Chapter 45 They Already Knew Each Other
Finished
When Evelyn rushed back to the department store, Philip was standing there waiting for her.
“Something came up just now. Did you wait long?” she asked.
Philip slowly shook his head; he looked a little grim. “No, I just got here myself.”
His expression looked like he was holding something back.
But before Evelyn could ask, he brushed it off and gently opened the car door for her, gentle and attentive as always.
They chatted along the way, letting the earlier moment slip into the background.
When they finally pulled up to the retirement home, Evelyn felt her stomach tighten.
Is this meeting practically the same as meeting his parents?
Philip could tell what she was thinking.
He reached out and held her hand, his palm warm against hers. “He’s easy to get along with. Don’t worry.”
“Alright,” Evelyn said with a nod.
Because of the home’s rules, cars weren’t allowed inside the grounds.
Philip parked by the gate, and the two of them walked in together.
Inside, Walter had been waiting anxiously.
He thought he heard Philip’s voice from a distance, and his heart tightened.
Just days ago, he had wickedly imagined splitting them up and maybe setting Evelyn up Philip.
But now that the moment was here, he found himself honestly hoping Philip was happy.
To steady his nerves, Walter turned his back.
Then he heard the door open and the two step inside.
with
Philip called out a greeting, then added, “This is the old man I told you
about.”
“M-Mr. Walter?” Evelyn blurted out in surprise.
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There was no mistaking him.
Finished
That very morning, she’d been at Jeremy’s place with him for a massage. And Walter was wearing the same rusty-red suit.
Walter froze when he heard his name. The voice sounded familiar.
He spun around, and when he saw who it was, it felt like he’d just hit the jackpot.
He shot up from his chair and rushed over.
First, he patted Evelyn’s shoulder. “So you’re the one he’s with?!”
Then he gave Philip a playful punch to the chest. “And the girl you like is her!”
It was like a giant mix-up that had finally come full circle.
The whole thing was both ridiculous and funny.
Philip and Evelyn, however, were completely confused.
They exchanged a glance, shrugged, and had no idea what to say.
“Old man, what are you talking about?” Philip asked. “You mean you and Evelyn already knew each other?”
Know each other? They were practically old friends by now!
Excited, Walter explained, “She’s the girl I told you about-the one helping people with her treatments! I was even planning to introduce you two. Never thought you’d beat me to it.”
It was a surprise, sure, but a good one.
He couldn’t have been happier.
For a second he even wanted to break into a dance right there in the room.
But then, as he settled down, something important suddenly hit him.
He cried out, “Oh no!” Walter dashed straight back into his room.
On the wall, he had a framed picture of the Virgin Mary.
At that moment, Walter stood in front of it, hands folded, murmuring a prayer to the Virgin Mary. He explained that he hadn’t known the full story before and had spoken carelessly, begging the Virgin Mary not to hold it against him. He prayed instead for Evelyn and Philip
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to have a long, happy life together.
Finished
He was truly afraid of one thing-good wishes failing, while bad words somehow came true.
If Philip lost such a wonderful girlfriend, he would be heartbroken for a long time.
After praying for quite a while, Walter finally came back out and got everyone settled for lunch.
Because Evelyn already knew him by now, she didn’t feel so nervous anymore,
The meal turned out warm and pleasant.
Before they left, Walter gave Evelyn the rest of the medicinal cream he had been saving. He urged her to use it generously and not hold back. “You’re about to be family,” he said. “I can’t let you carry scars that will make you cry someday.”
He meant it with all sincerity.
Yet Evelyn felt uneasy accepting it.
The cut on her leg had already healed-it wasn’t very deep to begin with-so there wasn’t much need for medicine anymore.
She thought Walter could sell such good cream to people who truly needed it.
But Walter shook his head firmly. “No, I can’t sell it. It’s not really mine to trade. If the formula gets stolen, what then?”
“Didn’t you make it yourself?” Evelyn asked, recalling that Philip had once told her so.
Walter sighed and explained.
“Yes, I made the cream, but the formula came from my mentor. Back during the hard years, we were separated, and I carried a few of his formula with me as the only valuable things I had to survive. Living this long already feels like a miracle. To hand out his secrets would be a betrayal. If he ever found out, how much would that break his heart?”
Speaking of his mentor brought tears to Walter’s eyes.
He was usually such a cheerful old man. It was the first time Evelyn had ever seen him so emotional.
Since she had been the one to bring it up, she felt guilty for stirring painful memories.
But Walter waved it off. “It’s fine, it’s fine. We’re family. These are things I’d have told you
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Finished
eventually. Tears like these were bound to come eventually, so what difference does it make
now?”
Every word carried his acceptance of her.
Evelyn, in turn, felt a little embarrassed.
She wondered what on earth made her so special for Walter to welcome her so warmly.
On the ride home, the thought kept circling in her head.
Philip spoke to her a couple of times, but she was so distracted she didn’t even hear it.
He had to raise his voice and repeat himself before she noticed.
Evelyn finally snapped out of her thoughts and said, “I think Mr. Walter might like me a little. blindly. We haven’t known each other that long. What if I turn out to be a bad person?”
“Walter’s always been good at judging people,” Philip replied.
After a short pause, he added, “So am I.”
That was why, even though he and Evelyn hadn’t known each other very long either, they still ended up together without trouble.
Evelyn didn’t need to doubt it.
She simply had that kind of charm-people liked her without even realizing it.
But Evelyn didn’t believe that. She thought it was just the way lovers saw each other through rose-colored glasses.
If everyone really liked her that much, then why had her last life been so miserable?
But there was no denying that Walter liked her.
“I really enjoy being around Mr. Walter,” she admitted. “Sometimes I even think, if only he were my uncle. Now it’s even better-he turned out to be your mentor.”
In her heart, she respected that deeply. And Philip’s mentor was her mentor too.
In her mind, this relationship carried the weight of family.
Walter now held a place even higher than an uncle.
“If he heard this from you, he’d probably pass out from happiness,” Philip said with a grin.
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Finished
Evelyn burst out laughing. “You’re so dramatic! He’s not the type to lose control like that.”
While she’d spent treating Jeremy, she felt she’d come to know Walter, at least a little.
No matter how big the problem, he never showed much emotion. That calm, unreadable face-that was what made him seem like a true powerhouse.
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Reborn for Love and Revenge
