As she spoke, Julia's cheeks flushed with a coy embarrassment that did not quite mask her indifference to Walter's grim expression.Did that woman have any shame? Did she even hear the words coming out of her mouth?"Evangeline, don't listen to her. She's talking nonsense!" blurted Walter almost instinctively.He had spent days mulling over their issues, determined to clear up any misunderstandings, especially those involving Julia.However, Evangeline was not having any of it. Her eyes were icy, her glance slicing through him without a hint of warmth. "Enough! I've signed the divorce papers you sent. Once Uncle James sorts things out with the court, we can make it official. So really, Walter, what's left to explain?"Walter's heart raced, panic setting in. "But it's not like you think," he pleaded, his words tumbling out faster in his desperation. It was no use."I don't want to hear it. Whatever you two are up to, it's none of my business," Evangeline snapped, her gaze flicking
Walter must have thought he was invincible, like he was some kind of superhero. Did he think she was untouchable?The instant Evangeline stormed out, Julia was already off Walter's lap.However, she was not about to let Walter off the hook.Her hand snapped to the rope on Walter, and with a determined tug, she dragged him back into the room, inch by inch.As if she would let him get away! She had worked too hard to get Walter that close, and she was not about to let her prize duck fly the coop.With the room quiet again, Julia was done wasting time trying to make nice with Walter.Ignoring the fact that they were still near the doorway, she lunged at Walter.There was a tearing sound as Walter's shirt gave way, and his bareback met the carpet in a less-than-gentle embrace.However, lying there exposed, with Julia looming over him with that look in her eyes, was far from a good feeling."Julia, are you out of your mind?" Walter ducked and weaved, his hands tied as he tried to p
"As if!"Walter's voice lacked conviction.However, whether he was convincing or not, Julia was not about to play along."Ropes are a bit of a hassle, but Walt, you were the one who played tricks earlier, right? So we'll just have to... improvise."Julia, oozing allure, licked her lips and was about to tackle the last barrier to Walter's lower half when a knock at the door interrupted her.Knock, knock, knock!The knocker was surprisingly polite, only three knocks, each perfectly timed.Julia was on the brink of realizing a long-held wish, and that knocking was not about to mess up her groove. She was ready to press on!Knock, knock, knock!The persistent knocking sounded again, as if the person would not stop until the door came down.Walter's heart, all tied up in knots, found the knocking to be a godsend, a few gentle raps pulling him back from the brink of doom.Of course, getting out of this mess would be even better.Julia's gaze shifted to the door, curious to see ho
Julia was seething.That delivery guy had not only messed up her evening for no good reason, but he also had the nerve to accuse her of something so outrageous.With Walter just behind the door, what if he overheard? What would he think?The delivery guy was then the one scratching his head in confusion. "If you didn't order it, but it's your address, then who did?"He glanced at the name on the delivery receipt and a lightbulb went off. "Excuse me, are you Ms. Rearden?"Hearing that last name, Julia's confusion vanished like smoke. She did not even care that she was only in her slippers as she bolted across the hall and hammered on the opposite door with all her might."Evangeline, you snake, get out here!""Typical, ordering delivery to my place. Don't you know that time with a loved one is priceless? And this drink? Who are you trying to disgust?"You did this on purpose, didn't you?!"What Julia did not realize was that Evangeline had seen the whole drama unfold from the o
Evangeline's words, each one more biting than the last, left the delivery guy speechless.He glanced between the two Ms. Reardens, the drink in his hand then a symbol of awkwardness. "So, um, who should I give this drink to?"He turned to Julia, who recoiled as if the drink was a piece of garbage, stepping back and flinging her hand as if to say she wanted nothing to do with it."Seems to me," he said, "that this drink might be more... more useful to you than to Ms. Rearden here."Useful?That odd choice of words caught Julia's attention, and she suddenly became aware of her disheveled state, her clothes half-off from her recent encounter with Walter. Lucky for her, a tie on her top had spared her from total embarrassment after standing outside for so long.Evangeline, on the other hand, looked totally chill in her simple, casual outfit."Alright, Evangeline, you've made your point!" Julia's eyes shot daggers at Evangeline as she grabbed the drink of disgrace, stormed into the h
Walter was desperate for a shower, but the thought of using Julia's bathroom? No way. That was out of the question.Then, like a lightbulb flicking on, Evangeline's face popped into his mind.The idea that she had a place in Meadowvale was something he had never even considered. Back in the day, he could not have cared less about where Evangeline owned property. Then? He was not in any position to care.However, what if he went over to her place, laid everything out, explained the whole Julia situation? Maybe, just maybe, he could ask to use her shower. Could that work?Walter, with a mix of hope and urgency, rapped on Evangeline's door. He tried the bell and then knocked harder, but silence was the only answer he got."Evangeline, please open up. I need to explain something to you!" he called out, his voice echoing down the hallway.The bodyguard, who had arrived a little too late, sidled up to Walter and whispered, "Mr. Walter Gordon, um... I've just found out that the lady is
