Roslyn scrunched up her face, clearly not pleased. She playfully punched Celina, which seemed to make her feel better."We're practically sisters! What's with the thanks? Celina, if you don't cut it out, I'm seriously going to thump you!"Roslyn was as fiery as ever, only toning it down when Yale was around.Evangeline stood by, watching the exchange without a word.She understood that Celina and Roslyn had their unique way of talking things out, and her butting in would only mess with their vibe.About the whole name thing, Evangeline had tried to get Celina to drop the formalities too many times, but she kept on with Ms. Evangeline and Ms. Shaw. What could she do?Celina realized she had slipped up with her words.As she kept apologizing, she could not help but feel like the luckiest person in the world. Out of all the people out there, she had found Evangeline and Roslyn, both who genuinely cared for her…The hospital visit was short, and the medical report on David quickly
David gestured dismissively, his eyes quickly scanning the room, landing on Evangeline, Celina, and Roslyn.Those three were Evangeline's inner circle, the ones she trusted implicitly. If they were solid, so was he."There's a Bennison among us in Gordon Group, and it's very likely Alex.""Alex?" Roslyn could not hide her shock."Alex is Walter's older brother, right? Gordon Group is part of his empire. Why would he want a deal like the Southern Crownlands diamond mine that's bleeding money? Mr. Zimmer, are you sure you're not chasing shadows?"Roslyn had her doubts, and so did Evangeline. However, after David filled her in with the details, she was almost certain—there was a 90 percent chance Alex was the mole.Alex, with his knack for playing long games and a grudge against the Gordon Group that went way back, saw his golden opportunity.To him, seizing control of the company was all that mattered. Who cared if it seemed like a bad deal at first? He was smart enough to turn th
Evangeline inhaled deeply, her voice steady as she addressed the group."Alex has been able to feel his legs for quite some time. He showed me he could stand, but his movements were too fluid, too effortless. It's likely he's been walking for ages and just never let on to us."By then, the depth of Alex's deception had Evangeline seriously spooked.How could anyone be so sly as to fake being paralyzed from the waist down, especially in front of people who knew him, and keep it up for so long?The thing was…"I still can't figure out what's up with Alex's legs. I've asked him, but he dodges the question every time. Is it possible he's been playing us all with his act?"David's face lit up with a sudden understanding. "Exactly! We've all bought into the idea that he's wheelchair-bound and that it makes life tough for him, so we never suspected him. That wheelchair's nothing but a smoke bomb!"David was practically seething by the end of his rant.With the pieces falling into plac
"Okay, have you set up a time? If it's good for you, I can come over right now."The people David arranged were highly reliable. When Evangeline got to Gordon Group, a security guard handed her a USB drive, no questions asked.Sifting through hours of security footage was like running a marathon with her eyes. When she did not even know where to start looking, it was more like a wild goose chase.David had to make a guess based on a tip-off from Walter to pinpoint when someone had inked their name on a contract.Celina watched over David, glued to the computer screens, while Evangeline and Roslyn took on the video vigil.Roslyn watched Evangeline's eyes go bloodshot from the strain and felt a tug at her heartstrings. She wanted to just power down the computer and call it a day. However, she knew that would only leave Evangeline more crushed than ever…Little did Evangeline know, she and Walter were like two sides of the same coin, caught up in the same task at the same moment.W
"Yeah, got a bit banged up, but it's no big deal." David's voice was scratchy, and he sounded dog-tired."Can you swing by the hospital? I have something to tell you in person."David glanced at Evangeline, who was right there with him. Her thumbs-up gave him the green light to ask.Some things just did not come across right over the phone. Evangeline had already offered to help with the hush-hush matters, but since David was stuck in bed, he needed Walter to come to him."I'm on my way."Walter did not even have to think about it.Deep down, he had this gut feeling that whatever David wanted to talk about was very important.Injured or not, Walter was his former superior, and he felt it was only right to check in on him.Avalon City General Hospital.Walter walked into David's VIP hospital room to find Celina, who he had not seen in forever.She looked like she had not slept in days, but David? He was all smiles, the two of them having a blast until Walter showed up.The mo
Could it be that Evangeline's efforts were hidden somewhere in that 10-minute-long video?Walter might have left the company, but he was not out of the loop when it came to its affairs.The moment the USB was handed over by the company staff, someone had filled him in.He was so intent on watching the entire video that he ignored the report.That report had come in less than 36 hours ago.With so much footage and no exact time to go on, finding the man in white was like searching for a needle in a haystack. To identify a suspect in such a short time was extremely difficult.Someone must have been glued to the screen, watching the footage around the clock to have edited that clip so quickly…That person could not possibly be the injured David, nor could it be Celina who was caring for him.David's voice was still talking in the background."As of now, we've identified the man in the video, he is... Alex."Alex, Walter's own brother, was the last person anyone expected to be ca
