Chapter 40

Evangeline paused, a little startled. She turned her head just in time to see Soren, unhurried and composed, peeling away the pith from a tangerine before popping a segment into his mouth as if nothing were out of the ordinary.

Poppy and Flora, sitting nearby, stared at him in disbelief.

Soren acted as if he hadn’t noticed them at all.

Evangeline’s surprise lasted only a moment before a calm composure settled over her again.

Once upon a time, she might have let herself wonder if Soren’s little gestures meant he cared for her after all. But after all these years, with so much evidence to the contrary, she knew better than to read into fleeting moments like this. There was no point searching for hope in the details.

She wiped her hands with a moist towelette and glanced at the clock. It was almost time to leave.

She was just about to say her goodbyes to Old Mrs. Fawkes when the elderly. woman beat her to it. “Evangeline, would you walk me home p>

Evangeline nodded.

She could tell that Old Mrs. Fawkes, much like herself, had something she wanted to say.

Once they stepped outside the restaurant, Evangeline was still wondering how–to begin when Old Mrs. Fawkes turned to her, voice heavy with sadness. “Evangeline, have you really made up your mind p>

Evangeline hesitated, caught off guard.

Old Mrs. Fawkes sighed. “If I were thinking rationally, I’d try to persuade you to stay. to remind you that things might not be over yet. But deep down, I know that even if I tried, it might only bring you more pain p>

“All these years, I’ve seen what you’ve gone through. I’m sorry, Evangeline. This old woman hasn’t done nearly enough for you p>

Evangeline understood.

Old Mrs. Fawkes had seen through her, had figured out about her decision to get divorced.

Chapter 40

It was only to be expected. No matter how she tried to hide it, whenever something was wrong, Old Mrs. Fawkes was always the first to notice.

She thought back to those years when the Fawkes family was flourishing, when Soren’s name echoed through the business world, drawing envy and retaliation from rivals

Once, when she was home alone, four or five strange men broke in. Frightened and panicked, she’d dashed upstairs, barricaded herself in the bedroom, and called

Soren.

But

as luck would have it, Poppy had just returned from abroad that day, and Soren was with her.

When he picked up, he didn’t even let her explain. Instead, he snapped at her impatiently, telling her to handle things herself and stop bothering him.

Evangeline’s heart went cold, but she still managed to tell him what had happened, her voice trembling with fear.

After a brief, heavy silence, Soren did rush home, but what happened next left her even more bewildered. The men–menacing with knives and crowbars–had only shouted a few threats before leaving. They hadn’t smashed anything, hadn’t stolen a thing. They even took her trash out on their way out the door.

Evangeline was left completely at a loss. If not for the dented bedroom door, she might have doubted her own memory.

But Soren didn’t believe her. When he got home, he was furious, convinced she’d lied to drag him back. She tried to prove she was telling the truth, but the security. cameras in the neighborhood were all conveniently out of order that day, which only made her seem guiltier.

She couldn’t defend herself.

What made it worse was that soon after Soren returned, Poppy herself was attacked–robbed and nearly assaulted–if not for a passerby who intervened just in time.

Soren’s anger exploded. Wracked with guilt over Poppy’s ordeal, he took it out on Evangeline. He locked her in her room for three days, refusing to let her out until she apologized to Poppy.

That was the first time she seriously considered divorce.

Later, it was Old Mrs. Fawkes who sensed something was wrong. While the rest of the family believed Soren, only she believed Evangeline. She investigated, spending

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Chapter 40

a fortune to uncover real evidence that Evangeline had been threatened.

Remembering all this, Evangeline shook her head. “Grandma, you’ve already done. so much for me p>

“Some things just aren’t meant to be p>

Old Mrs. Fawkes squeezed her hand tightly, her eyes shimmering with tears. “Evangeline, remember this–no matter what you decide, you’ll always be my child. And if you ever need me, I’ll always be here for you p>

Evangeline managed a grateful smile. “Thank you, Grandma p>

At the front door, before they parted, Evangeline pressed a carefully wrapped gift into Old Mrs. Fawkes’s hands. “You’ll always be my grandmother. I wish you good health and a long, happy life p>

After all, she thought quietly, you’re the only family I have left in this world.

I

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