Poppy looked Evangeline up and down, sneering. “Evangeline, you saw it for yourself back at the old house–Soren doesn’t care about you. I can’t believe you’re still trying these little tricks to get close to him.”
She folded her arms, smirking. “Give it up. All you’re doing is making Soren despise you more.”
Evangeline couldn’t be bothered to explain. Her voice was calm, almost bored. “I told you, I’ll be leaving soon.”
Poppy clearly didn’t believe a word of it.
Evangeline didn’t care either way. She stepped past Poppy, ready to leave.
But Poppy quickly rummaged through her purse and pulled out a folded paper, shoving it toward her. “If you still think there’s hope for you and Soren, you might want to take a look at this.”
Evangeline accepted the paper and glanced down.
It only took a second to realize–it was her employment form.
Her eyes skimmed further down, landing on the salary section. The number was almost laughable: $3,000.
Poppy let out a peal of laughter, covering her mouth in mock surprise. “You know, even the night security guards at Fawkes Enterprises make at least $6,000 a month. Interns straight out of college start at $5,000. But just recently, I joined–a Fawkes branch office. Soren offered me a sixty–thousand–a–year contract, plus shares in the company.”
She leaned in, voice dripping with satisfaction. “Do you know what that means?”
Poppy had stumbled upon Evangeline’s pay slip by accident. At first, she’d thought it was some kind of joke–until she saw the official Fawkes Enterprises seal stamped above Evangeline’s signature. It left no room for doubt: the company genuinely intended to hire Evangeline at a salary barely above minimum wage.
Evangeline met Poppy’s gloating gaze with cool indifference. She replied, utterly serious, “It means that sixty–thousand–a–year job of yours might be gone before you know it.”
Poppy blinked, caught off guard. “What did you just say?”
Evangeline waved the employment form in the air. “Company policy at Fawkes is
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very clear–employees are strictly forbidden to disclose their salaries. But here you are, bragging about your pay package. I’m pretty sure that’s grounds for immediate dismissal.”
Poppy’s face drained of color. Her fingers clenched around her purse.
But after a moment, she collected herself, putting on a brave face. “Nice try. Soren would never take your word over mine.”
Evangeline smiled, pulling out her phone and flashing the screen. “What if I have a recording?”
The timer on the recorder app ticked steadily upward.
She and Poppy had never been close; last time, when the Fawkes family believed Poppy’s lies, Evangeline had no way to defend herself. This time, she’d come prepared. Knowing Poppy was waiting for her, she’d started recording the moment she walked in.
Poppy’s cheeks flushed with anger and embarrassment. “Evangeline, how could you do something so underhanded as record our conversation?”
Evangeline raised an eyebrow. “Is it any worse than you trying to frame me for pushing you?”
Poppy’s lips tightened. Her eyes darted, and she lunged for the phone.
But Evangeline was faster, dodging aside and grabbing Poppy’s wrist in a firm grip. “Still want to fight me for it? Aren’t you worried someone might see us and start talking? What would Soren think if he heard you were making a scene?”
Her tone was glacial, her expression unreadable. The chill in her voice made Poppy
freeze for a moment.
For the first time, Poppy realized that Evangeline seemed different–colder, sharper–than the woman she thought she knew.
When Poppy finally let her hand fall, Evangeline tucked her phone away. “I won’t give this recording to Soren–for now. But if you keep playing these little games, I can’t promise he won’t hear it.”
Poppy’s bravado wavered. Even if things between her and Soren were progressing, the fact remained: Soren and Evangeline were still legally married, and she hadn’t married into the Fawkes family yet.
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