Unmasking the Heiress

Walter was fuming. "What was she thinking, running off like that? Said she was visiting my mother, but I bet she was out with some guy. Does she want a baby that bad, to the point where any man will do?"

His last shred of sanity was gone, and all he could think about was tracking down Evangeline.

Over at Crystal Waters House, in a hotel room upstairs, Evangeline lounged back, one leg crossed over the other, eyeing the group of half-naked men before her. "Put some muscle into it!" she snapped. "What, did you skip breakfast or something?" The men, clad only in underwear, knelt on the floor, their faces a mix of fear and anger. With each command from her, they slapped themselves harder, chanting, "I am not human!" It was a small comfort to Evangeline to see them like that. They were Aria's lackeys, sent to strip her and snap some scandalous photos.

Evangeline had to laugh internally. As if such a cheap trick could take her down!

She already spat out the drugged coffee and then dealt with those goons without breaking a sweat. After all, she was not just any fighter; she was a black-market mixed martial arts champ. Those guys had no idea who they were messing with. Suddenly, a commotion outside caught her attention-rapid, chaotic footsteps. She knew it had to be Walter, coming for her after getting the tip-off. A smirk played on her lips.

Oh, the real fun was about to start.

The muscle-bound men stood there, eyes bulging, as the woman who had just taken them all down without breaking a sweat tousled her hair, her face then painted with a vulnerability that did not match her earlier display of strength. They were all dazed, still trying to piece together what had just happened.

Suddenly, the door flew off its hinges with a solid kick.

Walter had braced himself for an erotic tableau, but he had not bargained for a crowd.

A hush fell over the room. It was awkward.

Dead silence.

With a clenched jaw, Walter said, "You've got quite the appetite, huh, Evangeline? Mixing it up with five guys?"

The tough guys blanched, shaking their heads and waving their hands, desperate to clear their names.

However, Evangeline looked as if she had been slapped with the ultimate insult. Her eyes went wide, the edges quickly reddening, and tears eamed down her face like

they were on sale.

"Walter! What kind of monster are you?

"You and your mother team up against me, drug me, and throw men into my bed. Now you're pinning this on me?! If I hadn't been smart enough to catch on to her scheme, I'd be... I'd be..."

Evangeline's voice broke, and she could not finish. She covered her face, weeping -softly.

Each sob hit Walter like a hammer, as if someone was literally squeezing his heart.

"Evie..." he said softly, a tenderness in his voice he had never used with her before, but he was at a loss for words.

Seeing his remorse, Evangeline stormed over and delivered a stinging slap across his face.

'That felt good!'

She kept that victorious thought to herself, maintaining the look of someone deeply wronged.

"You and your mother are nothing but trouble. If she thinks her son isn't up to par, she shouldn't be bringing a parade of men into my bed. And if you don't want to have kids with me, you don't have to team up with your mom to take me down!" Her eyes seethed with hatred as she glared at Walter. "Don't worry, when I'm ready for kids, I'll find someone else to have them. I'm done with you!"

Stunned by the slap, Walter was slow to react. By the time he snapped back to reality, she was already storming away, running as if desperate to get away from him.

Walter felt a pang of urgency and quickly instructed his men, "Keep an eye on Mrs. Walter Gordon. Make sure she's safe!"All rights © NôvelDrama.Org.

Afterward, he massaged his throbbing forehead, trying to piece together the whole

mess.

His steely gaze landed on the group of tough guys, his eyes frosty and emotionless.

The men exchanged uneasy glances, feeling the weight of his intimidating presence, wishing they could just disappear.

All of them kept their heads down, too scared to look Walter in the eye, uncertain of what was to come.

His voice was icy, "Who sent you here?"

The men pleaded, bowing frantically, "It was... It was Mdm. Gordon!"

At the mention of that name, Walter's heart plummeted.

Damn it! It was indeed his mother!

He could never quite grasp why his mother would stoop so low. However, one thing was clear: Evangeline had been deeply wronged.

The image of her when he had burst in haunted him: Her hair a mess, tears staining her cheeks, bruises marring her skin. She had clearly been through an ordeal, and it made his heart ache with each throb. How could he possibly have the nerve to confront Evangeline like that?

Walter wished he could turn back time just to smack some sense into his former self.

He was desperate to step out and track down Evangeline. He could not bear the thought of her coming to any more harm.

His assistant, who was always right on his heels, quickly stepped in to stop him.

The room was still a mess with a few big problems left unresolved.

The assistant looked at the group, feeling a bit out of his depth. "Mr. Walter Gordon, these guys..."

The tough-looking men were shaking in their boots, close to tears. They had thought they were in for an easy gig, not realizing it could cost them their careers.

They bowed, silently begging Walter to let them off the hook.

Walter's gaze was icy as he said in a chilling tone, "I want them gone from this city

for good. I never want to lay eyes on them a