"Don't bother returning if you can't make Walter come home tonight, Evangeline!"It was New Year's Eve.Every home was aglow, families embracing the joy of togetherness. Evangeline Rearden, however, was excluded from the glee. She raced her heavy motorcycle down Jetty Road, cutting through the biting cold wind on a mission to expose Walter's infidelity aboard a cruise ship.The whole city buzzed with the news that her stay-away husband, Walter Gordon, has splurged on a cruise for his mistress, complete with a fireworks display.Still ringing in her ears was the harsh ultimatum her mother-in-law, Aria Jones, delivered at the Gordon family's New Year's Eve feast."Evangeline, Walter is so averse to seeing you that he hasn't come home for the holidays in years! You're just warming the bench. If you can't give us a Gordon heir, call it quits early. Step aside and let a more fertile woman take your place as Mrs. Walter Gordon."Three years into their marriage, all Evangeline could thi
Evangeline held her gaze before breaking into a sly smile. Her eyes sparkled mischievously as she sauntered toward Walter, heels clicking on the floor.She pulled out a disinfectant wipe and, with a show of casual authority, began to clean the spot on his silk shirt that Julia had touched."You think I want to be in this dump? I'm only here because Grandpa and Mom wouldn't stop nagging."She tossed the wipe away and straightened his collar with feigned nonchalance. "Are you done playing around? Ready to go home?""Go home for what? To play house and make babies?" Walter's dark eyes shimmered with a mysterious allure as he towered over her. "Do you really think you're fit to bear my children?"A laugh escaped Evangeline, a mix of disbelief and pain. Her heart ached like never before.She had, once upon a time, truly wanted to be a mother.Cole was getting on in years, and late-stage lung cancer was a clear sign his days were numbered. His dying wish was to see her and Walter have
Evangeline's alluring stance sent pulses racing.Pop, pop, pop! Balls dropped into pockets with stunning precision.Her skill was breathtaking. She was every bit Walter's equal, if not better.A hidden gem, indeed.Not just the onlookers, but even Walter's expression changed too. The sound of someone gulping was unmistakable in the tense silence.Then there was the sheer fabric clinging to her body, barely there, which made Walter's face darken with anger.His eyes, dark and predatory, did not miss a thing.Who would have thought? His wife, the one who hardly left their home, had some serious secrets up her sleeve. Her skill at the pool table was not only a shock to the onlookers but to him as well—he had had no idea.Walter's right-hand man, Hector, could tell things were about to go south and quickly ushered everyone out. However, Julia, blind to the brewing storm, stubbornly stayed put.She had hoped to see Evangeline humiliated, but the tables had turned. It was Julia who
Walter did not allow Evangeline to fight back, not sparing her another glance. With a face of stone and a fury that could shake the earth, he stormed out, slamming the door behind him.The sound was like thunder, and the chill wind that followed seemed to freeze the room, the dark night and churning sea outside consuming Evangeline's heart.However, she did not rage. She laughed, a laugh that kept the tears at bay, and hurled her cup against the wall. "Walter, you bastard!"Her inner rebel, long caged, shattered the facade she had maintained for three years. He had flaunted Julia in her face, a clear message to get out of the Gordon family. However, when she was ready to do just that, he balked?She was not fooled. Walter was not the type to have second thoughts. He was always the one in charge, the mastermind. He would be damned if he was not the one calling the shots in their marriage, too.He could walk away from her, leaving her to wear the label of a divorcee, but she was not
...Aria whispered to her son with a mix of affection and irritation, "Didn't Evangeline go looking for you last night? She's still not back? She's not with you? She can't have kids, and now she's out all night during the holidays, not answering her phone, breaking all the rules. Your grandpa is furious!"I should've never agreed to let you bring her into this family. She's a country girl, nowhere near your league. Marrying into the Gordons was the luckiest thing to ever happen to her!"Walter's mind flashed back to Evangeline's determined mention of divorce the previous night, to her drinking and shooting pool, so different from the demure image she maintained at the Gordons'.Walter chuckled derisively. "We'll see about that."Aria, not fully grasping Walter's intent and preferring to avoid the topic of the unwelcome daughter-in-law, said, "I heard Julia is back. I don't care if your grandpa agrees or not, I'm giving Evangeline three more months. If she can't get pregnant, she'l
Walter ended the call, a storm brewing in his chest. He paced the room with a gloomy expression and smoked one cigarette after another until the last one was crushed in the ashtray.He grabbed his coat and stormed out of the bedroom, not without delivering a swift kick to the coffee table that sent it toppling over.Feeling the extremely low pressure, wherever he walked felt like a hurricane had passed through.Aria, oblivious to the brewing tempest, chased after him. "You just got back, and it's the holidays! Where are you off to now? Why not stay and spend some time with me?"Walter said nothing as he marched out with a scowl on his face.Just then, his phone rang. It was Caden Scott, his close friend."Missed the show on your yacht last night. I heard Evangeline gave you the boot and wants a divorce?""News travels fast. I'm hanging up," said Walter."Wait, don't hang up. So it's over? Who would've thought Evangeline had it in her to be so tough? The whole social circle is b
