LN Cronan

Hi

I have just re read reflected and on page 277 Eva asked her mother .did he arrange it? I asked softly her smile faded,who?richard?Arrange what?money oh... I waited NO she protested he wouldn't his mind doesn't work like that way ok I just at to know .if Nathan was paid off I would think he would of left New York to get way from people who was after him what does anyone else think

That was Eva asking her mother whether Richard Stanton had arranged Nathan's killing -- had hired a hitman in other words.

I agree with you!  And why she does stuff that she would be very upset if Gideon acted with or towards Corrine blows my mind!!  She took Brett to the apartment but when Gideon mentioned not taking Deanna to his apartment she thought that was a smart move. She thought to herself after the video release that Brett would just need time to accept that she can't be with him, but like you say stop misleading him NOW!!!!

She's nearly as guilty as Gideon was leading Corrine on -- her actions giving Brett hope he has a shot, just like Gideon talking to Corrine on the phone so frequently gave Corrine enough "hope" she left her husband and moved back to New York.

Why is Gideon not freaking out at this point. IMHO it's a combination of trusting in Eva's love and such guilt over what he did to Eva with Corrine that he feels he has zero right to criticize Eva for spending time with her ex.

Oh good, the snapshots are back! All but the final few weren't accessible yesterday morning when I looked for them.

Most of the Entwined snapshots are gone now, apparently along with the snippets, from Sylvia's main website, so I've just been getting the ball rolling, sans picture, about the chapter of the day. This thread has gotten more informal anyway now, because it would appear everyone on this site has already had a chance to read the entire novel. Twice. Three times. Ahhhhhhh ..... but it's still fun to examine each chapter individually.

Hi Tese, welcome!!!

Thoughts on your two questions:

#1 Guilt is the hold Corrine had over Gideon. Eva pointed that out to Gideon when the pair of them talked about Corrine at Eva's apartment after the fundraiser where Eva (and Gideon) had gotten ambushed by Corrine. Eva pointed the guilt factor to Gideon again weeks later during the conversation where Eva pointed out to Gideon he had nothing to feel guilty about, given the dirty tricks Corrine played.

#2 Corrine had shown up unannounced in the Crossfire lobby the day of the "nooner" stunt. But at the time, Gideon was dealing with another, far more serious (and likely unannounced) visitor -- Nathan, upstairs in Gideon's office. Gideon never even knew Corrine was downstairs. Corrine spotted Eva out on the sidewalk returning to the Crossfire after lunch, and Corrine messed up her hair and make-up, then strolled out of the building, her appearance making the vulnerable Eva assume the very worst.

In Entwined, Corrine showed up unannounced in the Crossfire lobby again, because Gideon had quit speaking to her. It was no accident she showed up at lunchtime, I believe -- she was counting on Eva seeing her. Which Eva did. Unfortunately for Corrine, the exact same thing happened in the lobby that happened the night of the fundraiser -- Gideon ditched Corrine to chase after Eva.

I'll be off on vacation this weekend (on holiday as you U.K. ladies like to say) and will be away from my computer for much of it. Who would like to volunteer to help move along the chapter of the day tomorrow and on Sunday. Anyone?

My guess is that Angus was aware of the accusations and the exams by the two doctors -- and was aware the Vidals concluded Gideon was lying. Hugh, the coast now being clear, further escalated the sexual assaults upon Gideon, and Angus caught him. And did something particularly nasty. But then, knowing Gideon's mother and stepfather had already failed -- twice -- to protect the child and were trying to avoid the involvement of outside authorities, Angus took the law into his own hands to deal with Hugh, then became Gideon's protector for the remainder of Gideon's childhood.

If I were Angus, I wouldn't trust Lizzie either. I'd do everything in my power to be able to stay close to Gideon in order to help him, to become an adult role model -- to let him know Hugh wouldn't ever --EVER -- touch him again.

I'm hoping that we we get the name of the title, we're getting the publication date too!!!

 

Known publication dates coming up (this is from www.sylviaday.com)

Thurs. Aug. 15: Afterburn

Tues. Oct. 15: Spellbound

Tues. Nov. 12: Aftershock

 

Crossfire Four??? Thurs. Dec. 12?

