The marble of the gravestone was icy to the touch.However, as Julia leaned on it, a long-missed warmth seeped through her.The day they carried out the execution, the police had called, inviting her to say one last goodbye to her parents. However, once she was all dressed up and her makeup was done, she looked in the mirror and just could not bring herself to go.Her parents were about to be executed. What was she supposed to do, wave them off?The pain was too much. She could not bring herself to leave the house and eventually gave up.The more she hurt, the more she resented Evangeline.Why should she have to feel that way? Why was it that her parents faced the ultimate punishment, and yet she was left unscathed? Worse still, she was carrying the baby of the man she adored!It was so unfair!Why did Evangeline get all the breaks, while she could not even grasp a shred of happiness?Her heart seethed with rage.Julia's fingers gently traced the face of Lydia in the photo.
"Ms. Evangeline, with the way you're sneezing up a storm, you shouldn't be hanging around here. No matter how clean your clothes are, they'll pick up dust, and that's no good for your nose. Why don't you head downstairs and spend some quality time with your grandfather?"Cole could not contain his excitement when he heard Evangeline was moving back home. He had finished all his chores early and was just lounging in the living room, eagerly awaiting her return.The thought of his hopeful look made Evangeline's heart waver. Before she moved back, she had not given it much thought. However, the idea of being around her grandfather all the time scared her. She dreaded the moment he might bring up Walter, such as why Walter had not visited with her pregnancy becoming more obvious with each passing month…Julieta had been by Evangeline's side for months and could read her like an open book. She gave Evangeline's shoulder a reassuring pat and said softly, "Ms. Evangeline, your grandpa is
Cole did not have a clue about old-timey dramas. He just threw on some random show to pass the time while waiting for Evangeline.He had not even paid attention until she pointed it out.Then, taking a closer look, he just saw a bunch of characters in ancient garb hopping around the screen, which was kind of dizzying.However, when Evangeline asked him about it, he felt too sheepish to say he would just put on anything, so he played along. "What's the big deal? Young folks get to binge-watch whatever, but an old guy like me can't be trendy?""Oh, that's not it!" Evangeline linked her arm with Cole's. "I'm just curious, that's all."Grandpa, you're usually all about the great outdoors, right? Our family's garden is one of the nicest spots in Avalon City. It's perfect for a stroll when you're looking to relax."She was right. The Foster family's garden was a sight to behold, sprawling and lush in the heart of Avalon City.However, Cole was not having it."I've walked that garden
"Health? Why bother fussing over this old body?" Cole's voice was heavy with bitterness. "Trapped in this massive, empty house all day, forbidden from stepping outside—it might as well be a prison. I've lived a full life, and I'm done with these bitter concoctions!"Evangeline's eyes sparkled with understanding as she realized her hunch was right.Her grandfather might have thrown in the towel, but she had a trick up her sleeve."Don't you want to meet your great-grandson?" She set aside her spoon and gently patted her growing belly. "Grandpa, this little rascal is a real handful. He's always doing somersaults inside, eager to pop out and see you!"Cole's eyes lit up with a mix of joy and regret. "Of course, my great-grandson! How could that slip my mind?"When the maid came back, she found them in a fit of giggles and wondered what had happened. A quick glance revealed the chicken soup bowl, polished clean."Ms. Evangeline, your oatmeal is ready."Evangeline did not even glance
Evangeline tried to sound nonchalant.Truth was, Walter's comment had scared her more than she would admit.The baby she was carrying was only there because her grandfather wanted it. The thought of having another was too overwhelming to even consider."Hahaha, that's my boy! Walter, you're the best grandson-in-law a guy could ask for!"Cole was at that age where grandkids were his favorite thing, so he was all compliments for Walter.However, that did not mean his worries were gone."Evie, you moved back home, and Walter hasn't even dropped by or called. Is he upset?"If Evangeline's determination to stick by Cole had caused a fight with Walter, Cole would feel guilty. He would have to convince her to move back as soon as possible!Right on cue, Julieta walked in with Evangeline's phone blaring."Ms. Evangeline..." Julieta glanced at the name on the screen, hesitated for a second, then said with a warm smile, "You've got a call from Mr. Walter Gordon."Regardless of how Evan
Too bad, just as Evangeline had managed to pull it off, Cole got all awkward from their lovey-dovey talk and excused himself.Evangeline watched Cole walk away and breathed a sigh of relief. When she picked up the phone again, her voice was icy, like she had flipped a switch."Out with it, Walter. Why'd you call?"She was not in the mood for small talk with Walter. She owed him thanks for the call that cleared up any doubts Cole had, but getting the lowdown was way more pressing than a 'thank you'.Walter's mouth twitched. Since when could Evangeline switch gears so fast? She was sweet one moment, and the next, a thunderstorm. He did not even get a heads-up.However, he had to focus on why he would call in the first place."Remember the woman we saved downtown?"Celina? Evangeline's gaze faltered for a moment. "Yeah, I remember. The Fosters are still keeping her safe. What's up?"Not that she was itching to go into detail, but she figured Walter was already clued in on the Fost
