Soren Fawkes hadn’t mentioned a single word about making arrangements for Evangeline Whitmore, and Gregory couldn’t help but find it odd.
No matter how much Soren disliked Evangeline in the past, he would always at least make some arrangements for her–never just ignore her like he did today.
Gregory glanced at Evangeline and felt a pang of sadness.
Still, he tried to reassure her. “Maybe Mr. Fawkes has already made arrangements for you behind the scenes.”
“Has he?” Evangeline gave a small, wry smile. “When has he ever gone out of his way to do something for me?”
Gregory had no answer for that.
He was about to say something else, but Evangeline saw it coming and stopped him. “Gregory, I know you mean well. But sometimes good intentions aren’t enough to change things. We’ve reached a point where nothing can fix what’s between us anymore.”
“But why not wait just a little longer?” Gregory pressed. “After you moved out, Mr. Fawkes has changed toward you. Maybe if you gave it more time, he’d realize he can’t let you go.”
“Maybe,” Evangeline replied, but even as she said it, she realized she didn’t care
anymore.
Whether he missed her or not–it didn’t seem to matter to her at all.
“I don’t love him anymore,” she said quietly.
Gregory looked at her as she spoke and saw nothing but calm sincerity on her face. There was no trace of pretense or forced bravado.
He understood. No matter what he said now, it wouldn’t make a difference.
At last, he handed her the documents.
Evangeline accepted them and headed straight to city hall.
The same clerk who had handled her case last time was at the counter. Maybe it was because she’d come alone again, but the clerk didn’t try to talk her out of it this time. She just guided Evangeline through the forms with gentle efficiency.
The divorce process was a little more complicated than getting married, but
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Evangeline had brought everything she needed, and it didn’t take long before she was holding two green booklets in her hands.
She tucked the divorce papers into her purse and walked out the front doors of city
hall.
Meanwhile, across town at the hotel hosting the birthday gala, Soren’s right eyelid gave a violent twitch.
He rubbed at it, an inexplicable tension rising in his chest.
“Soren, are you alright?” Liam Leigh had just finished checking the banquet hall and spotted Soren standing distractedly in the lobby.
Soren steadied himself. “Something doesn’t feel right.”
“You’re probably just worried about the Lockridges,” Liam said reassuringly. “But honestly, I doubt they’d cause trouble at an event like this.”
Soren’s mind did go to the Lockridges. He’d sent them an invitation to the grand birthday gala, and under normal circumstances, they would have ignored it. But this time, they had actually RSVP’d. That alone was strange.
He didn’t dwell on it, though. Instead, he ordered extra security around the hotel, making sure everything was locked down tight.
With preparations complete, he drove over to Evangeline’s apartment.
Come downstairs.
He sent her a message as soon as he arrived.
While he waited for her reply, Soren pulled up a video of yesterday’s UME product
launch.
He watched Evangeline standing confidently under the spotlight, expertly presenting the product, fielding questions from the press with a calm smile and not the slightest hint of nerves.
She seemed like a stranger to him–this poised, radiant woman.
When the reporters tried to corner her, pressing her about rumors with Glenn Carlisle, Soren felt a surge of anger on her behalf. But when he saw her flatly deny the accusations, he felt oddly relieved.
It made the time he’d spent personally overseeing the preparations for her role as hostess at the gala feel worthwhile.
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He’d done what a husband was supposed to do.
And she, in his mind, should have done what a wife was supposed to do.
Soren closed the video and calmly made a call, instructing someone to deal with the troublesome reporter.
Just as he finished, his phone chimed.
He glanced down and saw a text from Evangeline.