 

If I'm right, I'm buying us the first round of drinks at Primal!!!

That would be nice but then again if that happens 6/9 and Brett will always be in GidEvas life...Gideon won't like that!!

 

Better Brett indirectly in their lives than Baby Mama From H.e.l.l. T.w.a.t.i.a.n.a

My own theory about the timeline of the two pediatricians:

 

1. The first one examined him and found no physical evidence, because hand jobs would leave no marks. He got persuaded to break the rules/laws to involve outside agencies anyway.
2. Hugh continued to get access to Gideon and further escalated things
3. Lizzie became uneasy, because Gideon seemed to be getting worse
4. Hugh sought to reassure Lizzie, telling her his brother-in-law is a pediatrician -- he'll get Terry to discretely examine Gideon without having to run the risk again state child protective services would get involved. Hugh counted on Terry keeping his mouth shut, not only about the accusations, but about any marks on Gideon too.
5. Terry Lucas did examine him, found evidence -- and lied, just like Hugh predicted he would.

It's also key to remember that this probably isn't the first time Corinne has seen Gideon ignore her / stop dead in his tracks at the sight of Eva. A week or so previously, at the end of RIY (and possibly the night Gideon told Corinne they could no longer spend time together) Gideon spotted Eva on the street and froze. Now we know Corinne continued on into the car, but I'm sure she was confused when Gideon didn't immediately climb in beside her. It's likely she looked out, saw him frozen, staring across the street. Naturally she would have looked to see what had caught his attention and seen Eva flipping him the bird. She was probably thrilled if she witnessed this encounter believing she had won once and for all. Until later that night/a few days later Gideon told her they could no longer be anything more than long distance friends.

This is possibly the point at which Corinne snapped because while I doubt Gideon mentioned Eva while cutting off contact with Corinne, if she witnessed this encounter, she'd have known his aim was to reconcile with Eva.

 

Too, the morning after the flipping-the-bird incident, Eva showed up on Corrine's doorstep, a confrontation that ended with Eva reminding Corrine that Gideon was in love with her (Eva) and telling a now-angry Corrine she pitied her.

 

That was Tuesday morning. Starting Wednesday night, Gideon quit coming home at night. Corrine lived right around the corner from his penthouse -- I'll bet she stalked the entrance.

New Even Stronger Eva suspects the suicide attempt was a stunt -- and when Eva is clear-headed instead of blinded by insecurity, her intuition almost always is spot on. Very much Victor's daughter.

 

From the bottom of page 339 to top of 340, as Eva held a Gideon who was feeling "cursed"

 

"I hated Corrine so much in that moment I felt violent. She'd known Gideon's father had committed suicide. If she knew Gideon at all, she would know how much her attempt would devastate him."

 

• For weeks now, perhaps months -- maybe years -- Corrine has been preying upon Gideon's guilt.
• Not knowing the truth of the real reason Gideon was a troubled man (being raped as a child) Corrine would have believed the root of Gideon's pain was the original trauma that actually had first messed him up -- his father's suicide.
• Eva herself has been victim to Corrine's inner b**** of deliberately preying upon psychological weaknesses (in Eva's case, insecurity/jealousy, whereas Gideon is guilt.)
• Eva viewed what happened as an attempt -- that's key. Which is different than a failed suicide; the latter involves someone meaning to die but discovered and rescued by another person before it is too late.

 

"She'll have to live with what's she's done, not you and not me," Eva comforted Gideon as she made him believe he was not responsible -- not responsible for Corrine's actions, which included ending a pregnancy Gideon hoped Corrine didn't know about but I think Eva d.a.m.n. well recognized Corrine had to have known about -- four months along.

Cary, with "more than casual interest" asked Brett -- almost as soon as they got into the limo together -- "How's Erik?" 

 

The Sixth-Ninths band member that Eva suspects is straight but had sexually experimented with Cary. Maybe Erik is, like Cary, bisexual? Plus Erik supposedly is "dealing with some issues" -- meaning he could be someone who "needs" Cary? Cary has been with T.w.a.t. because she "needs" him, Cary explained to Eva.

