The room went from buzzing to dead silent in a heartbeat.Walter's cheeks burned, and he then scowled. Evangeline could almost taste his anger, sparked by her cutting words.Well, well, Walter was ticked off!Her eyes flicked to Minnie, who was practically glowing with jealousy."Mr. Walter Gordon is really into that Julia girl, huh? I have to admit, I'm a bit green with envy. She has to be something special, right? How else could she get Mr. Walter Gordon's heart?"Evangeline could not quite put her finger on the mix of daze and longing in Minnie's eyes. She had meant to stir the pot by dropping Julia's name, but had she somehow become Minnie's wingman instead?Suddenly, this felt like the last place Evangeline wanted to be.With a huff, she spun on her heel and stormed out.Walter's voice floated after her."Ms. Kast, you're pretty amazing yourself. No need to sell yourself short."What Evangeline missed, as she marched away, was the sly trace of Walter's fingers over his v
"Alex, isn't it past your clock-out time? What's keeping you at school?"Alex, being the unique music teacher at Avalon University, had his work hours tailored to his own timetable.Alex gave an embarrassed chuckle, maneuvered his wheelchair closer, and said, "The nicer the school is to me, the more I feel I shouldn't just coast along, you know?"Evangeline paused for a moment, not quite catching his drift."Actually, a couple of students were struggling with the basics, so I stayed back to give them a hand with their technique. Just as we wrapped up the extra session, I spotted you out on the field."Alex offered an easy explanation and casually asked Evangeline, "Why are you here? You don't have classes today, right? What's up with the surprise visit?"The question caught Evangeline off guard, and she suddenly thought of Walter, who was all over Minnie like they were glued together."Just killing time," she shrugged. "Thought I'd swing by the school and get a taste of the good
The mood shifted to a somber note, tugging at Evangeline's heartstrings.She still had not mustered the courage to ask about the mystery of Alex's legs, his eyes always carrying a kind of sadness that made her questions die in her throat."Alex, I'll always be nice to you. Don't worry about that, okay?"Alex had been incredibly brave, more than Evangeline had realized. If she had to switch from being healthy to relying on a wheelchair just to get around, she was not sure she could have handled it. Seeing Alex, her heart ached even more for him."Hey, how about we go for a little adventure outside? Back when you were at Avalon University, I was still in high school. I always wished we could've been on the same campus."While talking, Evangeline started wheeling Alex toward the door. His voice, full of surprise and happiness, stopped her. "You wanted to be at the same school as me?""Of course! You're amazing. If you taught me just one or two of your tricks, I'd be the queen of my
Evangeline finally got what Alex meant by 'doesn't seem all that bad'. She forced a smile, her lips barely curving."That's history. I'm doing pretty well now… But Alex, you're not the same guy."Alex's eyes widened in shock, but deep down, he was nervous that Evangeline might know what he was thinking."How have I changed?""You used to be straight up with me. You'd tell me if I asked you anything. Now... you clam up. What about the good stuff, even if you don't want to dump your troubles on me? Like..."Her eyes danced with a spark of mischief, and she put on a sly grin. "Like your new student from abroad, Ms. Kast?"She played it up, acting all bubbly, like she was just innocently curious about this new woman in Alex's life."Why do you care about her all of a sudden?" Alex had a hunch. "You're not asking for Walter's sake, are you?"It was no secret—Minnie's crush on Walter was obvious to everyone."Well, yeah." Evangeline's gaze softened. "No point in hiding it from you.
Alex had a way with words that made it seem like he was saying a lot, but when Evangeline really listened, there was not much there at all."Ever seen her family around?" Evangeline was on a mission for the truth because she had a hunch that Minnie was actually Julia in disguise.If Minnie really had a family, then Evangeline was probably barking up the wrong tree.Alex's eyes flickered, and in their dark depths, only Evangeline's slim shadow was reflected.Their eyes locked, and Alex gave a small shake of his head. "I've never met Minnie's family. I only heard about them from the boss when he brought Minnie on as my student."Evangeline breathed a small sigh of relief. At least half of the weight on her chest lifted.For a second, she was scared stiff that Alex would drop the bomb—that Minnie really did have a family of her own.Alex's vague response was oddly comforting.She did not know how Julia could have turned into Minnie, but if there was one thing she knew about Julia,
"Don't bother returning if you can't make Walter come home tonight, Evangeline!"It was New Year's Eve.Every home was aglow, families embracing the joy of togetherness. Evangeline Rearden, however, was excluded from the glee. She raced her heavy motorcycle down Jetty Road, cutting through the biting cold wind on a mission to expose Walter's infidelity aboard a cruise ship.The whole city buzzed with the news that her stay-away husband, Walter Gordon, has splurged on a cruise for his mistress, complete with a fireworks display.Still ringing in her ears was the harsh ultimatum her mother-in-law, Aria Jones, delivered at the Gordon family's New Year's Eve feast."Evangeline, Walter is so averse to seeing you that he hasn't come home for the holidays in years! You're just warming the bench. If you can't give us a Gordon heir, call it quits early. Step aside and let a more fertile woman take your place as Mrs. Walter Gordon."Three years into their marriage, all Evangeline could thi
Evangeline held her gaze before breaking into a sly smile. Her eyes sparkled mischievously as she sauntered toward Walter, heels clicking on the floor.She pulled out a disinfectant wipe and, with a show of casual authority, began to clean the spot on his silk shirt that Julia had touched."You think I want to be in this dump? I'm only here because Grandpa and Mom wouldn't stop nagging."She tossed the wipe away and straightened his collar with feigned nonchalance. "Are you done playing around? Ready to go home?""Go home for what? To play house and make babies?" Walter's dark eyes shimmered with a mysterious allure as he towered over her. "Do you really think you're fit to bear my children?"A laugh escaped Evangeline, a mix of disbelief and pain. Her heart ached like never before.She had, once upon a time, truly wanted to be a mother.Cole was getting on in years, and late-stage lung cancer was a clear sign his days were numbered. His dying wish was to see her and Walter have
Evangeline's alluring stance sent pulses racing.Pop, pop, pop! Balls dropped into pockets with stunning precision.Her skill was breathtaking. She was every bit Walter's equal, if not better.A hidden gem, indeed.Not just the onlookers, but even Walter's expression changed too. The sound of someone gulping was unmistakable in the tense silence.Then there was the sheer fabric clinging to her body, barely there, which made Walter's face darken with anger.His eyes, dark and predatory, did not miss a thing.Who would have thought? His wife, the one who hardly left their home, had some serious secrets up her sleeve. Her skill at the pool table was not only a shock to the onlookers but to him as well—he had had no idea.Walter's right-hand man, Hector, could tell things were about to go south and quickly ushered everyone out. However, Julia, blind to the brewing storm, stubbornly stayed put.She had hoped to see Evangeline humiliated, but the tables had turned. It was Julia who