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Chapter 22
Giselle hadn’t expected Evangeline to talk back. Her face flushed with anger. Who says we share the same blood?”
Evangeline tilted her head, feigning thoughtfulness. “You’re right. Some people have their father’s blood… and their father’s mistress’s blood, too.”
Giselle exploded. “You–Evangeline, how dare you insult my mother! Are you out of your mind?”
She lashed out, hand raised for a slap.
But Evangeline was faster. She caught Giselle’s arm mid–swing. “What exactly did I say? Did I call your mother a mistress?”
“Unless you see yourself in that description?” Evangeline’s voice was calm, almost mocking.
Giselle was left speechless.
The society girl standing nearby stared, stunned. She’d only ever known Giselle as the Whitmore family’s daughter–she had no idea about Giselle’s real background. After overhearing their exchange, her gaze toward Giselle shifted ever so slightly. With a nervous laugh, she hurriedly grabbed her things from Giselle’s hand.
“Um, Giselle… I just remembered I’ve got something to do, so I’ll head out first.”
Not waiting for a reply, she practically bolted, ignoring Giselle’s outstretched hand.
“Wait-!”
Giselle watched her friend disappear down the hallway, frustration and humiliation welling up inside her until she was nearly in tears.
Evangeline didn’t spare her another glance. She turned on her heel and walked
away.
“You–you… Evangeline, just wait! You’ll see–I’m telling Mom and Dad!”
Giselle stomped her foot, the sound echoing in the marble corridor. She glared fter Evangeline’s retreating figure, seething with rage and shame, but powerless to uu anything about it.
Just as she was about to leave, she suddenly paused, something clicking in her mind. Her eyes drifted to the city hall building across the street.
City hall?
21:05
She remembered now–Evangeline had come out of city hall just moments ago
What on earth was she doing there?
Evangeline made her way to the parking lot. After getting into her car, she sat for a moment, feeling lost.
She didn’t know if Poppy would still be at the house, but her instincts told her she shouldn’t go back right now.
Since her mother’s death, the relatives who once surrounded her had all drifted away. After getting married, she’d lost touch with her old friends, too.
Where was she supposed to go now?
Her phone rang, jolting her from her thoughts.
It was her father, Winston.
He was probably calling to scold her on Giselle’s behalf–again. She hadn’t expected him to call so quickly, though.
Evangeline hesitated, then picked up.
But instead of the barrage of accusations she’d braced herself for, Winston’s tone was oddly casual, as if he were just checking in. “How are things between you and Soren lately?” he asked, forcing a smile that she could hear through the phone.
Evangeline blinked in confusion.
Ever since their falling out, Winston almost never called, and he certainly never asked about her marriage.
Something was off.
She didn’t bother playing along. “If you have something to say, just say it.
“Well, it’s nothing big, Winston chuckled. “I heard the Fawkes family business is heading in a new direction. Coincidentally, my new project aligns perfectly with theirs.”
“If you could mention it to Soren, maybe instead of investing elsewhere, the Whitmore family and the Fawkes family could work together…”
He trailed off. But Evangeline already understood.
When she’d first married into the Fawkes family, Winston had used her connection
21:05
Chapter 22
to land countless investments from them–and lost a small fortune each time.
She’d confronted him about it, but he’d just brushed her off. “With the Fawkes family’s assets, what’s a little lost money? Besides, I married off my daughter–we’re family now.”
“I just want us to both win. The timing’s just not right, but I’m sure the Whitmore family’s luck will turn around soon.”
But the truth was, over the years, the Whitmores had solicited nearly a dozen investments from the Fawkes family–each one ending in disaster, losing everything, every time.
