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
"What to do? We're going to have the baby, of course!" blurted Walter without hesitation. He had not been too keen on the idea of kids before. However, the thought of his child growing inside Evangeline filled him with a warmth he could not ignore. He even found himself eagerly anticipating the moment.Evangeline wondered if the baby might change things, if she might stop pining for Alex and start thinking about what was best for herself."Evangeline, can you even imagine how long we've been waiting for this baby, and how hard I've worked for this? Just erase any thought of an abortion from your mind!"Evangeline's lips quivered. Staring at Walter's face, she was dying to ask him what exactly he had worked hard on. Nonetheless, her good upbringing sealed her lips, and she kept the question to herself."It was just a question, no need to get worked up," she said calmly. "We don't even know for sure if I'm pregnant yet. We haven't done the tests, so it's too early to jump to conclusi
Sadly, it was all just a daydream, something that just could not happen. Her so-called engagement to Walter was a sham, and their child was never going to have the whole family picture.Walter had only agreed to this baby-making business to put on a show for Cole. With the baby finally on the way, carrying the blood of both the Gordon and Foster clans, there were some serious talks that needed to happen, and fast.However, the first flutters of pregnancy had started hitting her. The second her head hit the pillow, sleepiness swamped her. She had to fight to not just fall asleep then and there. She was waiting for Walter to show.What she did not know was that Walter, out in the living room, was waiting on her too. They were both on standby for different reasons. She was waiting for him to walk through the door. He was waiting for her to invite him in.After remembering what the doctor had said and thinking about how he was feeling, Walter smartly took an icy shower and then, like a
His words hit Evangeline like a dagger to the heart.Nonetheless, the sting was dull. She had long accepted that she never truly held a place in Walter's heart. With their mission to have a child complete, it seemed only natural for him to want some distance.She reminded herself of the reason for her visit and chose not to squander her precious sleep over it."Walter, remember the conversation we had about the parenting contract?"She had brought it up before, and Walter had stormed off, leaving her without a clear response. However, with their child growing inside her, the urgency of the parenting contract could not be ignored any longer."What are you getting at?" Walter inquired.He remembered the terms of the parenting contract all too well. However, the fact that this was the first thing on her mind after getting pregnant made his heart sink."I'm saying that now I'm pregnant, the parenting contract should come into effect immediately. I'll print it out first thing tomorro