Why would the Fosters let Evangeline walk into danger?Yale only agreed to send a car for Evangeline after making sure Celina bore her no ill will. Celina was in bad shape, with a severe concussion and her neck out of whack from a car crash. She was bedridden, strapped into a brace.This was not like a prenatal visit. Evangeline would be in the public eye, around the clock. Yale was not worried.To keep Celina from flipping the script, Yale had the nurses tie her to the bed. When Evangeline walked into the room, Celina was trussed up like a Thanksgiving turkey.Celina knew Yale always played it safe when it came to her well-being, but she never imagined he would go to such lengths. With her head pounding from a severe concussion, just the thought of getting out of bed felt like a brave act.There she was, Celina, slight and fragile. In her state, even if she had wanted to hurt Evangeline, she simply did not have the strength. What was the point of all those extra precautions?Eva
"Sure, if that makes you feel any better, I'm fine with it."Evangeline's eyes twinkled, not the least bit surprised by Celina's revelation that she had once saved her.Celina's eyes widened in astonishment. "You knew all this time?""Of course."Evangeline raised her head with a mischievous grin. "You know, you almost had me fooled. Too bad the handkerchief you gave me was a little frayed around the edges—obviously a well-loved item. However, we're not exactly at the 'sharing used stuff' stage of our friendship, so I knew something was up. That is, until David saw the handkerchief."Just one look from him was all it took to prove Evangeline right.Of course…"I'm not one to keep score, Celina. Just so we're clear, I helped you because it was the right thing to do. Even if you were a total stranger lying on the side of the road, I'd have done the same.""Then I owe you big time." Celina's face was ghostly, but her smile was like a lily in full bloom—delicate and pure, the kind
After that mess, Cole's wife blamed herself for everything and was drowning in guilt.Cole could not stand to see her cry day in, day out. So, he did something big: he went to an orphanage and came back with five kids.They were not his flesh and blood, but Cole raised them with all he had, a no-nonsense dad through and through. His wife? She poured her heart into those kids, loving them like they were her own.Maybe it was their good hearts that did it, but somehow, they got their miracle. Thanks to the wonders of in-vitro fertilization, they got a second chance at parenthood.That was how Yessica came into the world.After Yessica arrived, a tiny, squishy bundle of joy, she became the center of the Foster family's universe.Yessica was the only child born to Cole, and the baby Evangeline was carrying was the last hope for the Foster family's lineage.Cole's world shattered when Evangeline lost the baby, and he passed away, overwhelmed by sorrow.Others might have accused Cole
Yale's face twisted into a knot at the thought of Roslyn.As long as she did not rub off on Evangeline, he could pretend not to see whatever else she got up to."What's the big deal?"Holden shrugged. "Did you forget? When Evie wanted to shack up solo in the 'Emerald of the Highlands' mansion, didn't we hook her up with Julieta for some round-the-clock company? She was none the wiser!"And I've got just the person in mind to hang with Evie—what about... Hank?"Holden leaned in, a mischievous glint in his eye."Don't even try to tell me you're not itching to keep that golden goose for the company! Sure, the kid's got skills, but him working his tail off for the Foster Group without any official title or clear role? That's a ticking time bomb."Why not play matchmaker with him and Evie? If sparks fly and Hank becomes part of the Foster family by marrying her, we could hand over the whole shebang with peace of mind, right?"He was talking a mile a minute, his excitement growing wi
Yale had put his job on hold for the sake of the Foster family, and the higher-ups were not exactly thrilled about it.Anyone else would have raced back to work by then.However, with Evangeline's miscarriage and Cole's death, not to mention the constant threats of assassination and kidnapping, Yale was too worried about Evangeline's safety to leave.He was not about to let Holden pin that kind of rap on him.Holden realized he had crossed a line and quickly switched gears. "Okay, okay, so I've got a big mouth and I blabbed. You're the big brother, aren't you going to let it slide?"Just then, something dawned on Holden. "Hey, you've been home for ages now. What about your job... is everything okay there?"As he spoke, Holden kicked himself for being so clueless. He had only just thought about his elder brother's job situation.Yale held a top position in the north and could not leave a job like that unattended for long.Holden knew that Yale must be going through tough times o
