Andrew was ghostly pale.The room turned super awkward in an instant, but Evangeline seemed to be the only one keeping it together.She knew all too well how much Julia meant to Walter, so she would not be shocked by anything he did for Julia.Even so, why did her heart still ache like this?In front of Andrew and Lydia, she fought hard to keep her hands from clutching at her chest.'How can you still not get it, Evangeline? Walter is all about Julia. You've got to let him go!' she chided herself.Walter made it to the Foster Group building in under 10 minutes.Stepping into the reception room, his towering figure instantly made it feel cramped.Lydia latched onto Walter's arm like he was her lifeline. "Walter, that vixen Evangeline claimed Julia was with you! Is that for real?"You've been guarding Julia like she's some state secret. Why didn't you clue me in sooner? We, the old folks, need a little peace of mind, you know!"But you know, Julia's had it rough from the start
Evangeline watched the drama unfold with a serene expression. She could not believe the words coming out of Walter's mouth, but she stayed cool and collected, curious to see how he would wiggle his way out of Lydia's wild accusations.Walter just put a finger to his lips and shushed her—as if that would make everything alright.Lydia's voice dropped to a whisper as she locked eyes with Walter, her gaze wide with fear. "What are you planning? You're not thinking of shipping me off to Northern Montavia too, are you?"Walter let out a scoff, his words dripping with scorn. "As if! You're way past your prime, and your organs are hardly worth anything. They'd probably complain about having to feed you for nothing if we sent you to Northern Montavia!"His sneer was like a knife, cutting deeper into Lydia's hopelessness. "I just wanted to give you a little heads-up," he said coolly. "The cops... They're here already."He had dialed 911 the moment he arrived with that incriminating photo.
Everything happened in a blur, so fast that Evangeline could not wrap her head around it. When she snapped back to reality, she saw Walter staggering in front of her, his body about to collapse. The bodyguards were quick to catch him.Evangeline moved to face him, about to ask if he was okay, when she noticed the sharp knife from Lydia's hand buried in Walter's stomach, blood pouring out like a crimson fountain.Chaos erupted around them. Walter, hurt and unable to think straight, acted on pure instinct. He ripped the knife out and lunged at the person who had caused all this mess.The cops were just as shocked, rushing in and yelling, "Mr. Walter Gordon, please calm down!" In the nick of time, they pulled Lydia back, and the knife meant for her heart only slashed her arm.Lydia was spared, but Walter, drained from the effort, collapsed. The cops could not waste another second. They whisked Lydia and Andrew off to the squad car.Walter's assistant David and the paramedics showed u
Evangeline huffed in annoyance. "If they hadn't let their guard down, Andrew wouldn't have had his chance. Whatever, just remind your guy to be more careful next time."Dwelling on the bodyguards' slip-up was pointless. It was not something worth her precious time.Then Wade brought up something else. "Um... Mr. Walter Gordon's in surgery right now. The knife got him pretty deep, and he lost a lot of blood. You thinking about dropping by to check on him?"He glanced at Evangeline's face as he said it.The whole of Avalon City was buzzing with the news that Evangeline was planning to divorce Walter. Even Wade, her ever-present assistant, could not quite figure out how she felt about Walter."No, I need some quiet time," Evangeline replied, pressing a hand to her forehead.This day had been a whirlwind, with one revelation after another shaking her whole worldview of Walter. She had to get her thoughts straight before she could even think about how to deal with him.It was best to
The Foster Group's private airstrip was just a stone's throw from the public one.Evangeline and Wade got there just as two swanky private jets were touching down.Evangeline was buzzing with excitement. Which two of her uncles would be stepping off the planes?Her uncles had struck out on their own when they were just kids, so even though she was raised by her grandfather, she had not really gotten to know all of them. It was something she always felt a little bummed about.With her birthday celebration bringing everyone together though, she figured it would be a blast for them and a real treat for Cole.The planes came to a halt, and as soon as they stopped, the hatch on the plane to Evangeline's left swung open.A tall guy in a crisp white outfit and shades made his way down the steps.On the right, a dude wearing a cool black getup with a hip-hop vibe hairstyle stepped off the other plane.Evangeline saw both uncles disembark at the same time and was torn on who to greet fi
"Now we've got you, Evie, and there's no way we're letting you go through that again, letting that loser push you around!"Aemon's fists were clenched tight, his face a mask of anger."Absolutely! Walter's not getting off easy!"Holden jumped in, his tone even more biting than Aemon's."We're going to make that awful couple pay! They'll apologize to Evie in front of everyone! Tomorrow! I want the whole world to know you don't mess with the Fosters. A tiger is still a tiger, even without its teeth. We might be running a clean business now, but we're still the Fosters, and nobody better forget it!"Evangeline watched Aemon and Holden speaking with such passion. She felt a mix of relief and concern stirring inside her.The Foster family had not always had it easy, but thanks to Cole's heroic smarts, her uncles enjoyed a life of peace and stability. Evangeline knew their happiness was hard-won, and she could not bear the thought of her uncles facing turmoil again just for her sake.
