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
The 'Mr. Foster' the bodyguard was talking about was Evangeline's Uncle Holden.Ever since her birthday bash, the only uncles hanging around the Foster family estate were Yale and Holden. The rest would occasionally check on her and Cole, but mostly they were off handling their own business.Lately, she had not been in touch with any of them, and they had not reached out either. She figured they were just swamped with work. Little did she know, she had been under her uncles' silent, watchful eye the whole time.Holden, without making a big deal out of it, had been her silent guardian.Feeling the warmth of her family, and the heightened emotions of pregnancy, she could not help but tear up."Where's Uncle Holden? I want to see him."The bodyguard checked his watch and said cautiously, "Mr. Foster is on his way as we speak. He should be here at ten. If you can hang tight, he'll fill you in on everything, okay?""Sure, go on and do what you need to do."Evangeline perched on the
Holden's brow creased with concern, as if he was wrestling with a big decision. Then, he pressed on, "To sniff out this mystery person, we spread some fake news and nabbed a guy named Beck from the file."After we grilled him, Beck spilled that he was just a pawn, with some shadowy figure pulling the strings. Their rendezvous point was—""Sunny Glow Beauty Salon," Evangeline cut in before Holden could finish, nailing the answer.Shockingly, Holden did not deny it but stared at her, utterly taken aback. "Evie, how did you figure it out? I only got wind of it myself a short while ago."Evangeline's face was a tapestry of emotions."I remember the one time I stepped into Sunny Glow Beauty Salon. That was when Walter popped up out of nowhere, like a ghost, and told me to stay away."She could feel it in her bones that Sunny Glow was a maze of secrets.Lydia, the woman who was like a shadow—always slipping through her fingers, a mystery buyer in the black market tracking her every mo
The more Evangeline pieced together the puzzle, the more her skin crawled.Lydia snooping around her was definitely not for anything good, but what really made Evangeline nervous was the thought of the heavyweight lurking in Lydia's shadow.The Gordons ruled the South, and the Fosters ruled the North. These were just a handful of words, but they said it all about where the Fosters stood in the country. Evangeline, the only princess of the Foster family, could not even begin to imagine the kind of monstrous power that would have had the guts to be nosing around them so openly.When the enemies were lurking in the shadows and they were out in the open, every face-off was a high-stakes game of survival. Evangeline was becoming more and more cautious about making any sudden moves.Holden caught on to how risky things were getting, and his eyes were full of worry when he looked at Evangeline. "Listen, Evie, you've got to be super careful these days."I'm going to beef up your security
"But how can I not worry..."Evangeline seemed to have lost all her energy, collapsing onto the bed with a sigh.This was about her pride. Anyone else, and it would not be a big deal. However, this was her ex-husband, Walter, throwing a birthday party just to spite her. How could she allow herself to be humiliated?"Mrs. Lewis, can you help me look... more poised?"Julieta did not fully grasp the whirlwind of emotions Evangeline was going through, but she was eager to help her tackle that challenge.After pondering for a bit, Julieta pulled out a chic light brown camel hair coat and a super simple top from Evangeline's closet."Ms. Evangeline, I've done my best with these picks. Try them on and see."Evangeline slipped into the dressing room and tried on the outfit Julieta had put together. When she stepped back in front of the mirror, she was transformed, her confidence soaring.The coat, unable to button over her baby bump, hung in a way that was both flattering and discreet.
That way, they would have rocked out for a full day and night, making Walter's birthday a total blast. However, even the best-laid plans could go sideways.Walter, eyeing Minnie all prepped and primed, got a wild idea to head to the ship early and hang tight.The Gordons had poured a fortune into that cruise ship, and it was the epitome of luxury. Words just did not do it justice.They stepped into the luxurious, romantic restaurant, bathed in soft light with violin music floating through the air—everything Minnie had ever wished for. She happily ordered red wine and steak, ready for a candlelit breakfast date with Walter.However, after just half a glass of wine, Minnie was out like a light and slumped over right in front of Walter.Walter? He did not even bat an eye. With a casual wave, he had the bodyguards whisk Minnie off to her room and brushed it off.The restaurant, once a haven of romance, underwent a lightning-fast transformation. Its decor then dazzled with splendor,
Everyone figured Walter was just being the mysterious host.Truth be told, if it were not for the need to keep Minnie off her game, he would not have hosted that party at all.Would a quiet birthday with his wife and kid not have been so much better?Walter lurked in the shadows, eyes fixed on a certain someone in the crowd, biding his time to make his entrance.When Walter caught a glimpse of Evangeline's pale face in the glare of the flashbulbs, he could not stay put any longer.The masquerade was the party's opening act, all about cranking up the excitement.Evangeline, eyeing the parade of guests, quietly stepped out of the limelight and settled into a secluded corner.Even though she was there, Evangeline never forgot Holden's strict instructions: She was to stay out of the public eye unless it was do-or-die, and always keep it low-key.She had thought Walter and Minnie had pushed her too far, and she was ready to throw caution to the wind. To her surprise, the star of the
The way he talked, with those thoughtful pauses and the way his voice went up at the end, was like a neon sign flashing his guy instincts to take charge.Evangeline could tell she had snagged his interest. The party was buzzing, and after a string of dull days, that charming-voiced, frog-masked 'little brother' had her feeling mischievous."Smart cookie, aren't you?" she teased, her fingers dancing along his chiseled jawline."What if I'm getting curious about you?""That's easy to handle." He had a quick answer for that.In a flash, his hand was around her wrist, pulling her close. His breath was warm against her ear, and his lips barely brushed her skin."It's simple. You take me away, or I take you away. Your call."That was intriguing.Evangeline narrowed her eyes, a playful glint in them, as she pondered the mystery of her own allure. How could she, a woman in the full bloom of pregnancy, captivate someone so completely?Alas, Evangeline was small and quick on her feet. W