Walter stood by the bed. His lips were pressed into a thin line as he yanked at his tie in frustration, then glanced at his watch."You think you don't need me? Don't even care about your grandfather?""What are you getting at?" Evangeline snapped back, still seething."Your grandfather is sick, in Avalon City. He's called me several times today. I told him we'd be there by eight tomorrow morning," said Walter, his presence aloof and intimidating."I don't need your help! I'll see my grandpa on my own!" With those words, she pushed through the pain, got up, and left the bed behind.That bedroom, her gilded prison, was nothing but a badge of disgrace.How utterly ridiculous. Walter had never once visited that place during their three-year marriage. Then, as divorce loomed, he was desperate to hold onto her.She, on the other hand, could not bear another minute there. The thought of him rescuing the Garside family for Julia's sake had killed her love for him stone dead. He had a k
"Hardly, Grandpa. You're tough as nails—a little sickness like this can't knock you down. Give it a month tops, and you'll be back on your feet. And when you are, I've got to get some painting and drawing tips from you."Your sketching skills I saw on video were killer. It's a rare find to see such talent these days." Walter knew exactly how to butter someone up, especially the older folks.Cole had taken up sketching as his golden years' hobby.Walter's compliments had Cole grinning widely, noticeably lifting his spirits. He had been worried about Evangeline being underappreciated in the Gordon family, but it looked like her husband, despite his silver-spoon upbringing, was attentive after all.Evangeline rolled her eyes at Walter. Since when did he become an art connoisseur? With his knack for sweet talk, he might as well have been a clown."You've got a silver tongue, young man, but let's see some action," said Cole. "I'm getting on in years. Evie's mother left us too soon, and
With Evangeline's back pressed against the wall, she tilted her head to meet Walter's eyes. The small space amplified his masculine scent, and she held her breath, her hands balled into fists.Her face was a mask of cool professionalism, her long lashes casting shadows over her cheeks. "Just name your price."Walter almost laughed. The warmth that had been building around him vanished in an instant. He scoffed, the muscles in his jaw working. "That's hardly how you ask for a favor, and money is the last thing I need.""Alright, then! Forget what I asked." Evangeline was done bowing to him.She bit her lip and tried to push him away, but Walter pushed her back against the wall. His hand gripped her waist, holding her in a charged standstill. "Believe it or not, I could say one word and George would never lift a finger to help you, no matter what you do.""Walter! You're shameless!"Evangeline tried to kick him, but he caught her leg and wrapped it around his waist. "If you don't w
To Evangeline's surprise, the receptionists barely acknowledged her. Their eyes flicked up before returning to their tasks as if she were invisible.One of them sneered, "Looks like we've got all kinds in this big forest. Thinking your money can buy Mr. Walter Gordon's attention? He's not just anyone's for the taking.""I'm Walter's wife. Where is he?" Evangeline shot back, not in the mood for their games.They laughed. "Miss, you look like you're somebody, so why the sudden delusion? The president's wife just delivered his breakfast.""Mrs. Walter Gordon? Breakfast?" Evangeline could not help but laugh at the ridiculous claim. She was eager to see what kind of show Walter had going on during his 'trouble-free' days at the office.She breezed past the security checkpoint and into the building.The receptionists scrambled to call security, but Walter's assistant intervened, chiding them, "That woman is our president's wife."The receptionists at the front desk were visibly shaken
Julia was a whirlwind of humiliation and fury, her eyes bloodshot. She was the beloved Rearden heiress, the entertainment world's violin prodigy, and Walter's untouchable angel.She could not possibly degrade herself by engaging with such a coarse woman from the sticks.She must not lose her composure in front of Walter.With a pitiful gaze, she turned to him, "I'm so sorry, Walt. I shouldn't have come today."At least she knew Walter was on her side. She would let Evangeline carry on with her vulgarity. After all, Walter despised that sort of woman above all else.With that thought, she let go of any pettiness toward Evangeline and grabbed her own 30000-dollar sparkly designer bag. She could not help but sneak a peek at Evangeline's purse.Evangeline's accessory was supposedly a 75000-dollar exclusive, a one-of-a-kind in all of Avalon City, rumored to be snapped up by some secret high-roller family.However, Evangeline's was obviously a knockoff. Pure vanity and tastelessness i
Evangeline said no more, grabbed her bag, and left with a defiant swagger.Walter never saw it coming. Evangeline's abrupt departure left him staring at her retreating figure, his gaze heavy with unspoken thoughts. His brows knitted together, and a tightness in his chest grew until he could not stand it anymore.He irritatedly yanked at his tie and threw it aside with a forceful snap.…Deep into the night, Walter was the last man working. His desk lamp was the lone island of light in an otherwise deserted building.Even Evangeline, with all her reservations about him, could not deny Walter's prowess in business. Clinical and detached he might be, but his work was flawless, his talent exceptional. It was his vision and drive that had built Strata King Group from the ground up, steering it to prosper under his watchful eye."Still burning the midnight oil, Mr. Walter Gordon?" Evangeline's voice broke the silence as she stepped in, slipping off her coat.The coat revealed a form-f