Evangeline stood right by Cole, blushing a little from the attention."That's right, I've got to grow up so I can take good care of Grandpa!" she chimed in, playing along with Cole's sentiment.Her sweet words made Cole's heart swell with pride."Sweetheart, you're so charming!"As they chatted, a thought seemed to strike Cole out of the blue. "You know, when it comes to being dutiful, Walter's really something. Without him getting that top doctor, Dr. George, I wouldn't have bounced back so fast. Now, all I'm waiting for is some great news from you and Walter."If you could give me the chance to cuddle my precious great-grandkid, I could close my eyes this very second and say I've lived a full life!"Evangeline could not help but roll her eyes at the non-stop compliments.Was Walter that generous? She had to make a trade for his help, did she not?That was something she could not admit, though. Grandpa Cole was just starting to get better, and if anything about her and Walter
The thought that Walter was hurt because of her sent a pang through her heart that she just could not shake off.Walter's eyes fluttered open on the hospital bed, and he spotted Aria keeping vigil by his side. He parted his lips to speak but then thought better of it, his hand shaking as he reached for the water glass on the nightstand.Was he parched?Evangeline caught on and, tossing aside any concern for her own belated entrance, burst through the door and hurried to Walter's side.Just as her fingers grazed the glass, Aria, who had only been dozing, snapped awake.Spotting Evangeline behind her and seeing Walter's hand hanging in the air, Aria instantly grasped the situation. She snatched the glass before Evangeline could and placed it firmly in Walter's grasp."You finally show up, huh? Some savior you are," said Aria, her voice dripping with scorn.Her son had been coddled from birth, yet here he was, hurt because of Evangeline. She had not even had the decency to check on
Roslyn's eyes widened as she spoke, her hands busy patting and checking Evangeline's face and body as if to ensure she was truly unharmed.Evangeline pushed away her overly concerned best friend and said helplessly,"Of course I'm fine! You and Celina both have things to get to. I'm just at home alone—what could happen?""You never know! That's exactly why I worry when you're by yourself!" Roslyn rolled her eyes dramatically.Evangeline had been kidnapped so many times that it had left her perpetually on edge. Any slight disturbance, and Roslyn's first instinct was to rush back and make sure Evangeline was safe.This time, Evangeline seemed more surprised than Roslyn."Roslyn, didn't you say you were going to the company to work on your new album? Why are you back so suddenly?"Hearing this, Roslyn finally found a vent for her pent-up frustration."What do you think, my little goddess? Let me ask you first—did you post that update supporting Gordon Group on your social media acc
Evangeline found a few photos in her phone's gallery, added some text, and posted them on her social media account.[As someone once part of Gordon Group, I just want to say—hang in there!]The accompanying image featured a large clenched fist with splashes of crimson above it, resembling bloodstains.Clearly, she was prepared to take a firm stand against The Bennex Corporation.Evangeline had underestimated her own influence.Within just 10 minutes of posting, her update went viral with tens of thousands of shares and an uncountable number of clicks. Her gesture of support for Gordon Group caused such a surge in traffic that the platform temporarily crashed.After struggling to log back into her account, Evangeline was overwhelmed by the flood of comments, some good and some bad.Some were shocked by her sudden reappearance.[Our Little Princess Foster finally posted! This is amazing!]Others expressed outrage over her post.[How can our beloved support Walter, that scumbag?
Some speculated that Gordon Group did not even regard the insignificant Bennex Corporation worthy of its attention.Others went further, theorizing that Gordon Group had always been a money-laundering operation. Since it had supposedly made enough, it wanted to abandon the way of crimes, using this controversy—allegedly coordinated with The Bennex Corporation—as a cover for its graceful exit.Despite the media's wild speculations, Gordon Group remained silent.Perhaps unsatisfied with the first wave of attacks, which felt like a punch against a pillow that only shook the Gordon Group's stock price slightly, The Bennex Corporation's CEO quickly launched a second offensive.…The early summer sun shone brightly, and the weather grew warmer. Those in good health had already shed their coats for T-shirts.It was a clear day with a cloudless sky, and the streets were as bustling as ever. At first glance, everything seemed just as usual. However, those with sharper perception would not
Evangeline took a deep breath and asked, "So, I need to know—were you serious about what you just said?"Little did she know that while she was carefully pondering her decision, Walter had gotten the answer he wanted.If Evangeline had truly wanted to sever ties with Gordon Group, she would not have spent so long thinking about it. Her hesitation proved that her heart still cared about the company.If that was the case, could he dare to hope that her heart still cared about him too?Walter could not hold back anymore. He grabbed Evangeline's small hand and held it tightly."Thank you."His voice was husky, imbued with a magnetic charm. The seriousness in his gaze only heightened his overwhelming masculine allure.His heart softened at that moment, mirroring the delicate hand he held. Evangeline's hand was so soft and light, as if boneless, and he could not help but gently squeeze it, rubbing his thumb over her palm as though trying to etch the sensation into his soul.What he d
"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