"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
Walter did not wait for Trey to respond. He left the study, got into his car, and took off.He did not want to divorce Evangeline, but she had made up her mind. Was it really up to him?It was all so frustrating!His frustration pushed him to floor the gas pedal, and he zoomed off, the world outside blurring past.As he began to relax, his phone rang with a distinctive tone.It was the direct line from David.Was there news from Southern Crownlands?With that thought, Walter hit the brakes, pulled over, and picked up the call in a hurry.Just as he expected, the second Walter hit the answer button, David's voice buzzed with awesome news."Mr. Walter Gordon, guess what? The Bennison family's in a total mess—they're fighting each other! And guess what else? Our diamond mine case just got a lucky break."The big shot who was backing the Bennisons are done with each other. I sent over a little peace offering, and boom, they're talking about teaming up with us!"Walter let out th
Evangeline, having rested well throughout her observation period, was finally cleared to leave the hospital.Roslyn had to dash back for the launch of her new show and could not skip the press conference.Celina and Julieta had been by Evangeline's side, taking turns to care for her. On discharge day, they had everything packed and ready to go early.Evangeline's five uncles were huddled awkwardly in the hospital room, watching two ladies pack up, exchanging helpless glances as they waited.Catching the uneasy looks on their faces, Evangeline could not help but feel a twinge of guilt. "I'm just getting out of the hospital. Why did you all show up?" she asked, her voice tinged with embarrassment.Her uncles had always doted on her, but their overwhelming concern only made her heart heavier. It was not just about them; it was the way their love seemed to echo with memories of Cole.Cole, the one who had cherished her more than anyone else, was gone. The thought alone was enough to
Evangeline's eyes glistened with tears, but she managed a smile.That was the first time the Foster family had come together for a meal since Cole's passing, and they had to make it count.The five brothers, along with Evangeline, made six in total.They intentionally left the seat at the head of the table vacant.It was Cole's special spot.The lunch spread was nothing short of a feast, and the cooks had even whipped up a creamy wheat cereal especially for Evangeline, who was recovering from a miscarriage.The six of them picked up their utensils and kept the conversation light and full of laughter, just like the days when Cole was still with them.Except, Cole's laughter was missing, and so were his wise and guiding words.The six Foster kids, who were a force to be reckoned with out in the world, then seemed like they had lost their beacon in the dark.No one knew who started it, but before Evangeline knew it, the dining room echoed with sobs.Evangeline felt her own tears
Evangeline had been in Yale's life for two decades, and she could count on one hand the times he had smoked.She wondered… Could this be about Roslyn, his best gal pal?"I get where you're coming from, but Uncle Yale, life is too short, and happy moments are even shorter."Yale had always been logical, but if he was that way about feelings, when was he going to let himself be happy?"Happiness is staring you in the face, ready for the taking. If you keep dragging your feet and miss out, won't you be kicking yourself later?"Roslyn might say she and Yale were never going to happen, but Evangeline knew better. Women understand women, and it was clear as day that Roslyn was holding out for Yale. However, who would have guessed…Yale's gaze darkened, a storm of anger brewing just beneath the surface."Evie, did someone tell you something?"If Roslyn had been spreading lies to Evangeline, he would not let her off easy.He had made it clear before: Evangeline was his line in the san
"I was going to rest, but then I saw you go into the master's room. I figured you had something important to talk about, so I waited," Julieta explained, worry creasing her brow. However, Evangeline could see the tiredness in her eyes."Ms. Evangeline, let me walk you back to your room. You need to rest.""That sounds perfect."With Cole's funeral behind her, everything else seemed to fade away. Evangeline was drained, body and soul. All she wanted was to curl up in her room and find some peace and quiet.Evangeline's bed was like a cloud in the dusty old mansion, and she was so wiped out that as soon as she hit the pillow, she was out like a light.She slept like a rock, and in the fuzziness of dreams, she could swear she saw Cole, arm in arm with his wife, giving her that proud, relieved smile.In her dream, she heard Cole's voice whisper, "Evie, promise me you'll find happiness...""Yeah, I promise," she mumbled back. She was sure of it—she would find her happy ending, especi
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,