As Evangeline reached for the door, Minnie's mocking laugh cut through the air."I get what you're saying, Evangeline, but believing it is another story. Remember how you talked the first time we met? What happened instead? You silently got pregnant with Walter's kid. Does that sound like someone who wants a divorce? How naive must I be to keep taking your word for it?""Enough!" Walter's voice boomed, cutting off Minnie.He had kept quiet, wanting to see just how indifferent Evangeline could be.However, as her hand touched the doorknob, a wave of loss hit him like a ton of bricks. In that fleeting instant, he sensed Evangeline was gone for good.The explanation he had kept to himself was down to its last chance.Minnie picked up on Walter's annoyance and clamped her mouth shut, careful not to push him further.Then…"Evangeline, wait."Her name, called out so suddenly, made Evangeline freeze mid-step.Ignoring the bandages crisscrossing his back, Walter sprang from the bed.
As Evangeline turned around, she unexpectedly locked eyes with Walter.With Trey right there, she could not let her true feelings show like before and simply said in a courteous tone, "Walter, take care of yourself, okay? I'll come visit you when you're feeling better."Her voice was soft and gentle, but it carried no real warmth.Walter did not hear the loving concern of a wife in her words, but rather the forced politeness of someone doing what they felt they had to do.Trey watched Evangeline walk away and quickly gave his grandson a reassuring wave. "Walter, why are you just standing there? Evie's already left. Why didn't you walk her out?"Walter, nursing a sore back, was slow to move. He had just managed to catch up with Evangeline when her phone started to ring.Evangeline was surprised to get a call at that hour. She checked her phone and saw Alex's name. It had been ages since they had last spoken, so she quickly accepted the call."Alex? What's up? How come you're call
"It's deep into autumn, and you're out here in that thin jacket. What if you catch a cold? You're already hurt, and getting sick now would just be making things worse, wouldn't it?"It all unfolded with such ease, as if it was destined to be that way.Walter's gaze darkened as he looked at the concerned-looking Minnie.He was caught in a strange illusion, feeling as though Minnie had always been the woman by his side.Somehow, Minnie's face began to shift before his eyes. Feature by feature, it changed, until she was no longer Minnie but Evangeline.Her hair danced in the breeze, a rebellious lock of black hair teasingly clinging to her cheek, the ends brushing her lips.When their eyes locked, Walter's heart skipped a beat, gripped by an unseen force that left him breathless.Still, he did not want that moment to end.His mind was a whirlwind of wild thoughts, and he did not care who the woman really was. If he saw Evangeline, then to him, she was Evangeline.He reached out w
Walter's voice boomed, causing Minnie to shudder. She looked up, shocked, and met his eyes—so distant and detached."Walter, what are you trying to say? I don't understand," she stammered.Her eyes widened with a mix of confusion and innocence, unable to grasp the seismic shift in Walter's behavior.Had not Walter just caressed her face and tenderly fixed her hair? How could he suddenly act like she was a stranger?Walter had hoped to give Minnie the opportunity to be honest, but she continued to feign ignorance even when the moment of truth arrived. At that point, whether he pretended to believe her or not, it made no difference to him."If you're confused, let me put it another way, and you'll get it."Minnie, what are you really after, getting close to me like this?"The heir to the Gordon family's fortune was no one's fool. He could spot a hidden agenda a mile away. The only reason he had let Minnie hang around him that long was because he suspected there was more to her tha
Minnie had been super careful. Walter could not have figured it out!"What are you talking about? I have no idea..."Pretending to be clueless was Minnie's go-to move.However, this time, Minnie was backed into a corner with nowhere to turn, forced to stick to her guns no matter what came her way."You really don't know?" Walter asked, a playful smirk on his face as he leaned on one hand and with the other, pulled open a drawer in his study. He fished out a document and flung it down in front of Minnie."That's a pretty penny on the black market, right?"His tone was so laid-back. Even the smile tugging at his lips seemed so genuine, as if he were not the one who had been drugged."Should I be thanking you for splurging on me? You actually went all out and bought this pricey stuff for me?"Walter was done beating around the bush with her. It was just a waste of time.No matter who she was behind the scenes, he was eager to get that mess sorted out and win back the mother of hi
Minnie scoffed and gave a dismissive shrug. "Come on, Mr. Walter Gordon, we're both smart here. Why play these games with me? But hey, even if you try to hide it, I'm not buying it."As she spoke, Minnie tried to stay composed, but inside, a storm was raging. She could not stand the thought that while she was gone, Walter could actually fall for that wretched Evangeline.Even so, she had to ask. Walter's coldness made her fear she might never get another chance."Believe what you want. It's your head, your thoughts. I'm not here to control them, and I sure don't owe you any explanations," Walter replied, keeping it frustratingly vague.Admitting he liked Evangeline in front of Minnie was a no-win situation. Plus, he knew all about Minnie's conflict with Evangeline. With Evangeline carrying their child, the last thing he wanted was to turn Minnie into an enemy. If things went south, he would never forgive himself."If you're just here to grill me with pointless questions, then you
After his father passed away too soon, Walter's mother, a widow, had borne the burden of their lives within the Gordon family for years, always the target of others' mistreatment. That all changed when Walter took charge of the family business. The person who had made life difficult lost their resolve and left the estate, and at last, their lives took a turn for the better.So, looking out for herself and her son had become her survival instinct. How could anyone fault her for that? If she was ambitious, was it not all for him?He could not stop thinking about how wrong he had been.Aria shot Walter an irritated look. "Why am I here, you say? To pamper my ungrateful son, that's why! Here, I made your favorite Roasted Pear and Butternut Squash Soup."She scooped up a small bowl from the pot and handed it to Walter. "Be careful, it's fresh off the stove and still hot. Take it slow."Walter stared at the soup in his hands, his eyes brimming with tears that he fought to keep at bay.
"There's only room for Evangeline in my heart. Mom, if you want me to be happy, let's not bring up other women ever again."Walter's words were firm, his face more serious than she had ever seen.Aria looked on, her eyes brimming with concern. "However, Evie...""No 'buts.' No matter what, I'm not interested in anyone else but Evangeline."Seeing Walter's determination, Aria realized further discussion was pointless, and she sighed."It's such a shame. Ms. Kast seems to care about you so much that I even thought she might look after you better than Evangeline. Especially since the west-wing villa is so far away, she must be really worried about you, to make it here in just over ten minutes!"Walter's head snapped up as if he had been shocked by a bolt of lightning."Mom, what did you just say?"He had heard his mother's words, but he could not quite believe his ears.Aria's eyebrows shot up in surprise. She could not figure out what she had said to make Walter freak out like t