"She woke up for about an hour, then fell back asleep," the maid said. "But Miss Whitmore, why did you wait so long toe? You should have been here earlier, to show the family you care."


    Evangeline offered a small, sad smile. "What difference would it make? Their


    opinion of me is set in stone." In the past, she would have bent over backward to please them. But now, their approval meant nothing to her.


    The maid was at a loss for words.


    Evangeline went back into the room and ced the bouquet of carnations she had brought into a vase. They were Old Mrs. Fawkes''s favorite flower, a detail the rest of the family had never bothered to learn. The flowers would tell the old woman she had been there. That was all that mattered.


    As she was leaving, she saw Soren standing in the doorway. He was watching her, his expression aplicated mask, his dark eyes unreadable. She wasn''t surprised to see him. In fact, she had been counting on it.


    "Can we talk?" she asked.


    His gaze swept over her face, and the fragile calm he had built for himself began to crumble. That familiar, suffocating loss of control washed over him.


    "I don''t have time," he said curtly, moving to walk past her.


    "It''s about Grandmother''s will," she said.


    He stopped.


    She pulled out the legal document herwyer had prepared and handed it to him. "Soren, I know part of the reason you''ve been trying to get back together with me is because of the shares. I''m willing to give them up voluntarily, on a few conditions."


    She tapped her finger on the document. Soren''s eyes scanned the page. First, Fawkes Enterprises was to cease all actions against UME. Second, the shares were to be bought out in cash.


    Her terms were reasonable. Fulfilling them would be easy for him. But an irrational anger surged through him.


    "Is that why you''re here?" he sneered. "Grandmother is lying in that bed, and you''re already scheming to get your hands on her will? Evangeline, do you even have a heart?"


    His words didn''t faze her. "If you weren''t so determined to destroy mypany, I wouldn''t have to be here discussing this with you. This is about survival. I think Grandmother would understand."


    "Survival?" Soren scoffed. "So you resort to threats?" The image of herughing with Finn shed in his mind, and his heart felt like it was being squeezed in a vise. He gritted his teeth. "Why don''t you ask Finn for help? Or is he too afraid to go up against me for you?"