Evangeline noticed theplicated look Winston had given Finn just moments ago.


    But she didn''t dwell on it.


    Soon after Soren left, Winston emerged from the room, a photo album clutched in his hand.


    He was already drowning in regret.


    He''d failed to win over Mr. Wellington, and now he''d almost managed to offend both Soren and Finn in the same afternoon.


    As for the losses on the Fawkes Enterprises project, he had no idea how to salvage them.


    Winston handed the photo album to Evangeline, his voice low and pleading. “Evangeline, could you please put in a good word for me with Soren? Ask him not to go for the jugr. The Whitmore family''s just fallen on hard times, but we''ll rise again one day. I know it."


    Evangeline looked up at him.


    He seemed older than she remembered.


    Where his hair had once been jet ck, streaks of gray now crept along his temples.


    How fortunate, she thought, that he had the privilege to grow old.


    Her mother, who''d worn herself out for the Whitmore family, hadn''t been so lucky.


    Why should Winston get to age gracefully-the same man who''d cheated on her mother and squandered the family fortune behind her back?


    Evangeline exhaled slowly, her gaze turning cold. "Mr. Whitmore."


    She called him "Mr. Whitmore," not "Father."


    Winston stiffened at that.


    She went on, "You seem to have forgotten-I''ll soon be a shareholder in the Fawkes family. If I do speak up, it''ll be to make sure you repay every cent the Whitmore family lost on previous projects, not just double the damages for this one."


    Winston''s face darkened. "You-"


    She cut him off. "So don''t waste your breath on me. If you need help, try your favorite daughter. The one you''ve spoiled for years."


    She nced toward the living room.


    A shadow darted back out of sight-the eavesdropper clearly caught.


    Evangeline pretended not to notice. She took Finn''s hand and turned to leave.


    Winston stayed rooted to the spot, watching Evangeline walk away, her back straight and unflinching, his breathing in angry bursts.


    Unbelievable.


    Utterly unbelievable.


    He finally had to admit it.


    Evangeline was no longer the daughter he could order around at will.


    No longer his pawn.


    She''d grown a spine-and now she could wield her power against him.


    As furious as he was, Winston realized there was nothing he could do about it.


    Evangeline had the matriarch behind her, and, at least on the surface, Finn as her boyfriend.


    He''d once thought Finn was just for show. But after the scene he''d just witnessed, seeing Finn ready to go toe-to-toe with Soren for her, Winston wasn''t so sure anymore.


    Real or not, one thing was clear: there was no rescuing the Whitmore family through Evangeline.


    His mind went back to herst words. Slowly, his gaze fell on Giselle, who was chatting quietly with Hazel in the corner of the room.


    On the way out of the Whitmore house, neither Evangeline nor Finn spoke.


    A strange silence settled between them.


    Evangeline knew Soren''s words had done their work.


    He''d sessfully driven a wedge between them.


    If she was honest, she and Finn had only evere together for their own benefit. Their rtionship was shaky-no, it had never been real in the first ce.


    She didn''t think about what woulde next, and she doubted Finn did either.


    But Soren had dragged their ugly truth into the light, forcing them to look at it whether they wanted to or not.


    "Want to grab a drink with me?"


    Once they were in the car, Finn was the first to break the silence.


    Evangeline nodded. "Sure."


    When she was a child, she and Theresa could share their hearts without a second thought.


    But as adults, some things needed a little liquid courage to say out loud.


    Finn started the car, but a sudden sharp pain shot through his eyes.


    He paused, took off his sses, and rubbed his brow.