Shadows Of A Forgotten Spring

Chapter 10

Kevin tapped softly on Alexander's office door and stepped inside with a phone in his hand. "Sir..." he started, trying to break into Alexander's intense focus on the screen.

Alexander finally looked up, his expression unreadable and it coldness had become a permanent feature since Emma's disappearance. His eyes were cold and distant, as if nothing in this world could finally get inside the void left by her. "I've just been informed that Mrs. Elizabeth Walker is coming to the Wings of Hope event," Kevin said in a measured tone, awaiting some cold response.

At first, Alexander did nothing. Then, as his brain worked over the name, a flicker of interest danced in his normally lifeless eyes. His fingers stilled on the keyboard. There was a fraught silence in the room. Mrs. Elizabeth Walker? Even Alexander could hardly believe it. For decades, that elusive woman had lived hidden from social life, keeping her private life as far away as possible. Nobody ever saw her unless she wanted them to, and contacting her was virtually impossible; she had full control over her life's and how she live it. But if truly she would attend this event, Alexander could hardly let the chance slip away.

He had been trying for years to get close to Mrs. Walker. If she was stepping out of the shadows for this event, he needed to make use of the opportunity.

He made his mind up in an instant. "I'll be attending the event too."

Kevin let his breath go in a hiss. "Okay, sir. I'll start making the necessary arrangements."

As Kevin left the office, Alexander relaxed back into his chair, his mind no longer on his work but on why Mrs. Elizabeth Walker had suddenly decided to appear in public.

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Emma arrived at the grand hospital of Blackthorn Holdings which was considered the largest in the country in order to oversee the final touches on flower arrangements for the evening. Her company had been assigned the decorations, and though there was a storm of nerves building in her chest, she had prepared meticulously. She was looking absolutely stunning in her blue off-shoulder gown, the puffy design covering her large belly perfectly. The thigh-high slit on the gown gave her freedom of movement with which she could walk without much problem, but more importantly, it subtly camouflaged her pregnancy from all prying eyes. Her face was contoured, each feature deftly molded into a new shape that disguised her appearance. Even her hairstyle was not like her usual look. It was a calculated makeover to maintain anonymity.

As she walked through the hospital, it suddenly struck her how chillingly it reminded her of Alexander's headquarters. Slightly smaller, this hospital brought her mind back to the few rare times she had been to Alexander's office as his wife. Images of long, forgotten time fluttered before her, the time when their lives intermingled in a future they presumably shared.

the old wounds. Hastily, she wiped them off, refusing to fall apart again. She had come here because she wanted to stop running and

underway, as billionaires across the nation fluttered in, draped in expensive garb that sparkled at every flash of a camera. She had been to events of such nature many times before, accompanying her father and a couple of times with Alexander

to blend in, enjoy the evening

gaze locked on the door. There, strolling into the hall, was the very last person she

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Chapter 10

Alexander!

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the room by his mere presence, eyes scanning the crowd. Mrs. Hayes had promised that he wouldn't be attending, that he was too busy to show up. But here he was, his gaze sweeping the hall like a predator searching for

leaned farther back into the shadows, her mind racing. How could this be?! She

none other than Annie, who had this smug, victorious grin on her face, as if some sort of statement towards the world that she had won. The image of Alexander holding Annie's hand was like a

coming?! What was she to do now? Her well-hatched plan to go undercover, to remain at the background, felt as fragile as glass shattering right before her eyes. The very picture of Annie by his side

of having been junked, thrown away, and betrayed was rewinding in her mind. She had lost Alexander to Annie without much of a fight, and now it was excruciatingly evident how very much Annie had reclaimed her place. Emma's chest strained while she battled for command over her

way, for her, for her babies. But seeing Alexander with Annie was

hard and fast, her vision blurred from

to steady herself, taking sharp,