"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
Evangeline had been in Avalon City for a good while, but she had never stepped foot in Secret Recipe Kitchen until this day. She figured it was because she was always busy, never having a moment to drop by this cozy little eatery.Walter, however, was on a first-name basis with the staff, a clear sign he was a regular.Evangeline and Walter were ushered by the server into a cozy private room. It was not until she settled into her chair that she had the chance to take in her surroundings.Secret Recipe Kitchen boasted a decor that was both elegant and simple. Everyday items were transformed by the designer's touch into something that caught the eye and demanded admiration for the owner's impeccable taste.It made sense to her why the illustrious Walter of the Gordon family would choose this place.The server handed Evangeline the menu, and Walter was all easygoing."Pick whatever you like," he said.Walter's heart twisted a bit when he caught sight of Evangeline's pale, delicate
Walter tried to sort out his messy feelings, thinking he was being sincere with his apology.It was a shame, really. Walter was earnest, but his words danced around the fact that he should be saying sorry.Evangeline could not catch a whiff of realness in his so-called sincerity. It felt more like he was just going through the motions."No big deal. I've been over it for ages." Evangeline tossed the words out without a second thought, her eyes drifting to the horizon, all cool and confident.Walter was not the one who had been put through the wringer. He was not the one who had been treated like dirt. How could he, the guy who started the whole mess, ever get what she went through?Evangeline's chill vibe was all because she had seen the real Walter and decided he was not worth the drama. Why bother caring about a guy she did not even want anymore?Walter was not clueless, though. If Evangeline was bringing this up, she was obviously still hung up on it.Even so, she had wrapped
"Stop it!" Walter's hand came down hard on the table.Evangeline was spouting words about splitting up, and it was like a punch to Walter's gut, especially when she coldly brought up Minnie."Evangeline, if you don't care about our marriage anyway, why are you so set on getting a divorce certificate? If you outlive me, you could still inherit a chunk of the Gordon fortune with that piece of paper. Why pass that up?"He tried to reason with her like a businessman, thinking it might change her mind.Evangeline just laughed. It was a laugh so sharp that it cut through the air."What's so funny?" Walter demanded.Evangeline dabbed at the tears that had spilled from laughing too hard. "It's you I'm laughing at, Walter. You think that talking about money will make me want to stay married to you."Oh, Walter, you're something else! How much money do the Gordons even have? What fraction of it would I get after you're gone? And even if you left me every last dime, what's that worth compa
Evangeline could not pinpoint when it started, but her interactions with Walter had grown increasingly bizarre, so much so that she felt better off far away from him.She had no desire to exchange words with him."Let's just eat, okay?" Evangeline made a show of eagerly reaching for her fork, not bothering to wait for Walter's cue, and helped herself to a dish.Walter felt a sting at being cut off, but seeing Evangeline, who had just been claiming she was not hungry, diving into her meal, he did not want to spoil her newfound appetite. With that, he too started eating.The tuna steak was the Secret Recipe Kitchen's claim to fame, and Walter's go-to dish every time he visited.Evangeline was only trying to dodge a conversation with Walter, so she grabbed a fork and poked at the restaurant's famous dish without thinking. As she brought a piece of fish to her lips, a pungent fishy scent hit her nose. A wave of nausea threatened to overwhelm her, but she fought it back with effort.S
Minnie did not even wait for an answer before she lost her patience."You must be the new kid, huh? I won't hold it against you if you're inexperienced. Just go get your manager, now!"The waitress blushed with embarrassment, but she did not back down. Working at a place this fancy meant she was no pushover."I'm sorry, miss. I am indeed new and still learning. If this was about anything else, I'd say you're right—it's on me. But when it comes to our guests' privacy, not even the manager can bend the rules."Her attempt to calm things down only made Minnie more furious."Even if it doesn't make a difference, I demand to speak with your manager! What's a waitress like you doing, trying to boss me around? You don't even know your place! This is your last chance. Are you calling your manager or not?"The waitress had never seen a customer like this since she had started working.Minnie's voice was so loud that the lobby manager caught wind of the fuss and came over. She bowed to Mi
No wonder Evangeline was so pleased. Alex had shown up."Should we invite them in?" Walter asked Evangeline, trying to sound generous, but inside, a storm of jealousy was brewing.All he had wanted was a quiet dinner with Evangeline, but Alex, like a shadow, was always there, trailing them wherever they went! Was he that desperate? Did he not care about what he and Evangeline had anymore?Evangeline saw things in a totally different light than everyone else. While Walter was practically talking to himself, obviously itching to see Minnie, Evangeline had moved on. To her, Minnie was just another face in the crowd, not worth a second thought."Sure, a dinner for four could be fun," said Evangeline with a shrug, pretending not to care.She had not hung out with Alex in ages, and while she was playing matchmaker for Walter and Minnie, she could also spend some time with an old friend.Walter bolted out the door so fast he did not even remember to shut it behind him. Evangeline watche
Minnie grabbed her fork and knife, gingerly picking up the vegetables Walter had dished out for her. She then ate it, making a big show of tasting them, when her eyes suddenly sparkled with delight."Walter, this is amazing! I've never had anything so yummy in my life!"Across the table, Evangeline's gaze was fixed on Minnie's twinkling eyes. Her emotions were a tangled mess that words could not quite capture.Had she not overheard Minnie's chat with the lobby manager, Evangeline might have fallen for the whole 'innocent young girl' act. However, seeing Minnie flip her script so fast, it just looked very fake. That sugary-sweet way she said Walter's name was enough to make Evangeline's calmed stomach do somersaults.There was Minnie, still playing her part, batting her eyelashes at Walter.Walter's gaze was a deep well of nothingness, impossible to read.Evangeline silently vowed to catch Walter's reaction, but her stomach had other plans."Ugh..."She had not eaten much, so th