Chapter 77
Knowing that Evangeline was in town and that they had a daughter together was torturous for Alec. Especially since Audrey wouldn’t let him near them. Not before Antony’s birthday.
And it made him a little terrified. Alec missed Evangeline and having her with him, but it was not because ten years had passed that the dangers had disappeared. After Blake died and Alec took over all the business, he was targeted by his way of acting without caution.
The day the club suffered the police beat, Alec managed to escape through the roof, but ended up hitting his head on an iron bar he had not seen. He was unconscious for hours and confided in Howard that he had had a dream at the time. Alec saw himself in an open, flowery field, alone, until a carriage approached. Evangeline would get out of that carriage and walk to him, with a beautiful smile on her face. He said that she said nothing, but that when they kissed, he had the feeling of a happy ending being sealed.
The vast garden of the Castello was full of toys and children. Audrey rented a service, which set up an amusement park there. Antony was so happy, he couldn’t stop for a second.
"Uncle, come with me!" he grabs Alec’s hand, which doesn’t move. "Uncle Alec!”
"Hey there, kid?
Alec was sitting in the area reserved for the parents of all those children, looking desperately at the door through which the guests arrived.
"We’re going on the roller coaster!”
"Oh, now I don’t. Go with one of your little friends.”
The boy is saddened when Alec gets up and lets go of his hand. He walks up to his sister and asks:
"Audrey, where is she?”
The blonde looks sideways at the mother of one of the children she was talking to and gives a dull smile.
"Excuse me." she murmurs to the woman and pulls Alec away from there. "Damn, what anxiety is that? It made you rude.”
"I can’t take it anymore! Are you sure she’s coming?”
"That’s what she said.”
“When was the last time you spoke to her?”
Audrey shrugs her shoulders.
"I haven’t spoken since I left her house." That made Alec panic. "What’s that face?”
“Audrey, she’s not coming! She’s probably gone back to London and if she’s silly, she’s moving so I’ll never find her.”
Alec starts to walk.
"Where are you going?”
"Behind Evangeline." he says, non-stop walking and staring at his sister. "I won’t let her go and take my daughter away without first hearing all I have to...”
He was so eager to go after Evangeline, he didn’t see her when she walked through the door and ended up bumping into her. Exactly as in the romance films, he knocked her down with everything and fell over her.
[...]
"Allegra? Ready? We’ll be late!”
The answer comes a few seconds later from upstairs.
"Five more minutes, Mom!”
Evangeline tried to control her anxiety, while ignoring the calls of her ex, Jonah. He sent one message after another, questioning why she wasn’t home and not answering her calls.
She would shout for Allegra once again when the bell was rung. As she erased the trillions of messages, Evie opens the door.
"Felippa?" The woman was down in a way never seen by Evangeline. She soon understood why. "Oh... when?”
"A little after you left the hospital.”
"Oh...”
"The funeral’s in two hours. I wasn’t able to reach you on the phone, so I thought I’d better come here." only then Felippa notices the long and royal blue dress that Evie wore. "Are you leaving?”
"Yes... I’m gonna...”
"Mom, I’m ready.”
Allegra walks down the stairs happily and bouncing, not realizing there was someone at the door. Felippa looks at the girl and Evangeline, who had her eyes closed.
"Mom?" Felippa asks, looking at Evangeline. "What?”
"Aunt Felippa!" Allegra runs to her and hugs her, making her even more confused. "How nice to finally meet you!”
"I’d love to say the same, but I didn’t even know about you.”
"What?”
"Allegra, go upstairs and get the present.”
"But he is...”
"Allegra!”
A firm look from Evangeline was enough for the girl to understand that she was only to leave the room. It didn’t matter if they were late or not.
"You have a daughter." Felippa says, laughing melancholy. "You have a daughter and I had no idea.”
" You need to understand me. I couldn’t just tell you. You were with Howard and...”
"Wait... it’s Alec’s?" Evie says with her head. "And when did you know?”
"When I woke up from the accident.”
"Geez. " She laughs out loud. " What kind of best friend are you? I didn’t deserve to know why? Why would I go out with Alec’s driver?”
"You didn’t just go out with him. Felippa, you were in love and you spoke through the winds. I didn’t want Alec to know.”
"My God... you only think about yourself.”
"What?”
"Ever since you met Alec, you’ve become someone else, Evangeline. You’ve been hiding things from me. We never had any secrets, and you never told me Alec’s a mobster.”
"It wasn’t my secret to tell.”
"Ah, of course... you are super worthy." Felippa sighs and looks at the clock. "I’m leaving. I have to bury the one person who never lied to me or put me in danger.”
Evangeline watches Felippa leave her house and go directly to the house across the street. Her will was to go after her and dump everything she knew about her father, but that was not the time. Karma had already acted and William paid for all the evil he had done in life.
"Mom?" Allegra calls, from the top of the stairs. "Is everything okay?”
"Yes... I, uh...”
"Aunt Felippa is upset? She didn’t like me?”
"No, honey." Evie makes a move with her hand and the girl comes down. "Impossible not to like you. She’s just upset about other things in life." Before Allegra could ask anything else, Evie rushes. "Are you ready? We’re already late and it’s horrible to arrive after everyone else. Everyone is watching us.”