Her Precious Baby

He expected Angeline to blame and scold him instead of opening up like this. It was as if she had numbed herself to her fate.

The only thing more dangerous than a fight in a relationship was a cold shoulder, which was proof of her increasing disregard for him.

Evander felt empty in the stomach at that thought. He reached out and grabbed Angeline’s arm.

“Why did we have to break up?” he asked, gritting his teeth in dismay.

“Was I not clear enough?”

“I want the real reason.” Evander gazed down at her, his voice husky. “Why did you react that way when you saw the Heart of the Ocean I gifted you? What are you hiding from me?”

He only realized the shift in Angeline’s emotional state after he calmed down. Though he was unclear of the reason, he surmised upon further thought that it must have been due to the necklace.

“Is that important?”

Angeline’s heart skipped a beat at Evander’s words. She turned around to face him while feigning a calm she did not feel.

“Everybody has their secrets, Mr. Golding. That must be why you won’t tell me who Floretta’s real mother is.”

Initially prodding Evander to see if she could discover something, she did not expect such a hostile reaction from him.

“You are becoming bold, Angeline!”

“Forget I ever asked.”

Angeline scoffed and again struggled to free herself of Evander before turning around to leave abruptly.

her

he hiding from me? Could he, instead of the traffickers, have stolen the newborn baby? If that’s

Angeline’s arms grew weak. Not daring to ruminate further, she opted instead to investigate

time ago, but Floretta remained in

teachers called for every child to produce an artwork to be presented

it was rare for Angeline and Evander to appear together in the parent-teacher conference, Floretta

open to admit a group of boys who came barging in. They gazed in Floretta’s direction and

rest, arrived before Floretta with his chest puffed up and grabbed her

his gesture, her face flushed

dare you touch my things, Mark? Give my drawing back to

Floretta away and perused the sketchbook with

all you have is a drawing of

“You’re lying!”

feet angrily. Her

and must have said those things in a fit

you’re calling Ms. Sherrock. That’s my Aunt Olivine,” Mark growled as he pushed her again and jabbed a menacing finger. “Your mother threw you away as soon as you were born. Besides, Aunt Olivine said she’ll put you in the orphanage when she marries

ground. She was so frightened at the

will never do that,” she exclaimed indignantly while rubbing her eyes. “I have a mother. She’s Angeline Sorelle,

how good at lying

with his friends, began to

are you laughing about?

to convince them, but despite

the harder

star! How could she be

Journey,’ and she loves Angeline in it. She’s