How could he, Walter, have been so blind? To have mistaken his own lifesaver!Julia was losing her patience. "What do you really want to ask? When are you going to let me go?"A chilling laugh suddenly filled the air, making Julia's skin crawl.She remembered that laugh. It was the same one Walter had when he planned to send her off to Northern Montavia.Just as expected, a second later…"Julia, if you don't even recognize this keychain, how can you say you're my savior?"Walter's voice rumbled deep and rough, each word slicing through the air like it was forged in the depths of the underworld.Julia's mind snapped into focus, her eyes darting away in a guilty flinch. She could not bring herself to meet Walter's gaze."Walt, I was just... I was so ticked off when you yanked me up earlier that I didn't really look at it, okay? But staring at this keychain, it sort of rings a bell. Looks like the one I snagged from you way back."Her wavering voice was all the confirmation Walte
"Please, Ms. Rearden, don't be mad. We're in a tight spot here. See those bodyguards over there? They're with the Foster family. We're small fish in Avalon City, and the Fosters? They're sharks. Mr. Rearden made us swear to keep our heads down and steer clear of trouble."At the time, the Fosters' crew had just pulled Walter and Evangeline to safety.Both were out cold, but the Fosters only whisked Evangeline away, leaving Walter by himself, sprawled on the shore.Julia, curious about the lack of commotion, strolled over with her bodyguard to inspect the still-unconscious Walter. "Any of you know who this guy is?"She could not help but notice how handsome he was at first glance. Marrying him would be a dream come true.However, dreams were all they could be. The Reardens were nobodies in Avalon City, and their bodyguards would not know a VIP if they tripped over one. They had no clue who Walter really was.Julia sighed, a mix of disappointment and longing, as the bodyguard shook
Celina noticed that Evangeline was about to leave and asked with concern,"Are you going out, miss?"Evangeline nodded while picking up her bag, not understanding why Celina's brows were furrowed.Before she could ask, Celina continued, "The Gordon family is in turmoil recently, and with your relationship with Walter… it might be best if you don't go out and attract attention."Evangeline could easily understand the meaning behind Celina's words. The Gordon family was in a crisis, and she had poured more fuel on the fire at a critical moment, practically throwing herself into the whirlpool of public opinion. If she went out, it was highly likely that paparazzi and reporters would follow her, and the consequences could be unimaginable."I'm sorry, but I still need to go."Evangeline's worry for Trey had reached its peak. Facing Celina's concerned expression, she reassured her, "Don't worry, I'll be careful. If necessary, I'll bring a few more bodyguards."Celina knew she could not
Some people also said that Walter had pushed out Alex. Gordon Group was going through a period of turmoil, suffering from investment failures, compounded by The Bennex Corporation's reckless and aggressive maneuvers, which were essentially pushing the company to the brink of collapse.The only way for Walter to temporarily calm the storm and give the company a chance to regroup was to push Alex out and take the blame for everything.As the news spread, its impact grew larger, and some even dared to publicly tag Gordon Group's official social media account. It was expected that Gordon Group would follow their usual approach of not responding and turning a blind eye.To everyone's surprise, the company issued an official statement within 10 minutes.The news that Mr. Alex Gordon had been incarcerated was true, but the specific reasons would need to wait for the police's verdict.This brief announcement confirmed the speculations of social media users.However, Gordon Group was not
Evangeline listened to Thomas's lament and felt a wave of sadness in her heart.However, there were too many such people and stories in Avalon City, and she could not sympathize with all of them.Besides, Carl had done many bad things while working for Alex. How could she pity him?"Is there nothing else? No more information? Those who are pitiful must have their faults."Evangeline was not someone whose sympathy overflowed, nor did she want to connect with this situation."My men discovered that Carl has been wandering around Avalon City recently. His whereabouts are completely uncertain, and we've been unable to track him down or know where to start looking."Thomas fell silent for a moment, and Evangeline could only hear the sound of a mouse clicking.After some time, he added warily, "Carl is probably looking for his family."Before Alex was arrested, Carl secretly returned home one night. What exactly happened is unclear, but the next day, his family was taken away. And the