In the good old days at the Gordon estate, Evangeline lived as she pleased, fresh-faced and carefree. However, after she decided to divorce Walter, she was all glammed up—makeup, fashion, the works.Evangeline tossed her hair back, and her lipstick-painted lips quirked into a smirk. "Who says I can't pay for my own lawyer?""Is that so? I bet you can't even cover the bill for this fancy suite anymore!"What a laugh.Evangeline sent Walter stumbling with a shove and strutted out of the suite, her heels clicking like a judge's gavel.However, as fate would have it, the moment she hit the lobby, the hotel manager was on her like a hawk.After a quick nod to Walter, he blocked her path."Ms. Rearden, so sorry to bother you, but are you checking out or staying longer? Could you please settle your bill at the front desk?"That was when it hit her—this was a hotel under Gordon Group.Despite falling out of favor, everyone still knew her as Mrs. Walter Gordon, and the manager had even
At the sound of the voice, Evangeline glanced toward the entrance.James strode in, looking sharp in his suit and his scholarly gold-rimmed glasses. Evangeline's caution melted away as she rushed to him, clinging to his arm and murmuring something.James' expression turned icy as he shot Walter a withering look, then led Evangeline to the front desk.Like a knight in shining armor, he whipped out his phone and took care of the bill. "Ms. Rearden's room charges are on me."Just like that, 300000 dollars hit the hotel's account with a thud."Forget the change."Mr. Walter Gordon, you're so tightfisted with your wife. Consider the rest a parting gift from me, for all the kindness you've shown our Evie these last couple of years."With that, he whisked Evangeline away, leaving Walter as if he were nothing but a ghost.Who would have guessed James would settle Evangeline's bill without batting an eye? They must share a bond deeper than anyone else knew.Walter's expression hardened
"What do you plan to do next?" Evangeline pressed, her mind spinning with ideas.Southern Crownlands would inevitably seek accountability; only then could the Gordon Group avoid the inevitable losses from the diamond case. Once the financial burden was lifted, the company would have the resources to deal with The Bennex Corporation.That was her assumption.Walter, however, never acted according to conventional wisdom, leaving her unsure of his next move."Nothing. I'll stay silent," he replied calmly.Gordon Group's reputation had already taken a hit. Any statement from him might not salvage the situation and could even be seen as a guilty conscience.He was not interested in pointless efforts that would only invite more criticism.Given the company's state, the only way to make a comeback was to let the negative news reach a tipping point before delivering a stunning reversal. Of course, one misstep could easily set the company's recovery back three to five years.As Walter p
"Heh..."Evangeline let out a cold laugh. Her mouth moved faster than her brain as she remarked, "Truly, we're a perfect pair. I sent my own father to prison, and you sent your own brother in as well..."Conflicted, Walter ran his fingers through his hair. "I had no choice. He's done far too much."If he had not taken action, not only would Evangeline's suffering have been for nothing, but Gordon Group would have been destroyed too.At that point, Walter would not have even had a place to stand, let alone care for the ailing Trey in bed.So many factors piled on top of one another. Even though he felt compassion, he had no choice but to harden his heart and hand Alex over.Evangeline had never seen Walter like this before. To her, he had always been proud, confident, and untouchable—someone who would never bow to anything or anyone.Watching him grip his hair in anguish, she could not help but feel moved."It's done. Since you've made your choice, don't regret it. There's no ro
As she sipped her coffee, Evangeline was deep in thought. She tried to figure out a topic that could naturally steer the conversation toward what she truly cared about.Walter, on the other hand, felt ignored.The stark contrast left him uncomfortable, but since he was the one who had invited Evangeline, he could not exactly complain.The silence as they each focused on their coffee grew increasingly awkward. Summoning his courage, Walter attempted to break it."How have you been, Evangeline?"The last time he had seen her was when he rescued her from Alex's clutches.Evangeline had been forced to take an unknown drug, leaving her feverish and burning up. However, because something urgent had happened at Gordon Group, Walter was forced to leave the Foster family's residence and deal with the crisis.Thinking back to how much Evangeline had suffered without him by her side filled Walter with guilt."I've been fine," replied Evangeline without a second thought.When Alex had dru
