter was forced to leave the Foster family's residence and deal with the crisis.Thinking back to how much Evangeline had suffered without him by her side filled Walter with guilt."I've been fine," replied Evangeline without a second thought.When Alex had dru
The work at the company had been exhausting. After the final meeting and deployment were arranged, Walter was dog-tired.Nonetheless, as he once again determined the company's fate, he felt compelled to come to the hospital. He knew he should not burden a bedridden elderly man with this kind of pressure. Thus, he simply wanted to come and check on Trey, to show concern for his condition.Walter had not expected to run into Evangeline in the hospital room.Amid the surprise, it was happiness that triumphed over all thoughts. He forgot the exhaustion from working nonstop for hours. All he could think of was spending more time with Evangeline, just a little longer.Evangeline pointed to the parking lot in the distance, politely rejecting him."I drove here. My ride is over there."Anyone who could drive knew how convenient it was to be alone in a car. Smart as Walter was, how could he not understand Evangeline's refusal?Even so, his desires got the better of him, and he did not wan
Aria was stunned for a moment but quickly regained her composure. "Is it a special day or something? Not only is Evie home, but Walter is here, too. Now we're all here together! What a lively family reunion."Walter slowly walked into the room.Since Evangeline was sitting, he had to stand by the side.Trey felt more giddy when he saw Walter entering.Walter immediately understood Trey and quickly said, "Everything at home is fine, Grandpa. You don't need to worry. Just focus on getting better here."Trey nodded, mumbling, "The company…""The company is fine, too. Don't you trust that Alex will take care of the company? And I wasn't just loitering around after I left the company. I've been doing things I like, living quite freely!" Walter spoke lightly, his smile so bright that it was almost blinding.If Evangeline had not seen the news that had caused such a huge stir, she might have believed what Walter said.When did Walter become such a good actor?Evangeline was inwardly
Evangeline quickly walked over and helped Aria to her feet, concerned as she asked, "Mrs. Gordon, what's wrong? Is it... Is it about Grandpa Trey?"Aria looked at the young face in front of her, and only then did she realize that it was Evangeline."I'm not seeing things, am I? Evie, is it really you?" Aria wiped her eyes in disbelief, her voice tinged with surprise.Before Evangeline could respond, Aria grabbed her hand. "You're here to see Grandpa Trey, right? He's inside, still sleeping. He hasn't been feeling well lately and just keeps sleeping. I'll wake him for you!"Aria stepped toward the door, but Evangeline, upon hearing that Trey was sleeping, quickly stopped her. "Let's not wake him now. I just came to visit."Evangeline handed the gift in her hand to Aria."How can that be?"Aria took the gift and quickly replied, "You don't know this, but he lies in bed every day just hoping someone will talk to him. Walter and the others are too busy to visit. Now that you're here
Evangeline stiffened, wiping away the tears in her eyes and pushing away Roslyn's embrace."Gordon Group is under Alex's control. Why should I be worried about Walter?"Although Roslyn knew Evangeline was just being stubborn, she did not want to argue with her."Okay, okay, you're not worried about him. But what about Trey? He's in the hospital now, and we don't even know his condition. Why not visit him?"Evangeline's gaze froze.Ever since Trey fell seriously ill, she had only seen him once and had not visited since. The old man was getting on in years; every visit might be one less time she could see him. She might have severed ties with Walter, but Trey was like her own grandfather. How could she bear not to check on him since he was in such a state?Even so…"What if I run into…"Trey was Walter's grandfather. What if she showed up and found Walter there, caring for him? Would that not be awkward?Roslyn patted the back of her hand, urging her to relax. "If I hadn't see
When Walter left the company, David resigned as well. With Walter back, the likelihood of David returning was high. At that time, where would Emma's position be?Walter immediately noticed Emma's worry. "Of course Mr. Zimmer will come back, but he is seriously injured right now and can't return for the time being. Once he recovers, he'll have his place. Just focus on your work."Emma nodded, understanding his words. "So what should we do next? The press conference by The Bennex Corporation is about to start."She glanced at the time; there was still an hour before the conference began."Should we just wait for them to make their move and not respond at all?"The issue The Bennex Corporation exposed at the press conference was a devastating blow to Gordon Group.Although the Gordon Group had a solution, the public did not know that, and it still impacted their reputation. A slight mistake could lead to irreversible damage!Walter stroked his chin. "No need for a response, but whe
"I will handle both matters properly and provide a clear explanation to all shareholders within a week."Walter's working style had always been swift and decisive. With just a few words, he managed to soothe the shareholders' concerns.As soon as he finished, the room erupted in thunderous applause. Praise followed closely behind, ringing out alongside the clapping.This was exactly the effect Walter had intended. With Alex gone and Walter regaining control of the company's management, the shareholders were fully convinced and showed no dissatisfaction.The meeting concluded.Walter was the first to return to his office.Unexpectedly, Emma followed him in without waiting for instructions.After entering the office, she stood across from his desk with her head lowered, looking hesitant as though struggling to find the words to speak.The sight annoyed Walter, and he decided to break the silence. "Ms. Carter, is there something you want to say?"Ever since discovering that Emma