Anyone else would be fuming if they were the subject of such talk.Minnie had been playing the long game at the office. She timed her moves perfectly and swooped in when everyone else steered clear of Walter.She was stirring the pot, hoping to get tongues wagging. After all, if the whole office started buzzing about her and Walter being more than just colleagues, Walter would find it a lot harder to cut her loose.She pretended to be all flustered but secretly thrilled as she picked up a stack of papers and sashayed into the office.The moment Minnie learned that Walter and Evangeline were done, she hatched a plan. She was going to make her move while Walter was down in the dumps, and she was going to make sure he fell head over heels for her.That way, she would lock down the title of Mrs. Gordon of the Gordon family for good. Evangeline, that snake, would be forced out with no way back into the fold.Kicking her own half-sister to the curb did not even make Minnie blink. She b
Walter's last line was loaded with meaning, making Minnie stop and think.To Minnie, it came off with a hint of bitterness. 'Oh my gosh. Was Walter actually jealous? Jealous of Alex, because of me?'Minnie's cheeks turned a bright red, her face heating up as she tried not to slap some sense into her flushed skin, murmuring, "No way! Everyone calls me Minnie, but I was hoping you'd come up with something unique for me."It was just the two of them in the office, and even though she spoke softly, Walter caught every word."Isn't it nice that everyone calls you that? Why do you want me to be different?" Walter's voice was teasing, laced with a flirty undertone.If Evangeline were there, she would have pegged it right away as Walter's classic move—laying on the charm thick.However, Minnie was not just some bystander like Evangeline. She was head over heels for Walter, and in a moment of passion, she walked right into his little game of hearts."Because... Because, Mr. Walter Gordon
Lounging on the garden rocking chair, Trey enjoyed his coffee and casually rang up Walter. "Walter, swing by the house tonight, I've got something to discuss with you."Walter did not have a clue about treating his wife Evangeline right. If Trey did not step in and set him straight, they might end up with divorce papers. What then? Where would he find another gem like Evie for a granddaughter-in-law?"Grandpa, I'm swamped with work. Can't make it home," declined Walter without a second thought.He had plans with Minnie that evening, and bailing was not an option.However, what weighed on him the most was his rocky relationship with Evangeline. He was not even sure if he should spill the beans about the pregnancy to his grandfather, much less face him head-on.Walter, a titan in the boardroom known for his cutthroat decisiveness, found himself unusually hesitant, trying to dodge his problems with half-hearted excuses.The realization stung. That was not him at all.Even so, what
"I think you're amazing! The Gordon family has been a rock in Avalon City for years, all thanks to you being our anchor. Without you, who knows where Walter would have taken the company with his limited skills?"Everybody loved a good compliment. Trey, getting on in years, was no exception when it came to enjoying a bit of praise.Since it would not hurt Walter's standing as the head honcho, Aria did not hold back on dishing out a couple of sweet nothings to keep Trey entertained.Alas, she missed the mark on what Trey was really getting at.He shook his head repeatedly. "That's not what I meant. I'm asking about how I am with the grandkids. What's your opinion on that?"Walter had defied him time and again, forcing him to take a hard look at himself.Had he done something to give Walter the wrong idea, making Walter think it was okay to disrespect his own grandfather?"Kids these days..."She was starting to regret topping off Trey's coffee! Who would have guessed that Trey, a
"Evie, what brings you here?" Cole asked, his voice filled with a happy surprise."Oh, what's the matter, Grandpa? You don't want me here? Maybe I should just head back?" Evangeline teased, but her body language said the opposite.She sat on the couch next to Cole and tossed her bag onto the coffee table without a second thought. She clearly was not going anywhere."Now that you've made it here, where do you think you're going?" said Cole, half-joking, half-worried, as he grabbed her hand. "Evie, don't forget, you're always welcome here, anytime. I'm just concerned about you, you know? You're having a baby, and you should be taking it easy."Evangeline caught the worry in Cole's eyes and quickly reached out to give his hand a reassuring pat. "You're fretting over nothing, aren't you? This little one inside me is tough as nails. Mrs. Lewis even told me it's better to keep moving when you're pregnant, instead of sitting around like everyone says. It's good for the baby, as long as I'
"Grandpa, don't get the wrong idea, okay?" said Evangeline, almost begging, as she set the bowl down. Evangeline faced Cole with all seriousness. "Walter and I have been dreaming of this baby since we tied the knot. We've been planning for so long, and now that we're finally expecting, we're over the moon. I wanted to tell you the good news first, and I just... I just forgot about Mr. Gordon!"Evangeline dropped her gaze, doing her best to look like she was genuinely apologetic. She kept her fingers crossed behind her back, hoping for a break, when Cole's warm voice finally floated over. "Well, in that case, you better go tell him yourself."We're the Fosters, a big deal around here. We can't have people thinking our princess doesn't know her manners, can we?"Evangeline met Cole's eyes, knowing she could not dodge the bullet. She had to face the Gordons."Okay, okay, I'm on it! I've got to deliver such awesome news to Mr. Gordon myself." She grabbed the bowl and spoon again, gentl
Trey smacked his leg and spat out, "Run through it again? At this rate, that boy and Minnie will secretly have a kid before we know it!"'Poor Evie,' Trey thought, shaking his head. How did she fall head over heels for the black sheep of the family? She would have been better off with Alex, not Walter, the troublemaker. The latest fiasco had Trey enraged, and he could not dredge up a single happy thought about Walter. However, this was no time for regrets. It was time for action.His eyes smoldering, he barked orders at Thomas. "Find out where that no-good grandson of mine is taking his date. We're going to crash their little party!"Thomas, taken aback by Trey's intensity, could hardly believe what he was hearing. "Mr. Gordon, you mean to—""We're going to catch him red-handed!" Trey declared, his face stern but his voice steady.What kind of grandfather would go on a grandson-stalking mission? However, Walter had crossed the line, and Trey's pride was the last thing on his mind.
It was not that Evangeline did not miss Trey.The Gordon family's home, with all its familiar sights and sounds, always managed to stir up some not-so-happy memories for her. It was like the place had a way of bringing all those feelings right back to the surface.Then there was Trey, who had always stood by her and Walter. She was about to walk away from that relationship for good, taking the Gordon family's great-grandson with her. She could not help but feel guilty about leaving the old man behind."I'm sorry I haven't been around," said Evangeline regretfully. "Right after I took over at the Foster family's company, Walter and I had this huge fight, and I just couldn't find the time to come see you. By the time I managed to get a CEO to fill in for me, Grandpa Cole got sick, and one thing led to another... I'm really sorry it took so long."She was trying to be as sincere as possible, but words seemed to fall short of expressing even a fraction of the guilt weighing on her hear