The work at the company had been exhausting. After the final meeting and deployment were arranged, Walter was dog-tired.Nonetheless, as he once again determined the company's fate, he felt compelled to come to the hospital. He knew he should not burden a bedridden elderly man with this kind of pressure. Thus, he simply wanted to come and check on Trey, to show concern for his condition.Walter had not expected to run into Evangeline in the hospital room.Amid the surprise, it was happiness that triumphed over all thoughts. He forgot the exhaustion from working nonstop for hours. All he could think of was spending more time with Evangeline, just a little longer.Evangeline pointed to the parking lot in the distance, politely rejecting him."I drove here. My ride is over there."Anyone who could drive knew how convenient it was to be alone in a car. Smart as Walter was, how could he not understand Evangeline's refusal?Even so, his desires got the better of him, and he did not wan
Aria was stunned for a moment but quickly regained her composure. "Is it a special day or something? Not only is Evie home, but Walter is here, too. Now we're all here together! What a lively family reunion."Walter slowly walked into the room.Since Evangeline was sitting, he had to stand by the side.Trey felt more giddy when he saw Walter entering.Walter immediately understood Trey and quickly said, "Everything at home is fine, Grandpa. You don't need to worry. Just focus on getting better here."Trey nodded, mumbling, "The company…""The company is fine, too. Don't you trust that Alex will take care of the company? And I wasn't just loitering around after I left the company. I've been doing things I like, living quite freely!" Walter spoke lightly, his smile so bright that it was almost blinding.If Evangeline had not seen the news that had caused such a huge stir, she might have believed what Walter said.When did Walter become such a good actor?Evangeline was inwardly
Evangeline quickly walked over and helped Aria to her feet, concerned as she asked, "Mrs. Gordon, what's wrong? Is it... Is it about Grandpa Trey?"Aria looked at the young face in front of her, and only then did she realize that it was Evangeline."I'm not seeing things, am I? Evie, is it really you?" Aria wiped her eyes in disbelief, her voice tinged with surprise.Before Evangeline could respond, Aria grabbed her hand. "You're here to see Grandpa Trey, right? He's inside, still sleeping. He hasn't been feeling well lately and just keeps sleeping. I'll wake him for you!"Aria stepped toward the door, but Evangeline, upon hearing that Trey was sleeping, quickly stopped her. "Let's not wake him now. I just came to visit."Evangeline handed the gift in her hand to Aria."How can that be?"Aria took the gift and quickly replied, "You don't know this, but he lies in bed every day just hoping someone will talk to him. Walter and the others are too busy to visit. Now that you're here
Evangeline stiffened, wiping away the tears in her eyes and pushing away Roslyn's embrace."Gordon Group is under Alex's control. Why should I be worried about Walter?"Although Roslyn knew Evangeline was just being stubborn, she did not want to argue with her."Okay, okay, you're not worried about him. But what about Trey? He's in the hospital now, and we don't even know his condition. Why not visit him?"Evangeline's gaze froze.Ever since Trey fell seriously ill, she had only seen him once and had not visited since. The old man was getting on in years; every visit might be one less time she could see him. She might have severed ties with Walter, but Trey was like her own grandfather. How could she bear not to check on him since he was in such a state?Even so…"What if I run into…"Trey was Walter's grandfather. What if she showed up and found Walter there, caring for him? Would that not be awkward?Roslyn patted the back of her hand, urging her to relax. "If I hadn't see
When Walter left the company, David resigned as well. With Walter back, the likelihood of David returning was high. At that time, where would Emma's position be?Walter immediately noticed Emma's worry. "Of course Mr. Zimmer will come back, but he is seriously injured right now and can't return for the time being. Once he recovers, he'll have his place. Just focus on your work."Emma nodded, understanding his words. "So what should we do next? The press conference by The Bennex Corporation is about to start."She glanced at the time; there was still an hour before the conference began."Should we just wait for them to make their move and not respond at all?"The issue The Bennex Corporation exposed at the press conference was a devastating blow to Gordon Group.Although the Gordon Group had a solution, the public did not know that, and it still impacted their reputation. A slight mistake could lead to irreversible damage!Walter stroked his chin. "No need for a response, but whe
"I will handle both matters properly and provide a clear explanation to all shareholders within a week."Walter's working style had always been swift and decisive. With just a few words, he managed to soothe the shareholders' concerns.As soon as he finished, the room erupted in thunderous applause. Praise followed closely behind, ringing out alongside the clapping.This was exactly the effect Walter had intended. With Alex gone and Walter regaining control of the company's management, the shareholders were fully convinced and showed no dissatisfaction.The meeting concluded.Walter was the first to return to his office.Unexpectedly, Emma followed him in without waiting for instructions.After entering the office, she stood across from his desk with her head lowered, looking hesitant as though struggling to find the words to speak.The sight annoyed Walter, and he decided to break the silence. "Ms. Carter, is there something you want to say?"Ever since discovering that Emma