"What's the big deal? We can just grab whatever. As long as we're not hungry, it's all good, right?"Roslyn was thinking simple, while Evangeline's mind was racing a mile a minute."Here's the thing, I... I just got my period. But we're out of pads."Before Roslyn could even process what was going on, Evangeline clutched her belly and dropped a bombshell. "Uncle Yale is downstairs, and I'd be mortified to ask him to buy them. Could you maybe go with him to pick up some food and grab a pack for me?"Evangeline's eyes were pleading, almost begging.Roslyn's mind went blank with a buzz.Getting sanitary pads for Evangeline was not an issue, but going with Yale for the task was another story."Why don't we all go together?" Roslyn chimed in, trying to break the ice.She just could not shake off the weird vibes whenever she was alone with Yale."Me, this time of the month?" Evangeline quipped without missing a beat, her words dripping with sarcasm. "You wouldn't drag me out there,
"How's it going? I heard you've started acting in movies and TV shows?""Yeah, I've been on set lately." Roslyn's reply came quickly, but her gaze stayed glued to the window, as if this was no big deal.Yale swallowed a sigh and looked away. "So you went ahead with it."He bit back the words 'You never listen'.Still, even without him saying it, Roslyn got the message loud and clear."Does it even matter if I go or not? It's my choice, right?" Roslyn had been in the car for a while, but only now did she look over at Yale.He had not changed a bit. Sharp in his suit and shoes, he had that cool, collected look of a guy who got it all together.Just seeing him like that sent waves of longing through Roslyn. What a shame that a catch like him was never meant for her.No matter how hard she tried, no matter how sweet she was, she never seemed to catch his eye.Nonetheless, Roslyn had her pride, and she would show Yale how much it hurt. Thus, she hid behind a wall of anger."What's
Evangeline, peeking out from her villa, was over the moon seeing Yale and Roslyn heading out together. She knew them both well enough. Yes, there was an age gap, but why let good fortune slip away to strangers?She was practically on the edge of her seat, rooting for them, almost ready to give them a nudge closer.However, as she was about to step back from her secret lookout, a familiar shadow caught her eye. Her gaze sharpened with a hint of danger.She could spot him in a crowd, even if he disguised himself.She had to give credit to Walter. The guy had some serious moves, waltzing in and out of the swanky Emerald of the Highlands like he owned the place.She could not, in good conscience, fault the security. With Walter's connections, there was not a nook in Avalon City he could not slip into.However, what puzzled her was how he had even thought to look for her here. Since the birthday party wrapped up, they had not so much as whispered about this birthday gift.If he had p
However, as Evangeline looked closer, she noticed the changes.Walter was the type of guy who always looked picture-perfect, a real public figure. However, after a few days out of sight, he sported a shadow of stubble on his chin, and his usually slick hair seemed a touch oily. The Walter from the prestigious Gordon family looked... well, a bit rough around the edges.Could he be looking like this because of her?The thought hit Evangeline like a punch to the gut, but she shook it off quickly.Why on earth would Walter let himself go for her sake? Maybe things were not going so hot with Minnie, and that was why he was here."Come on in," she said indifferently. She did not even wait for a response before heading back inside.They sat across from each other on the couch. Evangeline could not be bothered to offer Walter a drink and cut right to the chase. "Mr. Walter Gordon, you're here, and we're face to face. So, what's up? Spit it out."She was the picture of comfortable and cu
Evangeline just shrugged and rolled her eyes at Walter.'I warned you to make the most of your time, but you wasted it. Now look who's back?' she thought, her scornful glance saying it all.Walter got the message loud and clear.However, before he could react, he grabbed Evangeline's wrist, yanked her into the bathroom, and slammed the door shut behind them.Evangeline blinked, realizing she was trapped in the bathroom with Walter."Come on. If Uncle Yale's back, he's back. What's the big deal with hiding?"Evangeline gave an inward sigh of exasperation. If Walter did not want to face him, he could have hidden alone. Why drag her, the owner of the villa, into this?Walter clamped a hand over her mouth and whispered urgently in her ear, "Shh! I followed Yale here. It'd look terrible if we got caught, wouldn't it?"Evangeline frowned in annoyance.She had expected Walter to have some clever plan, not... stalking!Then again, something else did not add up. Yale was no ordinary g
Evangeline was absorbed by the scene unfolding before her when Walter rudely cut in, and she was not having any of it."Walter! I found that spot first, scoot over!"From the window, Walter caught sight of Roslyn and Yale approaching the villa, Yale's hands full of snacks.That was pretty much it.He stepped aside, letting her have the prime spot with a roll of his eyes, saying, "All yours! What's so great about it anyway?"Evangeline quickly leaned forward to get a better look, only to find the two standing at the villa's entrance, having a heated exchange.Roslyn, ever the spitfire, was pointing right at Yale's face as she spoke.As they were too far to catch their words, Evangeline could only guess from Roslyn's fiery stance that this was no friendly chat.What really surprised Evangeline was Yale's reaction.With his status, women usually fell over themselves to please him. Who would dare to lose their cool in front of him?All that, yet in the face of Roslyn's fiery tira
Everything else fell into place when Roslyn accepted the fact that she would never have a chance. She could finally let go of Yale.Was she okay with it, though?Far from it, but it was not about whether she was okay or not anymore. It was something she had to do."Evie? Yale and I are back with some food. Come pick out what you want to eat, will you?"Roslyn's legs might have turned to jelly from her spat with Yale, but she was determined to keep up appearances. Thus, she perched on the couch and called for Evangeline to come downstairs.Yale could tell something was up with Roslyn's mood, but since he was the one who put his foot in his mouth, he did not dare to push it. He did as she asked, setting the grocery bags on the coffee table.He was clueless about what he had said to upset her so much.Mood swings in a girl could occur unexpectedly, he thought. Maybe he was just an old guy who could not keep up. He thus decided he would keep to himself and stay out of trouble, even
"And what of it? Walter, don't you realize that dodging today just means facing everything tomorrow? They might buy the songwriting excuse for now, but I'll bet you, in half an hour, even if Uncle Yale doesn't come up, Roslyn will. What then?"What will you do when you can't hide anymore?"Evangeline was trying to goad Walter into releasing her, but she ended up giving him a reminder instead.Walter had no desire to bump into Yale, so staying here was out of the question."No more hiding. Let's get out of here," he decided impulsively.Evangeline scoffed. "What, are you blind?"She gestured toward the stairs. "My Uncle Yale and Roslyn are in the living room. So, where to?"If she wanted to slip away unnoticed, there was a back door to the villa. That being said, why on earth should she help Walter make a getaway?Out of nowhere, Walter flashed a chillingly white grin, his smile dripping with malice. "Come on, I know about the back door, don't play dumb!"He reached out to Evan