Evangeline's hand deftly found its way into his pants. "You know, I've practiced unbuckling your belt alone at home more times than I can count over the past three years."Walter was a bundle of nerves, his body reacting with a mix of tenderness and tension, the air charged with an unspoken promise.Before Evangeline could protest, Walter's lips claimed hers in a kiss that set their hearts racing.Lost in the moment, his tongue explored the sweetness of her mouth, their breaths quickening in unison.Her touch was so enthralling that it left him aching all over.Caught in the haze of desire, Walter's inner voice screamed that he was done holding back. He yearned to unravel her, to meld her into his very being.Just then, Evangeline's other hand snapped a photo with her phone. The flash yanked Walter back to reality."What are you doing?" he rasped, his voice rough with longing. "You planning to keep that as a keepsake?"With a mighty shove, Evangeline pushed him away, her previo
Evangeline's eyebrow arched, her focus unbroken.She opened the door and left without hesitation.Walter stood alone, a towering figure, as menacing as a demon risen from the depths.His thoughts were swirling, haunted by her declaration that she would find another man and have kids, but that he would never father these children.His brows knotted in anguish. He let out a bitter, mocking laugh.Face set hard, he fought the rage boiling in his veins and strode into the bathroom.On the way, he dialed his assistant Oscar. "Lock down the lobby, Julia is not to set foot in here."Walter was right on the money; Julia had been a ticking time bomb since getting Evangeline's text. She made a beeline for the Strata King Group tower, only to be stopped abruptly by the security detail.Her calls to Walter hit a dead end, and Evangeline had blacklisted her.Fury consumed her, her eyes blazing with volcanic hate.She lost it, screaming at the top of her lungs, "Evangeline's up there with
The pain was so intense that Alex felt like he was choking.He tried to speak, to ask why, but memories of his younger years clamped his mouth shut. After all, calling out Trey for his unfairness was like asking to be kicked when he was already down.Alex had always been the outsider in the Gordon family, especially in Trey's eyes.Both were grandsons, but Trey treated Alex and Walter worlds apart. Alex could do something flawlessly and barely dodge a scolding, but if Walter did the same, Trey would sing his praises to the heavens.Eventually, every servant in the Gordon mansion knew Alex was the grandson Trey did not care for. He became the invisible one, the kid who got nothing from the Gordons but food, drink, and a ticket to school. Not a shred of the warmth and affection that should come with family.Little Alex watched everyone fawn over Walter, and a seed of envy and jealousy sprouted silently in his heart. Those feelings for Walter, tangled and twisted, just grew more comp
However, the line between paradise and disaster was just a heartbeat away.At Walter's eighteenth birthday bash, Trey handed over the reins of Gordon Group to him as a rite of passage gift, right in front of everyone.Alex, who had always seen himself as the head of the Gordon family, turned into the punchline of a bad joke that day, in the eyes of all the guests and the Gordon family.Stunned, Alex stood rooted to the spot until Trey's pointed look snapped him back to reality.He gritted his teeth and stayed until the party was over. Walter, holding the appointment papers, looked bewildered as he caught Alex's eye.It was obvious that he was just as clueless about why a simple birthday had turned his world upside down.The brothers were about to speak when Trey suddenly whisked Alex away.In the silence of the study, Trey did not lecture Alex. He just floated a few comforting words his way."Alex, you've put in a ton of work at the company over the years. Now that Walter is al
Alex's eyes were dead serious. He was not kidding around.Walter's gaze sharpened as he tucked away his inner scoff. "Why the sudden need for a job? What's got you coming to me?"Or could it be that the mighty son of the Gordon family can't snag a job in the sprawling Avalon City?"By the end of his words, Walter's eyes brimmed with scorn.The brothers had shared their childhood, growing up side by side.Walter, the youngest son of the family, was always tagging along after Alex, calling him 'big bro' this and 'big bro' that. They had been thick as thieves.However, at some point, a thin veil of distance had settled between them, turning their once robust bond of brotherhood into something delicate and strained.Then came Evangeline, whose arrival sent their shaky bond into a tailspin.Out of everyone in the Gordon family, Alex was the one Walter could not stand the most.However, Walter's petty schemes barely registered with Alex, who just gave a half-hearted smirk, a grin th
