There was a brief pause on the line, then the answer came. "No trouble. They just aren't a thing anymore."'They aren't a thing anymore…'By the time it sank in for Minnie, all she heard was the dial tone echoing in her ear.Evangeline's ties with Walter were history. Was it not her time to shine?…At the Emerald of the Highlands villa, Evangeline lounged on the couch, her ears twitching.She rubbed her achy, puffy nose and grumbled, "I bet someone's bad-mouthing me. It's not Walter, is it?"His name popped out before she could stop it, giving her a jolt as it echoed in her ears.Had she not sworn off anything to do with Walter? Why was his name still on the tip of her tongue?'Get it together, Evangeline,' she chided herself.With her thoughts a jumbled mess, she could not focus on the magazine anymore. She tossed it aside and munched on the fruit Julieta had sliced up.Keeping stress-free and rested was key during pregnancy.That was why Evangeline had smartly hired a nu
Pregnancy was turning out to be boring.However, what really got to Evangeline was how her relationship with Walter had gone down the drain. With her emotions already on a roller coaster because of the baby, she felt more down in the dumps than ever.She needed to vent, and who better to turn to than Alex? Of course, she did not expect him to show up so fast."Evie, are you and Walter seriously done for good?"Alex had seen the storm clouds on their marital horizon for ages and had braced himself for their split. However, it was actually happening, and it felt strange to him in many ways."Obviously. What other choice is there?"While munching on a slice of juicy melon Julieta had cut up, Evangeline did not miss a beat and offered a piece to Alex. "Wow, this melon's super sweet. Here, have a taste."Evangeline had not used her own fork but had grabbed a clean one to give him the fruit. That little move of hers made his chest tighten.If Walter were here instead of him, would sh
"Yeah, it becomes a part of me somehow. Never felt the need to switch it out," Alex replied, trying to sound casual.However, Evangeline's mind wandered to a different time, a time of endless scales and arpeggios under their teacher's watchful eye. It was during one of those intense practice sessions that she first spotted the watch on Alex's wrist.Alex, the Gordon family's second son, always wore this surprisingly modest timepiece. The face was no bigger than a quail egg, its surface bare except for the maker's mark. It had no bling, no flair, nothing that could be expected from a guy of his stature.Nonetheless, he never took it off, not even when the strap dug into his skin, not even when the paint started to chip away. The same answer he gave her a few seconds ago was the same answer he had given her back then.That was why, when it came time to pick out his gift, Evangeline knew it had to be a watch. She felt a warmth flood through her—she knew Alex always had her back.His
A week's time…Had Yale not reminded her, the whole thing might have slipped Evangeline's mind.Between grappling with the news of her pregnancy and drawing a line with Walter, her mind was a whirlwind of worry. She dreaded the thought of her uncles and grandpa making a big fuss over her news.Thus, she gave herself a week to get her head straight before letting them in on her little secret."Isn't today just day seven? Why the hurry?"She had to count it out on her fingers to be sure Yale had not pulled a fast one on her."Evie, you have to talk to us sooner or later. Does one more day make a difference?"That was Holden on the other end of the line, chiming in.Evangeline did not hesitate with her answer. "Yes, it does! Tomorrow, I'm visiting Grandpa. Let's meet at the Foster family's old place."Evangeline had no clue that her offhand comment had sent her uncles into a frenzy of excitement."Did Evie get back to us?""Is she finally going to say something about being preg
It had been ages since Evangeline had felt this kind of warmth.In an instant, she was reminded of her mother, who had left the world too soon.She could not help but wonder if Julieta was heaven-sent, a way to fill the void her mother's absence had left.Julieta, sensing the prolonged silence, worried she might have crossed a line and quickly added, "If it's too much, you don't have to talk about it...""It's not that. I'm just trying to figure out how to put it into words," said Evangeline, searching for the right way to express her tangled thoughts.Julieta had no idea about Evangeline's situation with Walter. Honestly, she did not feel like going through the hassle of explaining their complicated history. It was downright confusing.Then, like a lightbulb flicking on, Evangeline's eyes sparkled with an idea."Mrs. Lewis… Let's say you've got this friend, right? And you've told them you're done, you want to keep your distance. But now, you're in a jam and need to ask for thei
Evangeline paused, finding it hard to continue, but she pushed on."You're aware of how my grandpa's health is. I think it's best if we're both there for this. So... would you come with me tomorrow?"Evangeline really did not have to ask like this.She could not help but feel that every struggle was worth it when she pictured her sick grandfather's face lighting up at the news of her baby's arrival."Sure, when should I swing by to get you?" Walter offered without hesitation.His eagerness caught Evangeline off guard. "You didn't even think it over?"She had wrestled with how to broach the subject with him, to the point where she lost her appetite."There's nothing to think about. It's been ages since I've seen him. Paying him a visit is the least I can do," said Walter with a firmness that left no room for argument. Nonetheless, his words carried a hidden weight that only he seemed to grasp."You do realize this isn't just a simple family visit. To convince Grandpa... we'll
How could he be so clueless?Evangeline's heart belonged to Alex, yet Walter poured out his feelings to her like she would actually care. Walter was just humiliating himself at this point, was he not?"Eight in the morning, I'll swing by the villa to get you. That's it for now, I need to sleep."Walter's frosty words were a sharp reminder that she had interrupted his rest. Evangeline quickly agreed and hung up, her heart heavy.The phone lay silent, but Evangeline's heart was anything but. Walter's words haunted her in echoes, confirming she had not misheard.Her heart unexpectedly missed a beat, and a wave of disappointment and loss washed over her. Walter clearly did not want her; his words were only for the sake of the baby.With a reason for everything, Evangeline fought through her heartache and finally drifted off to a restless sleep.After a night of tossing and turning, Evangeline dabbed on just enough makeup to look alive. She was careful to use only pregnancy-safe prod
Trying to ignore his rumbling stomach, Walter suddenly spotted a mouthwatering sandwich in front of him, and behind it, Evangeline's resigned expression."Mrs. Lewis packed these, worrying I'd get peckish on the road. Have one to hold you over."It was not that Evangeline was worried about Walter, in essence. She just felt bad for the guy—he was only this famished because of her.Walter shook his head. "No, you keep it."Evangeline was expecting, and if her nanny had thought to pack snacks, it meant she probably needed to eat frequently.He did not want to scarf down the sandwich and leave her hungry later.Walter did his best to keep his cravings in check, eyes glued to the windshield, watching the road. He even toned down his breathing to avoid being seduced by the scent.Evangeline knew he would not just take her word for it, so she pushed the sandwich into his hand."Go on, eat. Mrs. Lewis made plenty, and we won't miss one. We've got a bit before we'll get to eat at Grandp