Perhaps going out for a walk with Celina to clear her mind would help her regain her composure.To her surprise, Celina declined Evangeline's suggestion and said, "No, I want to go on a stroll alone.Seeing the sadness in Celina's eyes, Evangeline did not know what to say."Ms. Evangeline, I'm just feeling down for no reason. You don't need to worry about me. Maybe it's because… I've been too idle."In the past, Celina always had various tasks, but after returning to the Foster family, there were no more tasks, no work, and her sole focus was on David.All of a sudden, Zhang Tao recovered and no longer needed her.She needed some quiet time to rediscover her own value. Otherwise, she would only live in confusion and self-doubt.Evangeline did not insist. Adults need time for themselves, after all. She could not take away the time for solitude that Celina needed just because they had a good relationship."Then… be careful."Evangeline patted Celina's shoulder and watched her le
Evangeline's brow furrowed. This situation was indeed tricky."Why is Carl Fowler still running around outside on his own when his boss has been exposed? If I were him, with Alex arrested, I'd rush back to Southern Crownlands immediately. Even if I couldn't return here, I'd send the message to the Bennison family as quickly as possible."Instead, he's been wandering around Avalon City!"Evangeline's speculation was not without merit. After all, if Carl had sent news of Alex's arrest back to Southern Crownlands, the Bennison family would have taken action. They would not be unaware, like they were at this moment where they've fallen for Walter's smokescreen and did not even realize it.David stroked his chin thoughtfully. "There's definitely something else going on here, and we just haven't figured it out yet. Is Carl wandering around because he's looking for something—or someone?"Having been by Alex's side, he naturally understood the dangers around him.Avalon City was especiall
"Insufficient evidence!"Evangeline and David seemed to be perfectly in sync. David looked at Evangeline with admiration."You truly are incredible, ma'am. Your analytical skills are simply amazing!""You don't need to flatter me. Since you led me to this conclusion, you must have a solution, right?"Gordon Group never kept idle people, and Walter was a perfectionist when it came to hiring. Therefore, the fact that David had worked under Walter for so many years was enough to prove his capabilities.Realizing he had been seen through, David awkwardly scratched his head. "I do have a plan, but it's still a bit underdeveloped, and I don't know if it will help Mr. Gordon."Since he was not sure, he did not dare to bring it up to Walter, only discussing it behind his back with Evangeline."Come on, tell me. Maybe it'll help."If the evidence Walter had was not enough, Gordon Group would remain in turmoil. Trey Gordon was still in the hospital recovering, and the situation at Gordon
David and Celina had lived in Southern Crownlands for a while, so they knew where the Bennison family's base was located. What Evangeline was concerned about, however, was the enormous amount of information carried by this statement."Do you know where Walter got this phone number from?"Whoever used this number would prove to be connected to the Bennison family.If the key person behind the scandal involving Gordon Group could be traced, the company's troubles would be resolved in an instant.David shook his head. "Mr. Gordon only instructed me to investigate this phone number. He didn't say where it came from."Ma'am, the president is holding up Gordon Group on his own. Don't you think we can do something too? Like, helping him catch the key person?"David's tone was uncertain, but his eyes flashed with a sly glint.Evangeline knew he had already devised an idea before speaking to her. She leaned back in her chair, arms crossed, and glanced at him sideways. "Speak up, what's yo
"But you know David didn't do anything wrong, right?"If he had, then Celina would not have said she was waiting for him to finish his task. Instead, she would have barged into the study and confronted him immediately.Celina lowered her gaze. "Yes, I know."Both of them were workaholics, and once there was work to be done, they would not care about anything else. So, Celina understood David's feelings very well. That being said, she did not want him to neglect her."I just hate his boss. If it weren't for him giving David some task, he wouldn't be like this."Walter is such a heartless boss. My David is still seriously injured, yet he gave him such an important task. It's practically exploitation!"Just when David could barely move around again, he started working like a dog for Walter!Evangeline did not care about any of the exploitation talk. Her attention was solely on one thing, and that was…"What task did Walter assign to David?"Evangeline's intuition told her that th
After all, if The Bennex Corporation knew about it, it would mean there was an insider in Gordon Group who was working for the Bennison family. At that point, it would trigger another internal purge.Walter finally regained his focus, and the entire Gordon Group was filled with a sense of harmony and renewed vigor. Even the department head of the Operations Department, who had been tortured by stress for days, looked relieved. He knew that the time for their president to strike back had finally arrived!The intense applause from the employees expressed their excitement.Walter felt unexpectedly touched. After all, if the employees did not have any sense of belonging to Gordon Group, they would not have been moved by his sudden actions.Some even shed tears.Evangeline also had not expected that the moment of action would come so soon. She really had waited for Walter to strike back.Apart from this, what surprised her was that David had mysteriously gotten busy. Even Celina, who