"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
Evangeline fought hard to keep her composure, forcing back the tears threatening to spill back.She paused in the act of removing her bracelet, wanting to say something to cushion the blow of what was essentially calling off her engagement, to warn Trey before it happened.However, Trey seemed distracted, his attention elsewhere.Thomas was well aware that his dealings could tarnish the Gordon family's reputation, so he was extra careful coming and going from their villa.He had planned to meet with Trey, but he always made sure to check his surroundings before making an appearance.What he did not expect was to spot Evangeline deep in conversation with Trey.He had no desire to bump into anyone but Trey, so he waited quietly to the side. Time dragged on, and the grandfather-granddaughter duo seemed to have an endless conversation.Thomas checked his watch, pacing back and forth with impatience, before he cautiously peeked out from where Evangeline could not see.Trey, with his
The thought of winning Walter over made Minnie's eyes twinkle with excitement. She was so eager she could hardly think about dinner, she just wanted to whisk Walter away and get down to business!"An absolutely quiet house..." The thoughtful murmur on the other end filled Minnie with hope.Then…"You're after my villa! That place is special, it's not meant for your little schemes."Minnie felt like she had been caught, but she was not ready to give up. She softened her voice and pleaded, "But even if it's special, is it more special than your most treasured possession—me? Plus, your villa's just sitting there empty. I'll only be there for a short while. If you're that worried, I promise I won't touch the master bedroom, deal?"Even though they were only connected by a phone call, Minnie stretched out three fingers to the sky, as if taking a solemn oath, to show just how honest she was being.Of course, Minnie thought differently. Once she got inside the house, she would be the on
It was quitting time at the Gordon Group building, and the company's entrance was bustling with employees heading home. His Maybach stood out like a beacon in the crowd.If he stepped out now, in full view of everyone, and let Minnie slide into his car… Would not that be like broadcasting to the world that there was something going on between them?Sure, he was curious about Minnie's intentions, but his heart belonged to Evangeline. The last thing he wanted was to fuel rumors with another woman!However, as Minnie's hopeful eyes locked onto his, Walter felt his resolve start to crumble.It was not about the allure of the woman before him. He had just realized that Minnie's choice to make that move so publicly was clearly calculated.Walter had finally figured out who Minnie really was, and he knew he would not have to deal with her anymore. The situation with Evangeline was already rocky, so he figured he could smooth things over later.With a dramatic sigh, Walter gave Minnie a
That was when the villa's key came into the picture.However, Minnie kept her dreams to herself.She had always wished to stand with her dear Walter as the sun dipped low, taking in the gorgeous view side by side.She gazed at the scene unfolding before her, and no words were needed. Her wish had already come to life."This is quite the spot," Walter commented, though his heart was not in it. His mind was busy piecing together the clues hidden in Minnie's casual chatter.Minnie was not a permanent fixture in that place.Nonetheless, her infatuation with the view there, paired with her absence, hinted that the villa belonged to someone else."Let's head in," Minnie suggested, eager to get on with the evening's significant affairs rather than linger in the twilight.Inside, the villa was a study in understated elegance, awash in shades of pale blue—a stark contrast to the vibrant reds Minnie and the vanished Julia were known to favor. Clearly, Minnie would not choose a color sche