David took the keychain and offered it up to Walter with all due respect. "You dropped this."Walter only realized what David was handing him when he saw it—a keychain. He took it, turning it over in his hands, feeling its weight. "Thank you. This means a lot to me.""Did... Did Mrs. Gordon give this to you?"David knew better than to dig into his boss's personal life, but he could not help asking, given how much Walter seemed to care about the keychain.To David, it seemed like only Evangeline could make Walter hold something in such high regard.Walter managed a weak smile in response. "I wish it was from her..."If only Evangeline had been the one to save him, then all the troubles he faced would have melted away…He let his voice trail off, making no attempt to hide his feelings."You didn't bring it up, but I almost forgot. When you get back, you'll have more than just your regular duties. You'll need to help me with an investigation..."He was determined to find out the
Guilt washed over David, and his heart throbbed with pain.A thought struck him. Maybe he owed it to himself to try again, to make amends to the woman who had lost hope because of him.Little did David know, his seemingly simple question had set off a tidal wave in Walter's heart.Walter's history with Evangeline was like a jigsaw puzzle with too many pieces missing. It was not as easy as just wanting something anymore.Without Cole, without the kids, Evangeline, who never really liked him, would not even spare him a second glance. It was just like Alex had said.Evangeline had only married him because she thought he was someone else.For whatever reason, Julia, with her web of lies, made him neglect his one true love, Evangeline. He even shamed her when she longed for a child.The mistake was made worse, the guilt heavier. Even if he could not make sense of it, his chances were gone…With that thought, Walter cracked a wry smile. "We're different, and whether it makes sense or
"Is there really no chance for you and Celina to...?" Walter began, his curiosity getting the better of him, but David cut him off."Mr. Walter Gordon, it's time to leave the past behind."With the Southern Crownlands diamond mine case wrapped up, David felt a weight lift off his chest.He could not afford to take a break. The moment he did, Celina's face, filled with disappointment in the blizzard, would haunt him.He had always figured that being a guy, it was normal to miss out on time with Celina because of work commitments. He just had to swallow his pride, talk to her heart-to-heart, and she would get where he was coming from.Thus, when he finally got to see her, he laid his cards on the table, all his sincerity on show.However, things did not pan out the way he had hoped, and it was not just him who paid the price—Evangeline and the Foster family got dragged into a whole heap of trouble.Then, haunted by guilt, Celina's disappointed face haunted his dreams, growing shar
In the past, Julia would not have batted an eye at whatever grand gesture Ethan made for her.However, things had changed. After pouring her heart out for Walter, only to have it wasted, how could she not feel a pang of guilt and a rush of gratitude when Ethan still stood by her side, ready to give his all?Ethan gently stroked her hair, his eyes soft with affection. "Julia, you shouldn't have to worry about this...""But I can't help it!" Julia's voice broke through her restraint, loud and clear. "Why should Walter get away with hurting me, and then turn around and manipulate you?"Ethan's eyes flickered shut for a moment, clearly done with the conversation. "Let's go home."Hand in hand, they made their way onto the plane at Meadowvale's private airstrip. Walter, bound by his deal with Ethan, had no choice but to bid them farewell.He watched the sleek private jet take off, his gaze deep and calculating, a sly smile playing on his lips. That was his first chess move against t
Julia gazed at the man's face, her mind wandering.Was it true? This man, who everyone looked up to, dropped everything—his work, his family duties—to be there, all because he did not want her to be alone?What kind of feeling was that?Whatever it was, just seeing what he had done was enough to stir any girl's heart.Even Julia, who had Walter in her thoughts, could not hide her emotions.Tears filled her eyes, and without a care for the watchful eyes of the bodyguard, she lunged into the man's embrace."Thank you. Thank you for still choosing to love me, Your Highness."She hardly ever used such formal titles for the guy, standing in front of her.Titles like 'duke' or 'viscount' from overseas just were not her thing. She even thought that using them created an invisible gap between people.However, right then, she felt compelled to use his title, as a reminder to herself of just how incredible he was.In Julia's eyes, Ethan Jefferson was infinitely better than Walter—by a
The diamond mines in Southern Crownlands were a gold mine, literally. Any official could name their price and be set for life. There was no way they would turn down a fortune that was practically in their hands.Unless... It was all because of the guy standing in front of Walter.As Walter locked eyes with him, the man casually threw up his hands. "No need to be suspicious. I gave him a ring before I came to see you. For a deal this big, he wouldn't dare call the shots without backup."Walter's stoic expression betrayed none of his thoughts, while the man in front of him seemed like he could not wait a second longer."Do you still have reservations? If you do, why don't you mull it over here while I go see Julia?" The man spoke as he casually opened his arms, allowing Walter's crew to give him a quick pat-down."Don't worry, I'm here to rescue, not to wreak havoc. Why would I bring anything dangerous?"Walter caught his bodyguard's eye with a meaningful glance.Getting the hint,