Evelyn can't believe what she read.
[William Walters banished his daughter, Evelyn Walters, from the family!]
[What's the reason behind Evelyn Walters' dramatic exit from the Walters legacy?]
[The beautiful heiress Evelyn Walters: now officially broke and abandoned.]
'Dad! You are so cruel... How could you do this to your own daughter? You exposed this to the media?'
Evelyn's hand clenched tightly around the cell phone.
Just five days after she'd told her father the path she chose, today marked the last day she would bear the name, Evelyn Walters.
Not only that, but... Her father had forced her to sign a stack of documents, papers that stripped her of all rights as a member of the Walters family.
She'd even been coerced into signing an agreement that stated if she used any of the Walters' money or belongings, she'd owe an outrageous sum in damages.
And if she couldn't pay it?
She'd be thrown in jail.
And there is no way to defend herself.
...
"Miss Taylor..."
Evelyn was yanked from her storm of angry thoughts at the sound of her new name.
She could no longer use Walters.
Now she went by her late mother's surname: Taylor.
"Yes...?" Evelyn responded softly. On the outside, she looked calm. Inside, she was crumbling.
She fought hard to suppress every trace of rage, every drop of sorrow. She refused to give her father the satisfaction of knowing he'd broken her.
Her eyes fixed on Alan Wang, her father's lawyer, as he entered the room and took a seat across from her.
She couldn't believe how much he had changed. The same man who used to speak to her with warmth and respect now addressed her like a nobody, like someone too lowly to deserve his time.
"You need to sign here, Miss Taylor..."
Alan Wang said coldly, pushing the papers and pen toward her before resting his back casually and staring at her with his pitiful yet arrogant expression.
"Once you've signed everything, you'll need to return all: the phone, the car, the apartment key. Everything. You're only allowed to take this ID card… and whatever belonged to your late mother."
He pointed lazily to a small, worn-out suitcase in the corner.
Evelyn didn't bother replying. She picked up the pen and signed every page.
"Anything else?"
Alan Wang was clearly caught off guard by the calm glint in her eyes.
He cleared his throat.
"You can take this new ID... Regarding the press announcement about you, your father said he'll have the news wiped within the week. Also… he made it clear... you're no longer welcome in this city."
"I know. I'll excuse myself now, Mr. Wang," Evelyn said, her voice steady.
She left everything on the table, stood up, grabbed the old suitcase, and walked out of the room.
...
By the time Evelyn came out of the room, she saw Alicia Green, her stepmother, and Stella, her little sister, standing there, waiting for her.
They looked awful; eyes swollen and red, clear signs they'd been crying for her.
Even though she despised her father with every fiber of her being, Evelyn's feelings for Alicia and Stella had never changed.
She was genuinely grateful to have Alicia as her stepmother. The woman had always been kind and gentle with her, nothing like the cold, cruel stepmothers she'd seen in other families.
"My dear Eve…" Alicia's voice trembled. She couldn't hold back her sobs as she wrapped Evelyn in a tight embrace, crying openly. "I'm so sorry I couldn't help you… I tried to convince your father... I really did… I hate him for this…"
"Alice… thank you for everything you've done for me. But please, don't hate him. This is the path I've chosen…"
Evelyn whispered, her voice steady but her heart cracking. She smiled through the pain at Stella, who was crying silently behind Alicia.
As soon as Alicia let her go, Stella rushed forward and threw herself into Evelyn's arms.
"Stop crying. I'm not dead yet," Evelyn said, trying to sound playful, loosening her embrace just a little.
She cupped Stella's face in her hands, smiling faintly as she wiped away her tears.
Looking deeply into her sister's eyes, she said softly, "Little sis, you have to study hard, okay? Promise me you'll become a brilliant doctor, one of the best in this country."
"Sis…" Stella whispered through her tears, "I don't want to study hard… I already told Dad I won't do it if he still kicks you out of the family."
Evelyn froze for a moment, then let out a bittersweet chuckle and gently pinched her sister's cheek.
"Silly girl, don't say that. You have to study hard and become a great doctor. Promise me, okay?"
"Hmm…" Stella nodded, tears still streaming down her face.
"All right. I need to go now," Evelyn said. "He'll be back any minute, and if he sees me here, he'll explode."
Alicia's face stiffens as she nods to Evelyn before looking at her daughter.
"Stella, let your sister go now," Alicia urged, worry clouding her voice. She knew what her husband was capable of, his temper, his madness. She feared for Evelyn's safety.
"Sis, you need to stay healthy," Stella whispered, still holding her hand tightly. "Promise me, never forget about me..." she said before loosening her grip and letting go of Evelyn's hand.
Evelyn feels her heart torn. She didn't want this to happen. Being separated from Alicia and Stella is not what she wanted. But she also didn't want to give up the child growing inside her.
This is the best choice; she will never regret it.
"Till we meet again, Alice… Stella…" For the last time, Evelyn smiled at them both.
She didn't know if she'd ever get to see them again, but she knew—no matter what—she would never forget their love or kindness.
As the taxi pulled away from the front yard, Evelyn dared one last look at the home she'd been forced to leave behind.
The place that once meant comfort, love, and family is now nothing but a memory soaked in betrayal.
Just as the vehicle passed the main gate, she saw it.
Her father's car.
It was approaching from a distance, sleek and black, as cold and imposing as the man inside it.
Evelyn's breath caught in her throat.
The car slowed as it neared. Her heart pounded with a desperate hope she didn't want to admit, that maybe, just maybe, he'd look up. That he'd see her. That he'd change his mind.
But he didn't.
Through the tinted window, she saw William Walters seated in the back row, stone-faced and still. His eyes were fixed ahead, not even flicking toward the taxi passing him by as if she didn't exist.
As if she had never existed.
Evelyn's lips trembled. She turned her head quickly, pressing it against the cool glass of the window, shielding her face from the driver.
Silent tears rolled down her cheeks.
The ache in her chest bloomed into something bigger, something more painful; it's grief, rage, heartbreak all tangled together.
'William Walters… I admit that you have successfully ruined my future. But if you think you have destroyed me, you are wrong! I will never give up on my life. Not now. Not ever.'
She placed a hand protectively over her stomach, her fingers trembling but firm.
'One day… You will regret everything you've done to me. And to my child.'
The taxi moved forward, carrying her away from the house, the pain, and the man who'd disowned her.