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

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 truth from

grew weak. Not daring to ruminate further, she opted instead to investigate the matter thoroughly at

in the kindergarten rang a long time ago, but Floretta remained in her seat

the parent-teacher conference looming close, the teachers called for every child

Evander to appear together in the parent-teacher

swung open to admit a group of boys who came barging in.

chubbier than the rest, arrived before Floretta with his chest puffed up and

gesture, her face flushed

touch my things, Mark? Give

boy’s meaty hands shoved Floretta away and

here. Instead, all you have is a drawing of your family! Aunt Olivine said that

“You’re lying!”

feet angrily. Her features contorted with

my mother and must have said those things in a fit of embarrassed

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

bulk, Floretta fell onto the ground. She was so frightened at the

do that,” she exclaimed indignantly while rubbing her

at how good at lying Floretta

his friends, began to point

are you laughing about? My mother is Angeline

convince them, but despite her earnestness,

the harder at

star!

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