"How do I even find a star that grabs me?"What did Evangeline even mean by 'grabs him'? He was beginning to think that joining in on their youthful shenanigans was a mistake. Could he still bail out?However, Evangeline was not about to let him off the hook. She took out her phone and dove into an impromptu lesson.Her fingers danced across the screen, tapping an icon that looked like a pair of tiny eyes, as she explained, "See, Grandpa, this is WebSphere. It's like the news but all about celebs. Just flick through this every day, and you'll figure out which star you're into!"With her tutorial done, Evangeline did not miss a beat. She grabbed Cole's phone and set him up on WebSphere's hot list.Back in the day, she would not have dreamed of letting Cole anywhere near the news.However, everything had changed. Evangeline and Walter had found a way to live in harmony, and the rumor mill had taken a complete turn. After their public display of affection downtown, Avalon City was a
"I get it, but isn't it impressive to show him some new tricks?" blurted Evangeline without a second thought.Just then, the maid who was all about taking care of Celina's meals and stuff came hustling over with a tablet, giving Evangeline a deep bow. "Ms. Evangeline, there's a guy at the door asking for Ms. Morris."At the Foster family mansion, everyone knew Celina was no ordinary addition to their household—everyone except Cole, who was out sick. So when word got out that someone was asking for her, they were all on their toes."Who's at the door? Show me." Evangeline snatched the tablet from the servant, and her eyes widened at the unexpected face staring back.Without a word, she handed the tablet to Celina. "Your call, Celina. What do you want to do?"Celina, already thrown off by that surprise visit, was even more intrigued by Evangeline's reaction.Then she saw him…David's face was on the screen, looking right at her.Celina's eyes seemed to look right through the tabl
As she reached the front gate, she saw David standing tall and defiant in the midst of the blizzard, his car parked idly by, with no sign of him leaving anytime soon.Was David willing to wait out in the cold indefinitely, all for a chance to see Celina? If so, his feelings for Celina must be profound.Evangeline's heart skipped a beat as she noticed David's face, which was a worrying shade of blue from the biting cold. If he stayed out much longer, it could spell disaster.Cole, leaning on his walking stick, noticed David too and made his way over, accidentally running into Evangeline. "Evie, isn't that Walter's guy, David? Should we let him in?"With the snow coming down this hard, it'd be terrible if something happened to him."Both Cole and Evangeline were on the same page, yet Evangeline was torn about what to do.David had come for Celina, after all. If she invited him in without warning, would Celina agree to meet him?Just then, David's voice cut through the storm, "Celi
30 minutes later, David, finally in fresh clothes, held a steaming bowl of soup the housekeeper had prepared and made his way to Celina's room alone.He was about to knock, but the door was slightly open. Knocking lightly out of courtesy, he stepped inside.Celina was a shadow of herself, propped up by pillows at the head of the bed."You came."Her eyes were empty, her gaze lowered, hiding her thoughts.David's heart twisted at the sight of the brace around her neck and the healing wounds on her body. A lump of pain lodged in his throat. He tried to speak but no words came out.The moment he got his phone back and powered it on, he was greeted by a barrage of missed calls. Each one felt like a weight dragging him down.He owed Celina an apology."Say what you need to—I need to rest." Celina's voice was detached as she adjusted the blanket.The moment she got that endless busy tone when she needed him most, she promised herself that her life would no longer include David."I'
"Ms. Evangeline!""I'm here!"Evangeline had been stealthily eavesdropping by the door, worried that Celina's reunion with David might stir up too much emotion and lead to trouble. However, she had not expected Celina to be the one to cry out.Without a second thought, Evangeline burst into the room and saw David collapsed on the floor."Celina, what happened here?"Had Celina knocked David out in a sudden outburst? She had not heard any signs of a fight. If she had, she would have been in the room in a heartbeat."Please, check on David. He just said something and then passed out!"Celina's concern for David overrode their complicated feelings. She watched him anxiously, unable to move, confined to her bed.Evangeline snapped to attention.Maybe David had gotten too cold outside and caught a chill?She quickly bent down and touched his forehead. The heat that met her hand made her recoil."He's burning up!""What do we do now?"Celina was frantic, clueless about how to ha
As the motorcade vanished from sight, so did Evangeline, who was inside one of the cars.The bodyguards arrived in a rush, exchanging bewildered glances at the scene.David's health was on the line, no time for delays, but the disappearance of the Fosters' darling princess was a dire matter!Back at the Foster Group headquarters…Yale had wrapped up a meeting and was deep in strategy talk with Hank when his phone rang with alarming news from the bodyguards."Evangeline's gone missing?" he blurted.Hank went white as a sheet. "Mr. Yale Foster, what are you saying? Is Evie in trouble?" Hank had been meaning to catch up with Evangeline, but with the business buzzing and her pregnancy, their paths had barely crossed.Hearing the news about her out of the blue... She had gone missing?"Got it, I'm on it!" Yale managed to keep his composure on the outside, but inside, he was fuming, his hand clutching the phone shaking ever so slightly.True to form, as soon as he ended the call,
