Save Her Lose Us (Evangeline and Soren) novel Chapter 305

Glenn was always so calm and methodical; it was rare to hear any significant emotional fluctuation in his voice. That was why she hadn't paid much attention when he'd sounded subdued on their last call. But thinking back now, his tone had been distinctly worried.

Evangeline mentally replayed Glenn's recent odd behavior—the subtle shift in his voice, their decreasing contact—and a suspicion began to form.

Glenn was in trouble.

Given the crisis UME was facing, and how much the company meant to him, he would never have stayed away knowing how serious things were. Not unless he was physically unable to return.

The most likely source of that trouble was Victor Lockridge.

But Glenn was Theresa Carlisle's brother, and he had nothing to do with her disappearance. Victor shouldn't have had any reason to go after him so aggressively.

Unless…

As a possible reason dawned on her, Evangeline's heart sank.

—

Back at the hospital, Poppy returned to the room to find Soren standing by the window. His back was to her, his gaze lost somewhere outside as he stared into the distance. As Poppy started toward him, her eyes fell on a document lying on the table.

*"Agreement to Waive Inheritance Rights."*

Her eyes lit up.

She walked over and silently flipped through the pages. When she saw Evangeline's signature at the end, a triumphant smile played on her lips.

Evangeline had given up the inheritance. Smart girl.

This afternoon, while the old Mrs. Fawkes was still in surgery, the Fawkes family had already sensed a looming crisis. Worried she wouldn't make it off the operating table, they had been secretly strategizing how to persuade Evangeline to voluntarily renounce her claim. A family as powerful as the Fawkes clan would never be so foolish as to actually honor such a will.

Evangeline, it seemed, knew when to fold. She'd made her move before the family could make theirs. But she had certainly driven a hard bargain. That sum of money was enough to keep her comfortable for two lifetimes.

Poppy scoffed inwardly but kept her expression neutral, placing the document back where she found it.

The sound seemed to rouse Soren, who turned around.

"You should go home and get some rest. You don't need to stay. I'll be here with Grandmother," Soren said flatly when he saw it was her.

Poppy could have sworn she detected a hint of melancholy in his voice, but she couldn't be sure.

"Evangeline…" Poppy started to say more, but Soren cut her off.

"Good. I understand."

"Go home and get some rest. We need you to keep pushing the partnerships forward tomorrow. Don't stay up too late."

His tone was icy, devoid of any warmth. He was deliberately avoiding any discussion about Evangeline. For a moment, Poppy couldn't read him at all, but she could tell he was in a terrible mood. His dark eyes were filled with a simmering frustration and impatience.

Unsure of what had transpired during Evangeline's visit, and seeing his unusual state, Poppy didn't dare say more. After a few more words of caution, she left.

Only after she was gone did Soren turn around. His gaze fell on a bouquet of carnations on the nightstand, their petals vibrant and leaves fresh. He didn't know much about flowers, but after years of marriage to Evangeline, he'd picked up a thing or two. This bouquet had clearly been chosen with great care.

Before, he had suspected Evangeline of being heartless, but now, he felt an indescribable conflict. The feeling intensified when he thought about how he had severed all ties with her. It hadn't seemed like a big deal at the time, but in the quiet that followed, he felt a profound emptiness in his chest.

After a few minutes of silence, an idea seemed to strike him. He walked to the doorway, his dark eyes lifting to a security camera mounted in the corner of the ceiling.

***