Her Precious Baby

Chapter 47

Evander raised his eyebrows. “I should be asking you that.”

“I-I’m here to sign the agreement.” Angeline almost tripped over her words as she spoke. “I was thinking to sign the agreement with Mr. Jantz before dropping by your office to say hello. I didn’t expect to run into you here instead.”

Evander glared down his height at her, looking effortlessly imposing as he always did. “Are you telling me that you’re not avoiding me on purpose and that the leaked photograph had nothing to do with you?”

The atmosphere grew tense in an instant.

Angeline’s pupils dilated with fear. “Mr. Golding—”

She was just about to explain herself when Evander placed a hand on her shoulder and pinned her firmly against the wall. His other hand squeezed her chin and forced her to meet his gaze.

Angeline could not see his face clearly as it was dim in that corner, but she sensed his intense anger from the strength of his grip on her chin.

“I warned you once, Angeline, to handle matters on your own without using Golding Group. Do you think you can slip by me by going to Roger for the agreement? I can nullify it at any time!”

“Ah!” Angeline squealed in pain. The fear in her eyes grew as she stared at Evander.

The short exchange had shown her her insignificance before him.

“How stupid do you think I am, Evander, to leak the photograph right before I sign the contract?” she said with much difficulty through gritted teeth.

Every time she stretched her lips caused her pain to the point where her breaths were becoming labored.

“I will swear right now if you don’t believe me. If I was trying to obtain benefits with the photograph, may I forever be a second-rate actress and never obtain Sorelle Group’s shares.”

She met his gaze with firm resolve, and her vows increased with intensity as she uttered them.

Slightly taken aback, Evander’s expression grew grim.

“That’s not necessary. Just make sure this never happens again.” He let go of her.

Angeline clutched her chest, still wary, and gazed nervously at Evander’s back as he turned around to leave.

It’s fortunate that I reacted quickly, or I might have lost my life there. What a terrifying man. It was only some photographs with him which are not even concrete evidence. Why is he so petty?

“What are you still standing there for?” Evander suddenly turned around to glare at her.

“Eh?” Angeline gazed at him, startled.

“The agreement is with me,” he said curtly. “There’s no point looking for Roger.”

Without another word, he strode away and left Angeline to connect the dots. When she finally deciphered his meaning, she hastened to catch up with him with a delighted smile spreading across her face.

The signing of the contract to be Starlight Jewelry’s spokesperson is officially underway!

Angeline felt her heart settling with relief as she watched Evander’s slim fingers deftly maneuvering his fountain pen. He signed his name with a flourish on the last page of the agreement.

After ironing out some details of the agreement, Angeline tugged at Nancy to leave as she did not dare overstay her welcome.

Evander’s voice sounded once more when they were about to walk out of the entrance. “Floretta will visit you today. I’ll have Francesca talk her out of it if you’re busy.”

Angeline was dumbfounded by those words and flapped her hands in surprise at the sudden nice gesture. “Not at all. I’m very fond of Floretta! Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of her.”

“Hmm.” The coldness in Evander’s eyes seemed to dissipate almost entirely as he gazed at her. “The time you spend with Floretta will be billed separately.”

Angeline was about to tell him it was unnecessary, but she was worried Evander might think she harbored an ulterior motive, so she merely nodded. “Thank you, Mr. Golding.”

Clad in casual wear, Olivine held her club steady on the golf course beneath the blistering sun. After taking aim, she landed a hole-in-one with a resounding smack of the ball.

Crisp applause sounded. “Well done, Ms. Sherrock!”

Olivine frowned at the praise. Turning around, she found a woman clad in a pearly white dress. It was plain that the stranger was not there to play golf.

The woman removed her sunglasses to reveal an exquisitely made-up face beaming pleasantly. “I was supposed to meet a friend for a game but didn’t expect to meet you here. What a coincidence!”

Olivine gazed at her uncertainly. “Are you Hanson’s fiancée?”

“Yes, we met at your birthday party. Planned for you by the Golding family, I’d heard, and Evander was there as well! You are a handsome couple. I’m envious.”

Olivine raised her brows. The glee on her face was difficult to conceal.

Joseline suddenly sighed. “However…” This text is property of Nô/velD/rama.Org.

“However what?” Olivine became nervous.

“Did you not see the news yesterday? The photograph of Evander and Angeline looks pretty intimate.”

Olivine’s grip tightened around the club. “How could Evander be attracted to that woman?” she asked in a low voice.

Joseline walked up to her and leaned close to her ear to fan the flames.

“Be that as it may, Angeline is known to be a vixen in the industry. Your relationship with Mr. Golding is at risk if the news is to be believed.”

Olivine’s expression shifted at those words.

Evander’s reluctance to marry me already causes me enough anxiety. If that vixen were to get involved, the gap between us would only widen. It’s time I taught her a little lesson.

Gazing at Joseline, Olivine seemed to remember something. “I recall you are her sister, are you not?” she asked cautiously.

Disdain appeared on Joseline’s face. “That’s a long story. My sister has been rebellious and constantly at odds with me since she was young. Five years ago, she even got drunk and slept with a stranger. Nine months later, she gave birth to a child without knowing who the father was. Grandpa and I are not fond of her.”

“She had a child, you say?”

“That’s right. However, it was abducted by somebody in the village shortly after its birth, and I think it died long ago.”

Olivine’s brow furrowed at the news as her gaze became thoughtful. “What is the name of the village?”

“Who would remember that?” Joseline laughed contemptuously. “Now you know how promiscuous Angeline is, don’t you?”

Olivine was on another train of thought, however. Floretta turns five this year, if my memory serves. According to the nanny who used to care for her, Evander had brought the girl back from a village.

Olivine went to the restaurant after her conversation with Joseline. Despite the delicious spread before her, she did not have an appetite.

Her discomfort became more pronounced as the possibility of her inference needled at her. Unable to bear it any longer, Olivine promptly set down her fork and snapped her fingers to summon her assistant. “Hire a private investigator, George. I want to know everything there is to know about Angeline Sorelle. More importantly, focus on her pregnancy and labor five years ago. The more detailed, the better.”

“Understood.”

Olivine pursed her red lips. Her gaze glinted icily at the thought of Floretta, the unapproachable child who somehow grew exceptionally close to Angeline upon their first meeting.

Perhaps out of paranoia, she was determined to get to the bottom of it even though it had nothing to do with her, as she could not bear the thought of any other woman getting ideas about Evander.

Angeline returned home after signing the contract and made detailed plans with Nancy for the work later on.

Over the next few days, Angeline rejected all of the notifications that found their way to her and focused on filming the endorsements for Starlight Jewelry.

Angeline completed her filming obligations for the morning on one of those splendid days when the sun shone and a pleasant breeze grazed her cheeks.

She was about to head to a nearby restaurant with Nancy for lunch when a figure appeared, heading for her with great speed.