Evangeline noticed his reaction and the strange look in his eyes. Feeling a bit self- conscious, she touched her cheek. "What''s wrong?" she asked uncertainly.


    "Nothing," Finn replied. "She doesn''t have a name yet. Why don''t you give her one?"


    Evangeline didn''t suspect a thing. She thought for a moment, gently scratching the kitten''s head with her curved fingers. Staring at its ck fur and bright, watery eyes, she was reminded of a cat from a cartoon she had watched as a child. An idea struck her, and her eyes lit up. “Let''s call her Sheriff.”


    The kitten seemed to agree, closing its eyes and letting out a deep, rumbling purr from its chest.


    Finn''s lips curved into a slight smile. "That''s a good name."


    "Although," he teased, "Sheriff is so small. I''m not sure she could catch a bad mouse if she tried."


    "She will eventually," Evangeline said softly. "The bad mouse won''t get to run wild for too long."


    Evangeline had been worried it might be awkward moving in. Although she and Finn had been through a life-or-death situation together, this was the first time they would be living in such close proximity for an extended period. But with Sheriff around, she felt an inexplicable closeness to him. Their rtionship progressed by leaps and bounds.


    On several asions, what started as Evangeline and Finn ying with the cat on the sofa somehow ended with the two of them in the


    l.ne


    bedroom. When Evangeline woke up the next morning and her head


    cleared, she panic Throughout


    would be gripped by a


    familiar sense


    her marriage to Soren, he would always pull away without a hint of warmth the moment it was over. The look he''d give her afterward was filled with disgust. Eventually, she had learned to avoid looking into his eyes, doing her best to steer clear of him after they were intimate.


    Fighting through the soreness in her body, Evangeline started to get out of bed. Before she could, an arm wrapped around her. Finn held her from behind, his voice tinged with burt What''s wrong? Am that ugly


    in the morning? Why are!


    suddenly so cold to me?


    Evangeline felt the arm tighten around her waist, unsure of what to do. She turned her head.


    Finn was the picture of elegantnguor. His short hair was slightly messy, but he was far from ugly. In fact, he had a certain charm. But the real reason for her behavior was too difficult to exin. Finally, she just shook her head. “I''m a little hungry."


    Finn visibly rxed. “Then just give me a few minutes." He gently pushed her back onto the bed, gave her a quick kiss on the lips, and left the bedroom in good spirits.


    Evangeline''s body remained tense.


    Liam Leigh learned that Evangeline was staying at Finn''s vi that very night. Before, he would have scurried over to Soren to report the news. This time, he didn''t dare make a move.


    And he wasn''t the only one. The


    same people who used to jump at any chance to mock Evangeline had all gone silent. The kidnapping incident had escted. Melvin


    1.n


    Howard was sentenced. The entire Howard family was wiped out


    overseas, and every family allied with them was suddenly gued by a string of public scandals. The socialites and heirs who had been the cruelest to Evangeline had all run into trouble, big or small.


    No one knew who was behind the Howard family''s demise, but it was obvious to any discerning eye that the scandals were Soren''s handiwork. Liam was sure that Soren now knew about the things he had done to Evangeline.