Unmasking the Heiress (Evangeline and Walte) novel Chapter 5

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’ll have to step aside for Julia!”

Walter’s expression remained unreadable, but his eyes grew more distant. “Mom… Did you bring up the divorce with her?”

“What, should we let her keep her place in the Gordons forever?”

Walter could not help but laugh in frustration, wordlessly storming through the door.

“Hey! Walter!” Trey was waiting for him, propped up on his cane at the top of the steps. His face twisted with displeasure. “Get in my study, now!”

Walter strolled into the study with a defiant swagger.

Trey took a swing with his cane, landing a solid hit on Walter’s leg. “You good-for-nothing, gallivanting around on New Year’s Eve! I’ve heard the stories. Evie’s talking about divorce!

“Listen to me: You still have a chance to fix this. Go find Evie, swallow your pride, and apologize. Do not take her for granted, because once she’s gone, she’s gone for good.

“I’m telling you right now that you won’t find a better wife than Evie anywhere in this world!”

With his hands in his pockets, Walter stood there, biting back the pain. He lazily raised an eyebrow. “Is that so? You think you know her better than I do?”

“I certainly do!”

Walter’s lips pressed into a thin, icy line.

Trey huffed. “I can’t fathom you. You were the one who wanted to marry Evie. When she was down South, you were the one hiding her picture in your wallet. And now that she’s your wife, you treat her like this? What’s gotten into you?

“Let me make this clear: Evie is the only granddaughter-in-law I recognize. If you go through with this divorce, you can kiss your inheritance goodbye—your brother Alex can have it.

“And another thing: You’ve got three months. If there’s no baby, don’t bother calling me Grandfather again.”

Walter’s expression turned stone-cold. His reply was sharp and defiant. “If you’re so desperate for a great-grandchild, Grandpa, ask Alex to give you one. Don’t waste your breath on me.”

With that, he turned on his heel and strode out, leaving the old man behind.

The meeting ended with both parties storming off in a huff. The old man was livid, his voice thundering through the halls, “Go ahead! If you dare hurt Evie, you’ll live to regret it!”

Someone would surely set things right in due time.

Walter stormed out of Trey’s study, his face a thundercloud, and headed back to the bedroom he shared with Evangeline in the family mansion.