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.

the doubt in her heart

is he hiding from me? Could he, instead of the traffickers, have stolen the newborn baby? If that’s the case, Evander must have been planning this charade and knew that I would only hate him all the more for knowing the

further, she opted instead to

long time ago, but Floretta remained in her seat

close, the teachers called for every child to produce

appear together in the parent-teacher conference, Floretta honored the occasion by applying herself fully to her

group of boys who came barging in. They gazed

arrived before Floretta with his chest puffed

gesture, her

my things, Mark? Give my drawing

boy’s meaty hands shoved Floretta away and perused the sketchbook with sardonic

thought you were hiding fancy artwork in here. Instead, all you have is a drawing of your family! Aunt

“You’re lying!”

stomped her feet angrily. Her features contorted with

have said

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

the oppression of his bulk, Floretta fell onto the ground. She was so

while rubbing

how good at lying Floretta is! She’s practically in

around and, along with his friends, began to point and laugh

are you laughing about? My mother

despite her earnestness, none of

they laughed all the harder

is a movie star! How could she be

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