Given Walter's family background, it was more likely he would grow up spoiled and pampered.However, Walter, with all his dough, never strutted around with that typical rich-kid swagger."What are you even saying?" Walter dismissed him with a wave of his hand. "I'm asking for your honest opinion, not for flattery! And from what angle are you judging? As my employee?"No way, man. You have to judge me as a dude, give it to me straight!"The word 'dude' coming from Walter had Caden smelling drama.From what he knew, when a guy started doubting his manhood, it usually meant his pride had taken a serious hit."Uh... you're not feeling your best?"Caden gave Walter the once-over. Walter was in his prime and always kept in shape. Something did not add up.As Caden tried to figure it out, Walter shot him a death glare that screamed he had had enough of Caden's guesses."Caden, do you even hear yourself?"Walter Gordon, the pride of the Gordon family, was in the prime of his life—top
"Caden, about Evangeline's baby... it's gone," said Walter.They had not gone through with the divorce mainly because Evangeline did not want to stress out Cole.However, Cole was gone, and the miscarriage of the baby that had been keeping them together meant that he and Evangeline were really about to go their separate ways."What?" Caden nearly choked on his wine. "When did this happen? How come I'm the last to know?"Walter shot him a look that could freeze fire. "You think you'd be in the loop on something the Fosters wanted to keep hush-hush? Yeah, the baby's gone."Walter was heartbroken, not just over Evangeline's icy, distant look, but even more for the child he would never get to meet…"Come on, Walter, let's just drink." Caden's hand, with its sharply defined knuckles, lifted a tall wine glass and clinked it against another. He tipped his head back and emptied it in one swift motion."Alright, if it's a drinking challenge you want, you've got it!"Caden was all in—but
Walter was so livid that he balled his hands into fists as he spoke.Caden caught the gesture and felt a twinge of sympathy for Julia.He had met her a few times. She was all frail and fussy, with a voice that could grate on his nerves. Honestly, he was not her biggest fan.Standing next to Evangeline? There was no contest.He just could not wrap his head around it. Why would Walter pass up Evangeline, a gem of a wife, smart and stunning, for someone like her?Caden was itching to ask for more details, but one look at Walter's stormy expression and he knew better than to pry. Instead, he smoothly steered the conversation away from the gloom."Let's drop the doom and gloom, okay? So, what's your plan? Just going to let things be with Evangeline?"Knowing Evangeline, she would probably be hitting Walter up for a divorce any day then.Evangeline had been wanting to leave Walter for ages, but for some reason, they were still hitched."I'm not getting a divorce."Walter's eyes bla
"Caden, you've had quite a bit to drink too. Why not crash here tonight and head back tomorrow?"Caden and Walter had been inseparable since childhood, often having sleepovers at each other's places. However, as they grew up, those days became rare.Caden massaged his temples, weighing the odds of a peaceful night's stay…Skipping one night at home would not be a big deal, would it?With that thought, Caden cautiously asked Aria, "I can't remember the last time I crashed here. Mind if I stay over?"Aria chuckled. "Stay if you want to. It's not like it's your first time."She waved over a servant. "Show Mr. Scott to the guest room."After saying goodbye to Caden, Aria headed to Walter's room.The wedding dress photo on the wall caught her eye, and then her gaze fell on her son, who had lost so much weight he was barely recognizable. Her heart ached for him.Evangeline had returned the bracelet to the Gordon family, signaling the end of her engagement with Walter. They were boun
Walter's throat tightened, and he could only muster a weak attempt at comfort. "Hey, what about Caden? He's the one who dropped me off last night, right?"Aria thought back to the servant's update."He was going to crash here and leave in the morning, but some urgent family thing came up, and he had to bolt in the middle of the night."Walter scrunched his brow, puzzled by Caden's sudden departure.After all, Caden was loaded. His family was not exactly waiting on him hand and foot. Plus, his aunt and uncle were the picture of health; they did not need him to run the family business. What was so urgent that he had to dash off?However, with Caden gone, it was actually a relief."Well, if that's the case, I should head out too."Walter started to rise, but Aria held him back. "Walter, it's been ages since you visited your grandpa. You're here now, so maybe... go see him?"Trey was getting on in years, always sitting by himself in the yard, staring into space. That solitude—it ma
"Walter is here? Take a seat." Trey glanced up from his busy work and nodded toward the chair across from him.Walter sat down, steeling himself for the storm of anger he was sure would come from Trey.To his surprise, Trey just fiddled with the ring on his finger and kept on making coffee.It was not until he poured the third batch into a cup and set it in front of Walter that he finally said, "Walter, give the coffee a try. I've been working on his brewing skills. Notice any improvement?"'Grandpa had called him over with such urgency just to... taste coffee?'With Trey looking on expectantly, Walter picked up the cup with a puzzled look and took a cautious sip.He was not exactly a coffee connoisseur. He ate merely to fuel his body, to keep up with the demanding pace of work at Gordon Group.The coffee swirled on his tongue, but Walter, being no expert, could not pick up any hint of sweetness or a pleasant aftertaste, just a strong bitterness that made him instinctively frown
'Suffering in silence.' That old saying was the only thing that came to Walter's mind.It was spot-on for his situation.The mess with Julia was exactly that—a whole lot of hurt he just could not put into words."Why so quiet?"Trey eyed Walter's silence and decided to break the ice."You've been away from the old house for ages. You even dodged me at Mr. Foster's funeral, sneaking in to pay your respects when I wasn't around. Here we are, finally face-to-face, and you're giving me the silent treatment?"Walter's skin crawled under Trey's offbeat interrogation. "It's not that, I just... don't know what to say, that's all.""Well, you might be at a loss for words, but I've got something to say to you."Trey's warm smile faded into a more serious expression as he reached into the coffee table drawer and pulled out a box.It was an old wooden box, ornately carved and clearly well-crafted.Walter knew that box all too well.Back when the Fosters threw a birthday bash for Evangel
Walter was at a loss.He wondered if he could convince Trey that he kept Minnie around just to check out her background. However, the disgusted look on Trey's face said it all. The rumor mill had already done its work, and Walter was the bad guy who had let Evangeline down. It felt like he could plunge into the depths of the ocean and still not wash away the gossip."Not get involved?" Trey let out a bitter laugh. "I stayed out of it before, let you two figure things out on your own. And what happened? You've hurt our Evie so badly for those women. If I don't step in now, what's going to happen to my great-grandchild?"Trey knew all too well the weight of their family's name. The Gordons ruled the South, the Fosters the North, and that did not come from sitting back. The Foster family's empire was every bit as grand as the Gordons', and beyond the city limits of Avalon, the Fosters were even more of a big deal.Would the Fosters ever really let the Gordons raise their kid? That was
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,