Walter needed rock-solid proof to corner Alex into a confession.Thus, before the big showdown, he had to get his ducks in a row."It was a watch."David cut to the chase.To drive the point home, he took out his phone, pulled up a photo, and zoomed in for Walter's benefit. "Caught this snapshot from the surveillance earlier. The guy rolled up his sleeve and—bam—there's the watch."Walter peered at the blown-up image. A gold watch with a bit of peeling paint jumped out at him, triggering a wave of recognition.That watch... Evangeline had given it to Alex as a present!He remembered it clearly because Alex had made a big show of it to him when he got it.Evangeline was known for her lavish gifts, and that watch was no dime-a-dozen piece. It was a limited edition—so rare that most folks would not even recognize it, much less own one.Two videos surfaced, nailing Alex red-handed for fiddling with the contract.However, Walter's mind drifted to a different timepiece.Alex was t
When Walter looked up again, he was a man transformed.That enigmatic grin, those deep, unreadable eyes—David could tell, the boss was about to make his move. He could not wait to see what was going to happen next!"Mr. Walter Gordon, don't you think Mr. Alex Gordon rushed back to the company a little too eagerly?"They were not in any rush. However, Alex, who had strutted back into the company like he owned the place, was about to have his world rocked.Only the video they held could show that the contract Gordon Group had with the Southern Crownlands government was not signed by Walter himself.So, if Alex did not get his hands on that video to prove the contract with the Southern Crownlands government was a no-go, he was stuck playing by the rules, or else he would be coughing up a fortune in fines.Walter scoffed. "Man, I've been biding my time for years, and now that I've got a shot at getting back in the game, you think I'm going to relax?"David gave him a knowing look, b
Evangeline felt a stir in her heart as Alex's persuasive voice washed over her. She knew he was twisting the truth, but she could not quite pin down a comeback to shut him down.Hurting someone in the name of love could not possibly be true love, could it?She saw right through Alex's charming tricks—classic manipulator moves. If she let herself get sucked into his logic, she would be brainwashed in no time, turned into his personal puppet. 'Alex, you're seriously scary,' she thought to herself.If she fought back too hard, he would only come at her with worse, and she was not exactly in a position to fight back. She was about as intimidating as a kitten.No, she had to be clever about that."I believe you," she said, her voice light and airy as if she did not have a care in the world. Even tied up as she was, her smile and bright eyes made her look utterly adorable."You know, Alex, you're making a lot of sense. I mean, what have I gotten from chasing after Walter all this tim
Foster Group had revamped its game, and it was a whole new ballgame. However, just because they had ditched their old ways, did that mean nobody was left to pick up the slack?Alex was clued in on all of that, yet fear was not in his vocabulary."You really think I'm scared to mess with you because of that?" Alex's voice dripped with icy mockery. "Evangeline, the only reason I haven't pushed you is because I love you too much to make you do anything... intimate."However, if my caring turns into your scorn, then sorry, I can't just stand by and do nothing.""Too much love to force me?" Evangeline laughed like she had heard the funniest joke ever. "Does your face turn red when you say that? Does lying make you squirm?"You say you can't force me, but did I come to this creepy place because I wanted to? Did I ask you to tie me up like this?"Alex's face hardened, and his words were laced with pure fury."Evie, if you keep bad-mouthing me, keep getting me wrong, I'm going to lose
"Spill it, why did you bring me here, and why am I all tied up?"Evangeline had already taken in every detail of the room, feeling a wave of strangeness wash over her.She knew for a fact she had never set foot in that place before.Then again, this was Alex's secret lair. How could she have ever been there?Alex did not answer right away. Instead, he caressed her cheek with one hand, boasting arrogantly, "When I bring my girl to my place, there's no need for a reason."Evangeline tried to shrink away from his touch, but the ropes made it impossible to move.She resigned herself and thrust her bound hands toward Alex. "Alex, is this your idea of treating a woman right?"Drugging me, tying me up while I'm knocked out? Don't you think these tactics are a little low, even for you?"Before this, Evangeline had never thought Alex could be so vile.However, there he was, his hand casually resting on the ropes that tied her up, while his other hand reached out to grab hers. He looked
