"Imagine celebrating your birthday out on the ocean—it'd be the ultimate romantic adventure," said Minnie, her eyes sparkling with excitement.Walter, however, was lost in a different thought. "Does watching a sunrise together at sea really guarantee a lifetime of happiness?"He wondered if doing that with Evangeline would mean they would be happy together. The odds seemed against it, but part of him wanted to believe in the magic of the moment.What if it actually worked?"So, what do you say, Walter? Are you in?" Minnie asked, her voice tinged with hope.If Walter said yes, it would put Minnie's mind at ease. The sky stretched endlessly above them, and the dawn blushed a deep red. Could there be anything more romantic than two people coming together with the first light of day?"I'll think about it," Walter replied, his heart not really in it. He wanted to experience that moment, but not with Minnie. He could not just come out and say that, of course. He had to calmly find some
Finally, Walter took the reins of the conversation."Playing around on this cruise is getting pretty boring, don't you think? We should spice things up by inviting some friends. And hey,"A spark lit up in Walter's eyes as if he had just had an epic idea."We've got to have Evangeline there. It's my birthday, after all. If my wife skips out, it'll be the talk of the town. David, you've got to make sure she comes, by any means necessary!"Walter's mood had done a complete flip, and Minnie felt the sting of it deep inside.Why did he have to think of Evangeline, of all people, at a time that should be filled with joy?"Walter, are you into Evangeline or something?" Minnie's voice rose with her accusation, "I mentioned a cruise to catch the sunrise, and you couldn't care less. However, bring up Evangeline, and you're all fired up..."She stood up abruptly, her eyes welling up with fresh tears that traced the paths of old ones down her cheeks."If you're into Evangeline, just be st
Evangeline remembered she had promised to pen a track for her best friend Roslyn's new album and had not even started. Hence, she got down to business, writing like a whirlwind.Her ideas were flowing non-stop, and she was all in on the writing sesh until she snapped back to reality at two in the afternoon.She pulled out her phone, like always, to check for any messages she missed and saw David's missed call right away.Why was David, who was practically glued to Walter, calling her?She raised an eyebrow.However, knowing David was not one to bug her for no reason, and not wanting to miss out on something major, she called him back, even though she was not exactly thrilled about it."Mrs. Gordon, you finally hit me back."David was practically crying with relief when Evangeline finally called him back.He had tried reaching her at noon but got no answer. Then he just zoned out, staring at his phone.He thought about calling again but did not want to disturb her. Not calling
Evangeline was not just going to Walter's birthday bash to celebrate her almost-ex. She was going to make sure she left with no regrets.She planned to close the chapter regarding all the feelings she had for Walter, believing that with each memory put to rest, her attachment to him would fade away. Quickly, he would be nothing more than a ghost in her past.Hanging up the phone, she went to her secret hideout. It was a cozy studio apartment, nothing fancy, but it was her own little world.Tucked away in an unremarkable neighborhood, the place was simple, yet it had everything she needed. She called it her secret hideout because it was her private sanctuary that no one else knew about.Ever since she started violin lessons with Loberni, music had become her forte. The first song she penned for her bestie Roslyn took the country by storm, and with it, she earned her first big paycheck.Evangeline had always dreamed of a place she could call her own. Thus, she went behind everyone's
However, when Walter saw it was Minnie, the fearless woman, he could only drop his work and give her his attention.Still, he made sure to extricate her from his arms and keep a professional distance. "What's up, Minnie? Getting bored?" he asked.However, knowing that Walter was a true workaholic, Minnie figured she had already gotten special treatment for not being kicked out for her antics. So, instead of dwelling on it, she decided to get straight to the point."I was just thinking, with your birthday coming up, it'd be very weird if Evangeline didn't show. However, things are so frosty between you two. Wouldn't it come off as pretty half-hearted if you just sent Mr. Zimmer to invite her?"The word 'half-hearted' immediately caught Walter's attention. He eyed Minnie, who was obviously tiptoeing around something she had not yet said, and cut to the chase, "What's on your mind?""If you really want Evangeline to show up, you've got to be the one to call her, Walter. Once she sees
Evangeline was in her secret hideout, meticulously dusting off the gift boxes until they shone like new.Satisfied, she tossed the cloth aside and flopped onto the bed, ready to stretch out and unwind. However, the moment she heard the ping of a text message, her relaxation was cut short.A photo of Walter and Minnie, looking far too comfortable with each other, flashed on her screen. Evangeline froze solid.It was one thing to hear rumors, but seeing it in person was a different thing altogether.Evangeline's moment of shock was brief, the strange number on her screen demanded her attention.If Walter had sent the message, he would have used his own phone. This was not Walter, but someone who stood to gain from their breakup.The photo on her screen was provocative, and Minnie's smug face came to mind.Was she bragging? Flaunting that she had snagged Walter and could then proudly stand by his side? Meanwhile, Evangeline, the one who truly belonged there, was stuck hiding away,
Walter thought back to that suggestive photo, and a sense of admiration for Minnie bubbled up. It was just a shot of a hand being touched, but Minnie had a way of making it seem like they had done something scandalous."So, you got Mr. Zimmer to invite me to your yacht bash just so I could see with my own eyes how happy you are with your new flame?" Evangeline scoffed.At that moment, she felt the sting of the truth: The guy she was crazy about was just downright mean.Back when she was alone, he blamed her for wrecking his thing with Julia. He got back at her, sure, but she could handle that.However, this? There was a saying that went, 'Even a wild beast would not eat its own young.' She was carrying his baby, crying out loud. Why did she have to put up with that kind of cruelty?Meanwhile, Minnie, who had popped out to brew some coffee, spotted Walter on the phone, his face a tangled web of emotions. She knew in a heartbeat it had to be Evangeline on the line.She dashed back,
Walter was fuming, the kind of anger everyone could feel in the air.Evangeline turned into the third wheel, popping all of Walter's dreamy bubbles. He was so ticked off that he could not even muster the energy to call out Minnie's obviously exaggerated stories.Alex's words were still buzzing in his ears. At that moment, all he wanted to know was whether Evangeline would get the slightest bit jealous over him.If she did, he would drop the act with Minnie in a heartbeat and focus solely on Evangeline and their child, even if it meant losing a crucial tip on the Bennison family, his arch-enemies."Evangeline, it would really bum both me and Minnie out if you weren't there for this big deal, so come on, join us," he said.That answer said it all about where Walter stood.Imagine, a husband and his side-chick all cozy celebrating a birthday, and the real wife was supposed to just show up and cheer them on? What kind of messed-up situation was that?However, Evangeline was not inti