"Don't worry, I'm not."Evangeline caressed her belly, her eyes sparkling as she glanced at her companion."I've got company now, and Grandpa is waiting for me back at the family house. Why would I have any doubts?"She was just trying to relive a moment from her past. Perhaps this could be said as... a goodbye ritual.A final wave to the girl who once rescued Walter and lost her heart to him in an instant."Good to know." Snow Wolf's grin widened as he breathed a sigh of relief.He sure did not want to lose her just when they had met."Feeling hungry? Want me to grab you a bite?"Snow Wolf had not expected that she would be expecting a little one, so he had not thought to bring any snacks. He was pretty thoughtful.As soon as he brought it up, Evangeline's stomach let out a loud rumble.She laughed off the embarrassment and gestured to Snow Wolf. "Hold on, I've got a bit more to do here. We can head out together in a bit."With that, Evangeline got to her feet.She was sta
The keychain dropped into the river.The water was crystal clear, dotted with chunks of ice since winter was just ending. Through the cold, she could make out the little brown bear on the keychain."Goodbye, Walter," she whispered to herself, knowing those words were meant more for her than for him.From that day forward, Walter would be a chapter closed in the book of Evangeline's life.With that, it was just her, the child growing inside her, the Foster family, and her own strength."Snow Wolf, let's hit the road."With that, Evangeline did not look back. She hopped into Snow Wolf's car, and they sped off to find some comfort food.Little did they know, within minutes of their departure, a sleek black sedan raced past, pulling up at the very spot they had just left.Walter stood there, lost in memories of the girl he once knew, her laughter echoing in his mind."Evangeline! Where are you?" he called out into the void.Walter's hands formed a makeshift megaphone as he yelled
After the car crash scare, Evangeline was not taking any chances. She and Snow Wolf hit up a diner, and she borrowed his phone to check in with Yale.Yale's voice was rough, tinged with a thrill he could not quite mask."Evie, thank goodness you're safe."Evangeline figured he was just worried about her, not reading into it too much.However, a beat later…"Don't bother with the old house; head straight to the hospital. It's your grandfather. He..."Yale sounded utterly spent.He had no idea that Evangeline had only been safe and sound for less than eight hours since her disappearance.The Fosters could not keep a lid on it for even that short a time.Outside the operating room, the red light flicked on, and Yale's heart sank.Holden was a statue, his fists clenched, eyes glued to the operating room doors, not looking away for even a split second.Yale could not hold back his emotions any longer when he saw Holden's state. His eyes welled up as he quickly moved closer and ga
Evangeline's eyes were red-rimmed as she shook her head fiercely, refusing to accept it. "Grandpa is going to pull through. Dr. George said we have to believe," she pleaded, her voice breaking.She was holding onto Yale's hand as if her grip alone could keep her grandfather alive.She knew how serious it was, that he might not make it through the night. However, she could not bear the thought of her uncles returning, as if their arrival would seal her grandfather's fate. Yale understood her all too well, his own heart aching with the same fear.His hand gently touched her forehead, stroking it softly. "What's on your mind? Your grandpa is really sick, and your uncle Holden and I are swamped. We thought it'd be best to call your other uncles to pitch in."Evangeline knew it was a kind lie, but she could not bring herself to call it out.The day the Foster brothers all came together was the same day Cole got moved out of the ICU to a regular room.Evangeline was so happy that she c
Evangeline's eyes were wide with disbelief.Cole could not just randomly bring up happiness and Walter without a reason."Grandpa, let's not talk about this, okay? Dr. George said your surgery went really well, and you're not going anywhere!"The fear of losing her grandfather wrapped around her, and she could not bear to hear any more of that from him.Cole offered a weak smile. "Evie, everyone's got to face the big four: being born, getting old, getting sick, and dying. Even if I pull through this time, I can't dodge the final curtain."Don't be scared, okay?"Cole's smile was as warm and gentle as ever, his frail, aged hand reaching out to stroke Evangeline's hair, just like he did when she was a little girl."I won't!" Evangeline's tears had broken free, spilling onto the blanket that lay over Cole. "I want Grandpa to stay with me forever. I can't stand the thought of being apart from you!"Cole could not help but smile, "Oh, my silly Evie, you're still so young. If I staye
She had caused her grandfather's death!Tears slid down silently, leaving trails on Evangeline's face, her sobs then just a whisper.At that very moment, the hospital room door swung open. Walter, his face ashen, appeared at the threshold. Feeling the weight of everyone's stares, he fidgeted uncomfortably, his hand brushing the back of his neck."I heard Mr. Foster was ill, so I... I just came...""What are you even doing here?" Evangeline shot up from her seat and marched straight toward Walter. "Walter, did you have something to do with my grandpa getting sick? Did you really have to come here and play the concerned visitor?"If Walter had not been so hung up on Julia, if she was not worried about how heartbroken Cole would be to see Walter being mean to her, why would she have ever spent so much time away from Cole's side?"Evangeline, what are you doing here?"Walter was in total disbelief.Had not Julia taken Evangeline away? He had scoured every corner of Avalon City and
Walter's phone buzzed to life out of the blue."Sir, I'm feeling a lot better now, ready to get back to the mission in Southern Crownlands."David's voice was stuffy and sounded like he was on the tail end of a cold.He already knew the whole drama about Evangeline getting nabbed by Julia while trying to rush him to the hospital.Taking a beat, he cautiously broached the subject, "How's Mrs. Gordon holding up?"It was not that he doubted Walter's expertise, but Evangeline's trouble was tied to him, and he could not shake off the guilt without checking in."She's fine now." Walter kept his voice even, masking whatever he was feeling."She's fine?" David echoed, relief flooding his words. "That's a relief, a huge relief."Knowing Evangeline was out of hot water made his own heart lighter."I'll head out tonight, catch a flight to Southern Crownlands."He mulled it over briefly before filling Walter in."Sure about that?" Walter was the one caught off guard then. "Weren't you a
Walter was shocked to discover just how incompetent his team was."Sorry, Mr. Walter Gordon. We've done everything we could, but they're too slick. They fed us fake leads, and we bit hard. By the time we figured it out and doubled back, they were gone—like they'd vanished into thin air..."…Elsewhere, Julia lounged in a swanky villa, sweet-talking someone on a video call."Honey, don't be mad, okay? I know you're just worried about me. But look, I'm totally fine. Plus, I'll be home before you know it."Her voice was dripping with sweetness, like she was talking through a mouthful of honey.The bodyguard who had just walked in caught a bit of her sugary tone and quickly looked down, giving her a respectful nod as he updated her, "Ms. Rearden, we've lost the tail."Julia's face, which had been all smiles, turned to ice. "Good job. You can go now."With a dismissive wave, she sent the bodyguard scurrying out. As soon as he was gone, her sweet smile returned.On the screen, the m
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,