Semua Bab Unmasking the Heiress: Bab 221 - Bab 230

All the emotions she had been holding back came rushing forward, sweeping away the last traces of her affection for Walter. This was the Walter she had failed to see until the moment.She had always known, deep down, that she did not have a place in his heart. It was her own wishful thinking, her heart skipping a beat because he had taken a knife for her.She finally got it: When it came to Walter, she had to guard her heart and shut down those feelings to protect herself, and she was determined to do just that.Under Walter's intense stare, Evangeline forced herself to eat the breakfast David had picked up at the crack of dawn, bite by bite. Then, without a backward glance, she walked out of the Gordon Group's towering skyscraper.Walter, on the other hand, was in high spirits, a stark contrast to Evangeline's turmoil. The man who was usually a stickler for perfection at work had transformed into a charmer, all smiles even when a top executive goofed up big time, offering nothing

That piqued Evangeline's interest. Yale did not talk with her and instead went behind her back to talk to Hank, of all people?"What's the big secret? Why are you guys keeping me out of the loop?"Hank let out a big, easy laugh. "Keep you out of the loop? Please, if I wanted to do that, I'd just whip up some excuse, right? I wasn't going to tell you, but since you're asking, I guess it's time to lay my cards on the table."Evangeline felt a knot form in her stomach. Anything that needed such a clear stance was definitely not trivial.What Hank said next totally blindsided her."He told me that all five of them think I'm the best guy for you to marry. They even came to me to see what I thought about it.""And what did you tell them?"Evangeline's mind flashed back to the conversation in Walter's office, where Holden had confidently promised to set her up on a blind date.So, it was not just a spur-of-the-moment thing, and they had been scouting for a match for her all along?Th

"You might think you're just keeping your promise to take me out to eat, but it's not that simple for me."Your uncles picked this place for dinner on purpose. They wanted to set us up on a blind date."Each word Hank spoke hit Evangeline like a bolt of lightning, leaving her mind a total blank.As she tried to wrap her head around his revelation, her mouth opened and closed, speechless.Hank had already shifted his focus to Walter."Walter," he said. "What gives you the right to sit here and act out some drama about catching a cheater? Evie is her own person. It doesn't matter to you if we're just having dinner or if we're more than that. Her uncles are cool with us, so why should you have a say?"Hank delivered his speech coolly, leaving Evangeline with one thought: This guy was a master at dropping bombshells!Stunned, Evangeline could not help but feel a twinge of glee at Walter's contorted, bitter expression. It was like he had swallowed a lemon.She could not help but lau

The sting of unrequited love was harsh, and Walter, flesh and blood like anyone else, could not stand the sight of Evangeline's scowl any longer."So should I chase away any guy who gets close to you?"His face hardened, eyes blazing with fury."Evangeline, you're out there meeting other guys while we're still married, and I'm just having dinner with clients. Then I find out I'm the laughingstock with a giant 'cheated' sign over my head. Is it so wrong for me to come and ask what's going on?"Evangeline's anger deflated like a popped balloon.He had a point, but why did she feel so unfairly treated?All Yale did was give her a heads-up that Hank was doing well at the company, contributing a lot, and that she should keep in touch to keep morale high. That was just work stuff, right? What did it have to do with Walter?Who would have guessed that everyone, Yale and Hank included, knew that today's lunch was a setup for a date? Everyone but her, the supposed star of the show, compl

Walter was not the type to back down without a fight.Evangeline's game plan was simple: She would keep the knowledge of her baby from Walter, and then vanish from his life post-divorce.The baby was hers and hers alone. No matter what, Walter was not getting his hands on her child.Evangeline was lost in thought, her mind a whirlwind of half-formed plans she could not pin down. When Roslyn shared her worries, Evangeline was at a loss for words."Don't sweat it, I've got a plan," Evangeline reassured her. "Hey, I sent you an invite to my birthday party. Why'd you bail on me?"The thought stung. Her birthday had come and gone without a peep from Roslyn, her ride-or-die best friend. It had been a real letdown.Roslyn's face crumpled with regret. "Ugh, my agent's the worst. She's pushing me into the TV scene and signed me up for this drama without asking. I was so ticked off that I almost fired her. But the studio was breathing down my neck, so I had to play along. They even took my