"Holden, Dad might be a bit out of it these days, but he can still have moments of clarity. You've got to make sure this stays under wraps, make everyone at the Foster estate zip their lips!""I got it, don't worry."Holden felt a wave of unease. Armed with the news, he hurried back to the Foster family estate, only to find Celina and Cole casually chatting on the living room couch."Mr. Foster, my fiance David caught a chill and got sick, but I can't leave the house, so I had to ask Ms. Evangeline to take him to the hospital for me. You're not mad, are you?"Celina had rehearsed that with Evangeline, but even so, she hesitated for just a second when she mentioned David's name. Her voice, usually so strong and confident, softened without her even realizing it when she spoke to Cole.The old man, with his grandfatherly kindness, made her think of her grandfather.Her parents never wanted a daughter, so they left her with her grandparents right after she was born. Then, as if on cu
"Yeah, Evie should be okay. However, David, the poor kid, is sick, and we've got no news on him. You need to take care of yourself right now, and don't stress. Evie's got things under control, and she'll call as soon as there's any word from David."Cole wrapped an arm around Celina, offering her a comforting squeeze that sent warmth flooding through her. In the midst of that, Celina's mind flickered to the mission Evangeline had left with her grandfather."Mr. Foster, have you found your favorite celebrity yet? Since we can't do much else, let's try to track down the star you're into. That way, when Ms. Evangeline gets back, she can show you what to do next."Pushing down the flutter of anxiety in her chest, Celina flashed Cole a brave smile."Yeah, could you give me a hand? Let's start by tapping this icon, and then..."Together, the two huddled on the couch, fingers dancing over the smartphone's screen, which was displaying WebSphere.Holden watched the tender scene unfold bef
The pain was so intense that Alex felt like he was choking.He tried to speak, to ask why, but memories of his younger years clamped his mouth shut. After all, calling out Trey for his unfairness was like asking to be kicked when he was already down.Alex had always been the outsider in the Gordon family, especially in Trey's eyes.Both were grandsons, but Trey treated Alex and Walter worlds apart. Alex could do something flawlessly and barely dodge a scolding, but if Walter did the same, Trey would sing his praises to the heavens.Eventually, every servant in the Gordon mansion knew Alex was the grandson Trey did not care for. He became the invisible one, the kid who got nothing from the Gordons but food, drink, and a ticket to school. Not a shred of the warmth and affection that should come with family.Little Alex watched everyone fawn over Walter, and a seed of envy and jealousy sprouted silently in his heart. Those feelings for Walter, tangled and twisted, just grew more comp
However, the line between paradise and disaster was just a heartbeat away.At Walter's eighteenth birthday bash, Trey handed over the reins of Gordon Group to him as a rite of passage gift, right in front of everyone.Alex, who had always seen himself as the head of the Gordon family, turned into the punchline of a bad joke that day, in the eyes of all the guests and the Gordon family.Stunned, Alex stood rooted to the spot until Trey's pointed look snapped him back to reality.He gritted his teeth and stayed until the party was over. Walter, holding the appointment papers, looked bewildered as he caught Alex's eye.It was obvious that he was just as clueless about why a simple birthday had turned his world upside down.The brothers were about to speak when Trey suddenly whisked Alex away.In the silence of the study, Trey did not lecture Alex. He just floated a few comforting words his way."Alex, you've put in a ton of work at the company over the years. Now that Walter is al
Alex's eyes were dead serious. He was not kidding around.Walter's gaze sharpened as he tucked away his inner scoff. "Why the sudden need for a job? What's got you coming to me?"Or could it be that the mighty son of the Gordon family can't snag a job in the sprawling Avalon City?"By the end of his words, Walter's eyes brimmed with scorn.The brothers had shared their childhood, growing up side by side.Walter, the youngest son of the family, was always tagging along after Alex, calling him 'big bro' this and 'big bro' that. They had been thick as thieves.However, at some point, a thin veil of distance had settled between them, turning their once robust bond of brotherhood into something delicate and strained.Then came Evangeline, whose arrival sent their shaky bond into a tailspin.Out of everyone in the Gordon family, Alex was the one Walter could not stand the most.However, Walter's petty schemes barely registered with Alex, who just gave a half-hearted smirk, a grin th
