"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
Evangeline was the Foster family's darling, a girl wrapped in velvet and born with a spine of steel. She had immense pride and a rebel heart to match. She had moved on from Walter, and even the idea of having his baby did not cling to her like it used to.She was all about letting the chips fall where they may. However, Minnie's little jab? That just lit a fire under her."I... I think I can have kids," said Minnie, a flicker of surprise crossing her face before she had spoken a tad sheepishly."You 'think'?" Evangeline raised an eyebrow, sounding concerned. "Ever had a pre-pregnancy checkup? You know, to see if everything's in working order? It takes more than wishful thinking to know for sure."Julia and Minnie, neither married, would not normally have considered such a personal medical exam."I... I'm not even married yet. Isn't it a bit premature to get checked out?" Minnie shot back accusingly as if Evangeline was making a mountain out of a molehill with her unsolicited advic
Evangeline should have done this ages ago.Minnie was mysterious. Even if things did not pan out as Evangeline suspected, she clung to the hope that Minnie might lead her to her elusive stepmother, Lydia.When she got back to the private room, Evangeline was surprised to find the once-buzzing dinner had cleared out, leaving only Walter.He sat there, stone-faced, his eyes deep pools of nothingness. What was he thinking?She did not bother with niceties and just waved her hand in front of his face. "Walter? Where did everyone go? They just up and left without a word?"She thought of Alex and felt a twinge of regret.They had not seen each other in forever, and when they finally had the chance, they had not even exchanged a word."How would I know? Maybe you should call them?" Walter snapped back.He was not trying to start a fight with Evangeline, really. It was just that the idea of her worrying about Alex, who had left without a word, got under his skin."Okay, fine," said Ev
"Anyway." Evangeline glanced at her watch. "It's four o'clock. By the time we get there, the doctors will have clocked out. Who's going to see me?""Don't you worry about that! Just bring yourself and that belly of yours along with me!"Walter did not wait for a reply. He grabbed Evangeline's wrist, bundled her into the car, and even buckled her in.His caring gesture did not warm her heart in the slightest.Walter was trapping himself, and he knew it. With the car humming to life, he hit the hands-free button and dialed out."I need a doctor who can do a pregnancy check, now."The voice that answered was a mix of charm and warmth, aged but caring, "Of course, Mr. Walter Gordon. When will you be here? I'll make sure everything's ready for you...""Give me ten minutes," said Walter, checking the time.After he hung up, Evangeline bit her lip, at a loss for words.She was aware of the Gordon family's clout in Avalon City—they could make things happen with a snap of their fingers