"Evangeline, you can''t just leave me here to rot!"


    "If I marry Mr. Wellington, he''ll be your brother-inw! Think of how embarrassing that would be for you!"


    Giselle remembered her mother, Hazel, once telling her that the best way to get someone to agree to something was to appeal to their self-interest. But wracking her brain, this was the only thing she coulde up with. In reality, she knew perfectly well that Evangeline had severed ties with the Whitmore family and didn''t consider them sisters anymore. Her marriage would have no real impact on Evangeline''s life. Still, it was all she had.


    Evangeline found the toothless threat both exasperating and almost funny. She wanted nothing to do with the Whitmore family''s drama, but with Giselle clinging to her leg, she was trapped.


    She sighed. "I''ll try to help you. Now, get up."


    "Really?" Giselle''s eyes lit up. "You''re not lying to me?"


    Evangeline nodded. She knew what kind of man Mr. Wellington was. As much as she disliked Giselle, she couldn''t stand by and watch her life be destroyed by him. If Giselle hadn''te to her, she could have ignored it. But to see her kneeling and begging like this... her heart wasn''t that hard.


    Not wanting to remain the center of attention, Evangeline helped Giselle up and guided her to her car.


    Once inside, Giselle, fearing Evangeline would back out, immediately called Winston and handed the phone to her.


    Evangeline took it.


    "What is it, Giselle?" Winston''s voice was gentle, assuming it was his younger daughter.


    Evangeline paused. "It''s me."


    There was a half-second of silence before Winston''s tone turned to ice. "What are you calling for?"


    "Giselle''s marriage," she said sinctly.


    Winston seemed to understand what she meant, but he still scoffed. "You''ve already left the Whitmore family. What does Giselle''s marriage have to do with you?"


    "It has nothing to do with me," Evangeline said, ncing at Giselle. Her voice was t. "I''m just calling to remind you of something. Giselle is your daughter, not a tool for you to use."


    Winston fell silent for a moment, then his voice grew even colder. "What are you talking about? I don''t understand."


    "You don''t?" Evangeline gave a small, humorlessugh. "Then let me be clearer. You used my mother. You used me. And now you''re trying to use Giselle. Winston, you''ve used up everyone who ever loved and trusted you. Who''s next on your list?"


    When she was younger, she hadn''t understood. She''d thought her mother was brilliant and that Winston managed the family finances out of love. It wasn''t until muchter that she realized it had never been love. Winston had been biding his time, waiting for an opportunity to rise up and prove himself. Her mother''s death had been that opportunity.


    She had refused to believe it for years, but Winston''s recent, shameless attempts to use her to save his business partners had forced her to ept the truth. For Winston, there was only profit, never love.


    Her directness struck a nerve. Winston sputtered, enraged. "What nonsense are you spouting? You ungrateful child! You don''t understand anything! Making sacrifices for the family is normal!"


    "Giselle is my daughter, and she''s a Whitmore! When the family is in trouble, she should show some devotion! Unlike you, she''s willing..."