The crowd erupted once more at the final words.
Helena and Clyde both froze in shock.
But Clyde, thinking quickly, snatched the microphone from Old Mrs. Fawkes’s trembling hand. “My mother’s exhausted,” he announced. “She’s just rambling now. Please, let’s get her back to her room so she can rest.”
Helena recovered her composure and hurried to coax Old Mrs. Fawkes away.
But the old woman didn’t budge. Instead, she gave a pointed nod toward the
entrance.
A sharply dressed lawyer strode forward, carrying a stack of neatly prepared papers. He stopped in front of Evangeline and offered her a folder.
Evangeline stood rooted to the spot. She hadn’t seen this coming at all.
Old Mrs. Fawkes owned almost half of the Fawkes family’s shares. With this transfer, Evangeline would control half the Fawkes fortune.
Flora rushed over, lunging for the documents and glaring at Evangeline. “Evangeline, what did you do to Grandma? Why would she hand the Fawkes family shares to an outsider like you? What did you give her?!”
The lawyer easily held the folder out of reach.
“I’m sorry, Miss Fawkes,” he said coolly. “We’ve already run all necessary tests. When this will and transfer agreement were drafted, Mrs. Fawkes was of sound mind.”
“Both the will and the transfer are entirely legal.”
He turned to Evangeline, extending the documents again. “Miss Whitmore.”
Evangeline hesitated, her breath quickening.
Old Mrs. Fawkes smiled gently. “Evangeline, do you remember what you promised
me?”
Of course she remembered.
Before coming to the hotel, Old Mrs. Fawkes had specifically asked her to visit the family home. She’d told her–no matter what happened tonight, no matter what she said, Evangeline had to agree.
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But she had never imagined something like this.
Evangeline knew Old Mrs. Fawkes wasn’t reckless. If this agreement was being handed to her now, it must have been drawn up long ago. Still, she couldn’t understand why. Old Mrs. Fawkes had always been kind to her, but to give her half the family’s fortune?
She paused, then finally asked, “Why?”
Old Mrs. Fawkes’s eyes softened. “Years ago, your mother saved my son’s life. If not for her, there would be no Fawkes family as it is today. You’ve suffered so much with us over the years. This is what we owe you. It’s yours by right.”
Evangeline opened her mouth, but Helena cut her off. “But Soren married her, just as we agreed. He gave her three years of marriage. We already repaid the debt to her mother.”
Old Mrs. Fawkes gave a cold little laugh. “Who ever said marriage is a repayment for saving a life?”
“And besides, we all know what Soren put her through these past years. Was that gratitude, or was it punishment?”
Across the room, Poppy glanced at Soren.
He stood silent, brow furrowed, eyes fixed on Evangeline–thoughtful, but showing no intention of fighting for the shares.
Poppy grew anxious. “But Grandma, if you really want to repay the debt, isn’t this a bit much?”
“She’s right,” Poppy pressed. “Soren is your grandson, after all.”
Helena, though she rarely agreed with Poppy, nodded in support. She proposed setting aside ten percent of the shares as compensation.
With the size of the Fawkes family fortune, ten percent would be more than enough for Evangeline to live comfortably for the rest of her life.
Old Mrs. Fawkes’s gaze was steely. “You think my son’s life is worth only ten percent? I believe it’s worth every last bit. And besides…” She looked at Evangeline with fierce conviction. “Evangeline is my granddaughter, too.”
No one could sway her. Old Mrs. Fawkes’s mind was made up, and there was no hint of regret in her expression.
All eyes turned to Evangeline.
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As long as she refused to sign, the will couldn’t take effect.
Evangeline stared at the pen the lawyer held out, hesitating.
Helena shot her a warning glare.
Flora sneered, “Go on, Evangeline. I dare you to sign!”
Evangeline ignored her. Head bowed, she signed her name at the bottom of the agreement.
She set the pen down, her voice calm but firm. “It’s done.”
Flora glared at her, livid, but Evangeline didn’t meet her gaze.
The atmosphere in the banquet hall grew tense and uneasy.
Old Mrs. Fawkes, always intending to make this brief, made a show of cutting the cake before letting the staff escort her out.
The rest of the guests quickly found excuses to leave early.
Outside the hall, Flora pulled Soren aside, her voice tight with frustration. “Why didn’t you say anything back there? Everyone was trying to help you, and you just stood there.”
Tonight had already been a whirlwind. Flora was still reeling from the news that she’d finally gotten in touch with Glenn through Kearney, and now this–her grandmother announcing the will. She’d never expected any of this, least of all that Evangeline would actually sign.
Most shocking of all, even Poppy had tried to contest the shares, but her brother
hadn’t said a word.
She knew deep down that even if Soren had protested, he probably couldn’t change their grandmother’s mind. Still, the way he just handed over the family fortune infuriated her.
Soren waited for her to finish before speaking in a low, steady voice. “I think I finally understand why Grandma did this.”
“What do you mean? Why?” Flora asked.
His eyes darkened. “She wants me to be the one to reach out and reconcile with Evangeline.”
So long as Evangeline was part of the family, the shares–whether held by him or by her–didn’t really matter.
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Grandma still couldn’t bear to see him and Evangeline divorced.
