As Walter grilled Evangeline, his mind was racing with silent calculations.If nothing happened, why did Evangeline change her clothes at Alex's place? What could they have possibly done that was so intense it warranted a change of clothes?The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. The fire inside him grew wilder.The car was cramped, and Walter's attention turned menacingly to Evangeline's lower half.Her small frame was trapped, and when he started to pull away her clothes, she had no room to fight back.Realizing what Walter was about to do, Evangeline was struck with horror. "Walter, if you go through with this, I'll hate you forever!"She was the cherished princess of the Foster family, the jewel in her uncles' crowns.Walter was treating Evangeline like she was just there for his pleasure, ready at his beck and call.She had feelings for Walter, no doubt about it, but she would never stand for being treated with such disrespect.Sadly, Walter was too caught up in
Evangeline could barely make out Walter's profile in the dim light by the roadside. "So, you think you can treat me this way just because you're angry?"Walter, what do you think I am? Some kind of pleasure device?"Evangeline's voice thundered in the cramped car, shaking Walter to his core. She wrenched herself from his grip and fixed her clothes right in front of him.At that moment, she was not just Walter's wife. She was the untouchable, golden girl of the Foster family, and she would not stand for this treatment from any man! Her clothes were the last shred of dignity she clung to in Walter's presence."Walter, this is goodbye!" She meant they were done for good.Walter's ears rang with the slam of the car door, leaving him in a silence so deep he could hear his own heart breaking. He looked around the empty car, feeling a hollow echo inside himself. His undone belt and pants were a silent testament to his recent actions.In a moment of self-loathing, Walter slapped himself
"Alex, the drama between me and Walter is not your problem, so don't sweat it."The fight had kicked off in Alex's house, but really, it was just old grudges boiling over. Alex was just caught in the crossfire; he did not have anything to do with it.Evangeline could tell Alex was probably beating himself over it, so she quickly offered some comforting words.What she did not realize was that her kindness was like a warm blanket for Alex's soul."Evie, I'm alright as long as you're okay... That's what counts."His words were a whisper, but they were packed with so much honesty that Evangeline could not help it. Her tears just spilled over.Feeling so low after Walter's harsh treatment, Alex's words lifted her spirits sky-high."Thanks, Alex," she said, meaning every word.Nevermind Walter. Alex was the person she needed at this moment, someone to make her feel valued when she felt at her worst."No biggie."Alex was smiling on the other end of the line, but he still took a mo
Evangeline and Alex traded stories, each one making them laugh more than the last.Meanwhile, Walter was in a rough spot. He was gutted when he realized Evangeline blocked him.Alone, he headed back to Crystal Waters House, only to find that Evangeline had not returned, which sent him into a tailspin.Evangeline was gone, and it looked like she might not come back at all.That just could not happen.He had to see her... he had to make her listen to his side of the story!Where could Evangeline have gone? If she was not at Crystal Waters House, where else would she be?Cole was sick. Even if she was mad at him, she would not just skip out on visiting Cole, would she?Walter felt like he had a lead. He willed himself to sleep and recharge, determined to head over to Cole's to track down Evangeline.Nonetheless, Evangeline's determined eyes haunted him, and he tossed and turned all night. With dark bags under his eyes, he got up at the crack of dawn and made his way to the Foster
Walter could accept Evangeline being mad at him, but it drove him nuts when she dodged him like he was some kind of monster.Evangeline could not help but laugh. "Why would I be avoiding you?"All she wanted was to give him the cold shoulder, plain and simple."So you..." 'Why are you taking off?'Walter's question hung in the air as his phone buzzed to life. He saw the caller ID and accepted the call without hesitation.Trey's voice came through loud and clear. "Walter, do you have any idea how long it's been since you last dropped by?"The old man's tone was laced with a touch of longing, obviously hinting that he wanted Walter to pay him a visit.That was when Walter realized he had been so wrapped up in Evangeline lately that he had forgotten visiting Trey."How about I swing by tomorrow?"He thought about saying 'today', but he had just managed to catch Evangeline, and he had a whole lot to say to her. He could not possibly leave today.Trey was just itching to see Walte
Walter did not care if he threw James off his schedule. He planted himself in front of James's car, stubborn as a mule."Walter, when did you sign up for security duty?" asked James sarcastically, stepping out of his car with a sigh. "If you're going to play watchdog, shouldn't you be on your own turf? What's the deal with camping out at my place?"The Fosters had a top-notch security setup. The second Walter took up his post, James got the heads-up from his bodyguards. He knew exactly why Walter was there, even if he pretended otherwise.James had figured the high-and-mighty young master would crack after getting the cold shoulder from the Foster clan and beat a hasty retreat. Walter was full of surprises, though, holding his ground for two days without budging an inch.James had to step in, worried that the ruckus might tip Cole off to something being amiss. It was time to confront Walter head-on.Walter could easily pick up on the sarcasm in James' words, but he had bigger fish
If it were not for Walter's high status, and considering how he had treated Evangeline, Roslyn would not even waste a second glance at him.Yet there she was, in the cutthroat world of entertainment, where crossing Walter could spell disaster for her career. Thus, for the sake of her paycheck, she played along."Sorry for taking up your time."Walter was not the type to apologize. With his high-flying status, people usually tripped over themselves to please him. Why would anyone be annoyed with him?He understood why Roslyn might be ticked off with him, though. Since he needed her help, he would have to suck it up, no matter how much it stung."Evangeline's been missing for days. You got any clue where she might be?"Roslyn blinked, caught off guard, before it clicked."Mr. Walter Gordon, did I hear you right? You're asking about Evie?"Walter gave a firm nod.Roslyn leaned her head on her hand. "Unless I'm mistaken, you two aren't divorced yet, right?"That question hit Walt
Walter had just put the final flourish on a contract when he grabbed the list of new names and flipped to the end to sign off. As his pen danced across the page, he shot a question over his shoulder."So, how many fresh faces are joining us as interns? Got any standouts?" Walter asked.David, who had been Walter's right-hand man for years, knew what he meant. He had the information ready, just waiting for the cue. "We've got five new interns this year. One is a real jack-of-all-trades and shines bright in the bunch. You know we've got that gap in the secretarial pool? HR is buzzing about grooming this star. If they catch your eye, boss, they're in."The HR chief was one of Trey's crew, an unbiased man who acted lawfully and abidingly. That was why, when Walter was removing Trey's people from the group, he kept this gem on board.Walter's eyebrow raised. "Impressing that old coot is no walk in the park. Who's the kid?"He fanned out the employee files he had, looking for a clue, bu