CHAPTER 12
The next week was pretty intense for Evangeline. There was another deal to close and she was trying hard this time not to shut anyone out. With her surrogacy plans coming together slowly and Logan trying to make a comeback, it hadn't been easy. She woke up to different deliveries every day.
Different flowers coloured her office. "You need to stop bringing me this." She flared at Audrey, "Either trash them or keep them for yourself."
Her sister like Zoe also had questions. Most of which she directed at the doctor who didn't mind answering every question. The only clause making her doubtful was the casual way Jason had said there had be contract.
Adriana had said it was the usual thing, but that just formalized things. She wasn't doing it for money, so what's the contract for. And while she waited all week to have him send it, she hadn't received anything yet. Still, she was as eager to get things started as soon as possible.
"Logan is here." Audrey announced through the intercom.
Evan sighed, "Let him in," She closed her file and brought out her tablet, sifting through the net.
"Hello." He said going over to peck her.
"Hi." She turned away from the peck and offered him the seat next to hers.
"What brings you here?"
"I just wanted to see my favourite woman." He flirted.
"Didn't we agree to take things slow? I need time to process."
"But I did give you time. I didn't call all week."
"No, but the flowers and gifts didn't stop calling." She pointedly stared at her table brimming with them all.
"I wanted to be in your thoughts every day." He moved closer to her, "Speaking of gifts, I have something for you."
Evan hit the intercom angrily, "Not again." She told him quite frankly, then leaning to the intercom she told Audrey to come with drinks. "Anything?"
"You'll love this one." He said as he produced a glittering, pure gold ring.
Evangeline watched as he went on bent kneel, "Will you marry me?" He was that way when Audrey came in with the drinks.
******
"And you turned him down?" Adriana asked her sister. "You're going to die lonely" she blurted out.
"Sorry." She apologized.
"None taken. You have a way of speaking your mind harshly." Evan waved it off, knowing her sister could be very blunt when she wanted. She walked into her bedroom and closed the door. She disconnected her ear pod and put the call on speaker so she could undress.
"Guys, keep it down." Adriana cautioned the twins. She went on to send them out of the room when they still wouldn't keep quiet, "Sorry. Evan? You there?"
"Yes, Ad. What do they want?"
"Ignore those. They are only arguing over whose teacher is hot and whose isn't."
"Really." Evan chuckled, "Wait, you separated them?" Both twins were always in the same class. Recently however, her sister had been complaining that they were getting distracted.
"I had to. They were both losing concentration in class. And I know it's these annoying arguments they have all day."
"The Swiss gene." Evan laughed out loud.
"In a bad way. I wish they wouldn't follow our path. You know, like you?"
"Let them be. It's too early to predict what they'd be. I remember wanting to be a lawyer until college. And then one day, I wanted nothing to do with the field."
"The divorce did that to you."
"I don't think so. I think I was never born with the Swiss gene. I wasn't always good at the quotes. You always beat me at that. We all assumed it was because you were older. I played along too, but it wasn't law for me."
The two were silent on both end. Each engrossed in their own thought. "So Logan went on both knees? And you just let him hang!"
"It wasn't a funny sight. He looked like he swallowed a bug."
"And Audrey was there?"
"Yes." She replied weakly.
"God, I pity that poor man. He must have been so embarrassed."
"Well, on my path, I was shocked. Then two, he didn't propose because he wanted to. He did so I can stop the surrogate process. And he has a thing for Jason. I won't be used as a tool in whatever they have going."
"Would it have been so bad to accept Logan and forget the Valdez outrageous proposal?"
For a while, she deliberated on the question Adriana had just raised. For a thirty-five-year-old single lady, a proposal was a whole lot of bargain. But she wasn't one to go the normal route.
It was evident in the way she did her things. She had even stepped out of the family business to start her company and was doing well. If counting black sheep in the family still is a thing, she qualified as one.
Every Swiss is either a lawyer, Attorney or Judge. Her family handled every law dealing in Miami. Other law firms tried to be on their good side if not as associates. Only a few had been known to choose a different path, among which she stood proudly. So, yes, accepting the ring was the normal. But Evangeline Swiss doesn't do normal.
"I think I made the right choice. I'm doing this already." She replied bravely. To herself, she said. Even if I don't know where this route is taking me.
Her vibrating phone drew her attention to the dresser. She went to retrieve it. The caller was Jason. "Hey."
His voice was grumpy, "Hello. How are you?"
"I'm okay." She replied. "What's up?" On the other end, she heard water gushing.
Done washing his face, he asked about her discussions with Logan. His PI had told him a while ago that Logan proposed. He knew it was all a ploy to get Evan out of the deal. He had been sure she would too. But he wanted to hear it himself, not through Doctor Tom. Hence the call. "Did you talk things through with your ex? It looked like there was a lot to tell him."
"Like you said, my ex. There was nothing much to say." Even as she said that, she knew it was a complete lie. Logan wasn't taking this easy at all. Would Jason believe her if he knew that hours ago, the same "ex" had proposed?
"Alright then." He replied, "I just wanted to be sure we're still on." He added.
"Yes, we are." She informed him.
That excited him in ways he didn't understand. "You really want to go ahead with the procedure?" He asked again.
"Yes, Jason."
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