Chapter 243


    Stepping out of the car, Evangeline''s gazended on Walter. His cheeks were tinged with an odd flush, his face set in a nk mask, lips pressed into a thin line. He had this vibe about him, like he was silently warding off everyone.


    Evangeline figured he must be annoyed by something and made a mental note to steer clear of him at tonight''s family dinner. Their divorce was just around the corner, after all, and there was no point in stirring up emotions. Plus, tonight was all about Alex, the guy she had always looked up to like an older brother. She was not about to let Walter hog the spotlight.


    So, what happened.next was no surprise.


    Walter stood tall and straight, right beside Alex, who was in his wheelchair


    Evangeline, with the Winnie the Pooh bear in her arms, made a beeline for Alex.


    "Alex, it''s been ages!" Her face lit up with a warm smile as she gracefully ced the bear on Alex''sp. "Check out the gift I picked for you. You like it?"


    Evangeline always had these deep conversations with Alex, way more than she ever did with Walter.


    She remembered how little Alex had always dreamed of having a Winnie the Pooh bear as his hero. Back then, he did not have a penny to his name, and the Gordon family elders did not pay him much mind. No one really cared about what he wanted. As he got older, Alex realized how ridiculous it would look for a grown man to be attached to a stuffed animal, so his childhood dream remained just


    that a dream.


    Evangeline, convinced that the perfect gift should strike a chord in someone''s heart, spent the whole afternoon scouring her family''s sprawling mall. In the end, she chose a limited edition Winnie the Pooh plushie.


    Alex, cradling the plushie, could not hide his surprise. It was adorable, but


    Chapter


    with everyone watching, he could not help feeling self-conscious. "Evie, is it really okay for you to give me a stuffed toy?" he asked, a hint of awkwardness in his voice.


    He appreciated Evangeline''s thoughtfulness, but the attention made him squirm.


    "What''s wrong with it?" Evangeline challenged. "No matter how old we get, there''s always a little kid inside us. You''re always so careful with your words and actions. I thought a toy might help you loosen up and rediscover some of that childhood wonder!" Her words flowed with ease, and she even gave the plushie an extra nudge into Alex''s arms.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    The crowd figured it was just Evangeline being her usual high-spirited self, picking out a toy on a whim to amuse Alex. Theyughed it off, praising her for her unique and clever way of thinking.


    Evangeline, feigning concern, gave the plushie a pat and reminded him, " Take good care of it, Alex. It''s my gift to you, after all."


    Her gesture was all about saving Alex from his blushes.


    "Of course, I''ll cherish it," replied Alex, his smile genuine, the earlier embarrassment gone from his eyes.


    Walter, watching from the sidelines, saw something more in their yful exchange.


    Evangeline wasughing away with Walter''s brother, so much so that Walter felt like he was invisible. The sting from his injury mixed with his boiling anger made him more and more cranky. "Are you two done? If so, let''s head inside."


    His voice had a dark edge to it, and if anyone listened real close, they would almost hear his teeth clenching.