David took the keychain and offered it up to Walter with all due respect. "You dropped this."Walter only realized what David was handing him when he saw it—a keychain. He took it, turning it over in his hands, feeling its weight. "Thank you. This means a lot to me.""Did... Did Mrs. Gordon give this to you?"David knew better than to dig into his boss's personal life, but he could not help asking, given how much Walter seemed to care about the keychain.To David, it seemed like only Evangeline could make Walter hold something in such high regard.Walter managed a weak smile in response. "I wish it was from her..."If only Evangeline had been the one to save him, then all the troubles he faced would have melted away…He let his voice trail off, making no attempt to hide his feelings."You didn't bring it up, but I almost forgot. When you get back, you'll have more than just your regular duties. You'll need to help me with an investigation..."He was determined to find out the
Guilt washed over David, and his heart throbbed with pain.A thought struck him. Maybe he owed it to himself to try again, to make amends to the woman who had lost hope because of him.Little did David know, his seemingly simple question had set off a tidal wave in Walter's heart.Walter's history with Evangeline was like a jigsaw puzzle with too many pieces missing. It was not as easy as just wanting something anymore.Without Cole, without the kids, Evangeline, who never really liked him, would not even spare him a second glance. It was just like Alex had said.Evangeline had only married him because she thought he was someone else.For whatever reason, Julia, with her web of lies, made him neglect his one true love, Evangeline. He even shamed her when she longed for a child.The mistake was made worse, the guilt heavier. Even if he could not make sense of it, his chances were gone…With that thought, Walter cracked a wry smile. "We're different, and whether it makes sense or
"Is there really no chance for you and Celina to...?" Walter began, his curiosity getting the better of him, but David cut him off."Mr. Walter Gordon, it's time to leave the past behind."With the Southern Crownlands diamond mine case wrapped up, David felt a weight lift off his chest.He could not afford to take a break. The moment he did, Celina's face, filled with disappointment in the blizzard, would haunt him.He had always figured that being a guy, it was normal to miss out on time with Celina because of work commitments. He just had to swallow his pride, talk to her heart-to-heart, and she would get where he was coming from.Thus, when he finally got to see her, he laid his cards on the table, all his sincerity on show.However, things did not pan out the way he had hoped, and it was not just him who paid the price—Evangeline and the Foster family got dragged into a whole heap of trouble.Then, haunted by guilt, Celina's disappointed face haunted his dreams, growing shar
In the past, Julia would not have batted an eye at whatever grand gesture Ethan made for her.However, things had changed. After pouring her heart out for Walter, only to have it wasted, how could she not feel a pang of guilt and a rush of gratitude when Ethan still stood by her side, ready to give his all?Ethan gently stroked her hair, his eyes soft with affection. "Julia, you shouldn't have to worry about this...""But I can't help it!" Julia's voice broke through her restraint, loud and clear. "Why should Walter get away with hurting me, and then turn around and manipulate you?"Ethan's eyes flickered shut for a moment, clearly done with the conversation. "Let's go home."Hand in hand, they made their way onto the plane at Meadowvale's private airstrip. Walter, bound by his deal with Ethan, had no choice but to bid them farewell.He watched the sleek private jet take off, his gaze deep and calculating, a sly smile playing on his lips. That was his first chess move against t
Julia gazed at the man's face, her mind wandering.Was it true? This man, who everyone looked up to, dropped everything—his work, his family duties—to be there, all because he did not want her to be alone?What kind of feeling was that?Whatever it was, just seeing what he had done was enough to stir any girl's heart.Even Julia, who had Walter in her thoughts, could not hide her emotions.Tears filled her eyes, and without a care for the watchful eyes of the bodyguard, she lunged into the man's embrace."Thank you. Thank you for still choosing to love me, Your Highness."She hardly ever used such formal titles for the guy, standing in front of her.Titles like 'duke' or 'viscount' from overseas just were not her thing. She even thought that using them created an invisible gap between people.However, right then, she felt compelled to use his title, as a reminder to herself of just how incredible he was.In Julia's eyes, Ethan Jefferson was infinitely better than Walter—by a
The diamond mines in Southern Crownlands were a gold mine, literally. Any official could name their price and be set for life. There was no way they would turn down a fortune that was practically in their hands.Unless... It was all because of the guy standing in front of Walter.As Walter locked eyes with him, the man casually threw up his hands. "No need to be suspicious. I gave him a ring before I came to see you. For a deal this big, he wouldn't dare call the shots without backup."Walter's stoic expression betrayed none of his thoughts, while the man in front of him seemed like he could not wait a second longer."Do you still have reservations? If you do, why don't you mull it over here while I go see Julia?" The man spoke as he casually opened his arms, allowing Walter's crew to give him a quick pat-down."Don't worry, I'm here to rescue, not to wreak havoc. Why would I bring anything dangerous?"Walter caught his bodyguard's eye with a meaningful glance.Getting the hint,