The room was so soundproof that Evangeline did not catch a word of the conversation. If she had, she would have laughed and said that the biggest danger she faced was Alex himself.Too bad Evangeline was out of earshot, and Yale was clueless that Alex was just faking concern. Considering how close Alex seemed to be with Evangeline and how worried he acted, Yale pushed aside his suspicions.Alex played the caring friend perfectly, offering Yale a few comforting words. However, Yale was too focused on the search for Evangeline to chat, so he hung up quickly.As soon as the call ended, the worried look on Alex's face melted away, replaced by a smug grin.'Yale, I wonder how you'll look next time we meet, when I'm introduced as Evangeline's boyfriend? Will you be relieved, or will you be steaming mad? Either way, I bet it'll be a picture worth seeing.'Of course, Yale's reaction did not matter. Alex had one thing on his mind today: to win Evangeline over.In a perfect world, he would
Walter did not buy the story for a second, his eyes locked on Thomas."That toy you're holding is the Shadow Wing, isn't it? A casual one million five hundred thousand dollar purchase—come on, you're no average person."Even though Thomas was riddled with doubts, he knew that was not the time to get caught up in them."Thomas, once we wrap this up and Evangeline's back safe, let's really get to know each other, okay?"Thomas just gave a nonchalant shrug. "Sure thing, I'm ready whenever you are."Just then, Thomas's eyes sparkled as he zeroed in on the screen."Got her! She's right here!"Walter glanced over at Thomas, and there was Evangeline's face on the screen, pale with fury.In a room on the third floor of the mansion, at the turn of the corridor, Evangeline was lying on the bed, a flimsy blanket her only cover. Tightly bound beneath the thin fabric were her wrists and ankles.As the memories from before she blacked out rushed back, Alex's triumphant smirk haunted Evangel
The gas pedal hit the floor, and the car surged forward faster than ever.Walter's mind was racing, fixated on the upcoming rescue.However, the place they pulled up to was all too familiar.It was the very villa where Walter's secret rendezvous had once been exposed.Stepping out of the car, Thomas could not suppress a chuckle at the sight of the private estate."It's kind of funny, you know? I thought bumping into an old friend while out and about was surprising enough, but to end up in the very same place, too?"Walter was not shocked, however.He had suspicions about Alex and had done his homework. This villa? It was Alex's hideout.What he did not expect was Alex could be so bold as to drag Evangeline there.Walter had been to that villa once. It was huge, with rooms galore, and pinning down which one Evangeline might be in was like looking for a needle in a haystack. If they were going to find her, they would have to check each room, which was a real pain.Walter caught
"How do I save Evangeline? And who the heck are you?"That enigmatic tipster, who kept dropping hints about Evangeline's peril, was no ordinary person.However, instead of an answer, all Walter got was the infuriating buzz of a busy signal.[Meet at the Dell family's alley crossroads in ten minutes.]Walter stared at the text, his curiosity about this cryptic informant spiking. It was like they knew exactly where he was, setting up the rendezvous right around the corner from the hospital.[Why should I trust you? And who are you, really?]Uncertainty swirled around Walter like a thick fog, but he was not about to let go of that mysterious lifeline that might just pull Evangeline back to safety.He shot back a quick reply and turned to David. "How many can we muster from the Gordons' forces?"Walter never imagined his grandfather would kick him out of Gordon Group. He had always focused on keeping the business running smoothly, never bothering to build up his own crew.However,
The thought struck David like lightning."All the Bennison family's clout is in Alex's grip. Could Alex be plotting against Ms. Evangeline? But wait, doesn't Alex have a thing for her? They could meet up in the open, no problem. So why would the Fosters kick up such a storm?"Nonetheless, who else in all of Avalon City would dare to mess with the Fosters' darling Evangeline in the open?As Walter was racking his brains, David suddenly gasped, a eureka moment lighting up his face."I got it! Alex has booted you from the company and got the thumbs up from Mr. Gordon. Gordon Group's practically his. He's on top of the world. If he now goes after Ms. Evangeline..."David clamped his mouth shut mid-sentence, realizing the rest was too risky to voice in front of Walter.However, he trusted Walter's smarts. Even without spelling it out, Walter would get the picture.He did. The moment Walter caught on to the unspoken words, panic washed over him, and he started sweating bullets.Alex
Yale's search revealed that the bodyguards assigned to Evangeline had been secretly taken out.The enemy's bad intentions were obvious.However, they were clueless and had no idea who the bad guy was.Evangeline had vanished without leaving a single clue, leaving Yale with nowhere to start."What do we do now?" Roslyn was pacing back and forth, frantic.Celina, biting down on her teeth with regret, said, "If only I'd stayed with Ms. Evangeline when she went out, or stopped her from leaving!"However, wishing for do-overs was like hoping for a magic cure for regret. It simply did not exist. No matter how much they were hurting, they could not rewrite the ending.The real problem was, they were clueless about who they were up against. The people the Foster family had sent out were just running in circles at the last place Evangeline had been spotted, like they were chasing their own tails.Then, Roslyn had a lightbulb moment."Evie got a call before she left. Can we dig into her