What baffled Walter was who could have convinced Trey to agree to such a thing.After all, Alex was a natural at business. Forcing him out of the game was like a fate worse than death!Did someone have a grudge against Alex?Caught up in his thoughts, Walter found himself at the bottom of the stairs.Instinctively looking ahead, he spotted a solitary figure in the garden through the villa's large windows.The chill of early spring lingered in the air.Alex was out there, dressed in a light camel hair coat with a blanket over his legs, staring blankly at the garden's faded glory.Walter did not interrupt him. Instead, he stood by the window, silently watching.Alex had always been his brother, and nothing could change that. Despite their different parents and the rivalry over Evangeline, Walter had always seen Alex as a true brother.As he watched the solitary figure outside, Walter wondered what was going through Alex's mind. Was he thinking about when he would return to the c
Trey's expression fell.Walter saw the shift in his grandfather's expression but pressed on anyway."Alex has the skills and the vision. He could make a fortune for Gordon Group. Why are you so hung up on that old promise?"That was something Walter just could not wrap his head around.Before, when it came to Alex, he had only played the bad guy to keep Alex from holding a grudge against Trey.However, truth be told, Walter never really cared who ran Gordon Group. He actually thought it would be better off in Alex's hands, so he could go do his own thing.Trey let out a long, weary sigh. "Walter, you're giving others a leg up and selling yourself short. That's not like you..."His eyes, old and wise, suddenly looked clouded and sad as he gazed at Walter, a touch of sorrow in his gaze."Grandpa, you know me. I'm just being honest."It was easy to see things clearly from the outside, but Walter, even caught up in the middle of it all, managed to stay objective and fair about Ale
The only person who could pull that off was Evangeline.Walter felt his heart plummet.He had spilled the beans right in front of Trey!Dinner at the Gordon family's old house, with one elder and two youngsters, was surprisingly peaceful for once.Trey, though, kept a frosty look the whole time, only cracking a slight smile when he took a sip of his drink.Aria, not wanting to rub Trey the wrong way, nudged Walter to lay on the charm.Somehow, they managed to wrap up dinner without any drama. However, as soon as Trey set down his silverware, his voice dropped an octave."Walter, step into the study with me."That tone sent a shiver down Walter's spine.Family stuff was no secret to Aria and Alex. If they were heading to the study alone, it had to be about business.Trey's icy demeanor at dinner must have been because of the report Walter brought back.Walter braced himself, but facing the music still had him anxious.A sheaf of papers smacked him square in the face. Walter
"As for that, I can't be certain," replied Alex with a nonchalant shrug. "I'll take my time. The right person will come along when it's meant to be."Alex flashed Trey a half-hearted smile, his mind buzzing with a single thought. "So, you turn to me only because Walter's out of the picture?"It did not really bother him, however. As long as he could introduce his future bride to his grandfather without any fuss, that was all that mattered.It was not every day that an elder would be accepting of a woman who married the younger brother before ending up with the older one.However, Trey did not take Alex's relaxed demeanor well and got all worked up."You can't be so laid back about this, man. You're in your thirties, and finding a wife should be top of your list! Tell you what, I'll have some old buddies over soon, maybe we can scout out the perfect girl for you..."Trey did not usually fret over Alex, but he was all grown up, and playing matchmaker was the least he could do.Ale
"Nothing. Go see when your mom's serving dinner. I'm starving."Was that it? Just like that?Walter was stunned, hardly able to believe the conversation had ended so abruptly.Trey clutched his prized cane, lounging in the living room. He had waited for ages, and he was just going to let Walter off the hook that easily?He caught Walter's doubtful look and, with a flick of his cane, said in annoyance, "What, you need a good thrashing to feel right? If you're itching for it, I'm happy to help..."He was about to lift his cane when Walter, not about to wait around for that, made a beeline for the door.Little did Walter know, someone had been watching their every move from a hidden spot. It was not until Walter had bolted that the observer wheeled himself into the open."Grandpa, what's this?" Alex's eyes landed on the papers Trey had tossed onto the couch. He grabbed them, feigning curiosity. "What's this all about?"He did not even need to peek at the papers; he already knew wh
Trey was supposed to be all over the Southern Crownlands case, right?Handing over the document without being asked had to be better than waiting for Trey to demand it.However, Trey's reaction was explosive. He chucked the document aside like it was nothing."Walter, look at you, all grown up. You barely come home, and when you do, the first thing you talk about is work?"You're so into your job. Why'd you even bother getting married?"'Again with Evangeline!'Walter had convinced himself that Trey was just blowing off steam over some work issue. However, deep down, it was all about his rocky marriage to Evangeline."Alright, sure, I married Evangeline, but we both know the real story of how she ended up in the Gordon family, don't we, Grandpa?"Back then, he did not want to marry Evangeline at all.Sometimes he wondered, if he had just refused to let Evangeline into his life, would he be spared the heartache he felt then?However, that was just Walter making excuses. Truth