 

Is Erik going to be Cary's happily ever after? Trey can't handle Cary being bi instead of gay, and Tat is a b**** who I suspect is lying about the fact she's having Cary's baby. Perhaps Erik is the one for Cary.

Hi Gigi,

If your contact said that Corinne could not be both severely depressed and manipulative, I think we need to assume that she was not severely depressed but mentally unstable instead.

Just a few days (maybe a week tops) before the suicide attempt Corinne tries several manipulative stunts with Gideon. Crying on the phone, trying to guilt him into seeing her.

Calling repeatedly, both him and his family, for the aame reason.

And the biggest one of all, when she shows up at his office to force him to see her, she tries to kiss him to manipulate Eva into thinking Gideon is with her and to play on her insecurities.

If someone with severe depression is not capable of manipulation, Corinne is not severely depressed. She is the queen of manipulative stunts.

I personally think her suicide attempt was another manipulation to get Gideon back to her side. I get what you are saying about her swallowing an entire bottle of pills but...

It doesnt actually say the word entire. Now this may be me being pernickety but I think this is more just a "turn of phrase". What I mean is, when Eva asks what happened, Gideon doesnt say Corinne attempted suicide, he implies it by saying she swallowed a bottle of pills. That doesnt mean she actually swallowed the whole bottle though.

Do you get what I mean?

 

I agree with you, Rogue, that the suicide attempt was a manipulation stunt. It was on par with Corrine breaking the engagement seven years ago in an attempt (that backfired) to make Gideon fight for her. Even Gideon recognized the engagement stunt as an effort to force him to change -- and for Gideon to be able to recognize that, given how clueless he can be about women, Corrine had to have pulled something pretty bad back then.

 

More recently, Corrine had been manipulating him into feeling guilty he was somehow to blame for her marriage. Under the guise of "needing a friend" she was phoning him daily from France. Even Eva recognized that as stalking behavior and told Gideon as such.

 

Corrine pulled a crazy stunt of "suddenly" deciding to flee France and move back to New York, booking a flight to New York and then phoning Gideon "in crisis" during what would have been the middle of the night her local time, Saturday night New York time. She called to beg Gideon to be there at the airport when she arrived and to help her get settled. She set this stunt in motion before she knew Eva existed. It was in the middle of the stunt plan that Gideon informed her he'd met someone special that week.

 

When she'd booked the flight, I could see her planning to throw herself into his arm, weeping, at Kennedy Airport, manipulating him into taking her home and putting her in a guest room, not sticking her in one of his luxury hotels. From there, she'd get into his bed (instead of hotel sex) and would -- oops -- find herself pregnant. By the time he'd later find out it could not have been his child, they'd already be married and he's not the kind of guy who would turn her into a divorcee and single mother just because she "miscalculated" when it was she conceived.

 

Taken aback by the fact Gideon wasn't available anymore, Corrine cancelled that flight and spent about a week regrouping. A week in which she quietly moved to New York anyway, choosing an apartment right around the corner from his penthouse (Eva saw right through that weeks later when Eva discovered where Corrine lived.) Then Corrine ambushed him and Eva as a couple in a very public setting. And from the moment she met Eva, Corrine began manipulating Eva too, doing so to great effect before Eva finally saw through the beyotch.

 

The medication Dr. Anne Lucas likely was feeding Corrine cranked up an already-existing desperate manipulator -- but it didn't create the monster. Though monster is not quite the word -- Nathan was a monster, and if our suspicions are true, Anne Lucas is a monster too. Corrine was a "catty b****" -- Sylvia called her that this spring in a live interview. an interview in which Sylvia also explained that Corrine was driven by desperation to get Gideon back again.

 

Bottom line -- I think Corrine swallowed pills to immediately bust up the engagement, counting on Gideon racing to her bedside (worked) full of guilt (that too) and his going to Corrine would yet again cause the incredibly insecure/jealous Eva to leave him, this time for good (epic fail, Corrine.)

Yes, I love how Eva is so self aware and doesn't try to gloss over her faults, feelings, or mistakes. That doesn't always mean she, corrects herself, however. I'd say she needs to go to the gym and run about 50 miles instead of going to California. That will improve both her love life and allow her to eat a few more tacos and then some zabaglione at Arnoldo's!

 

I still can't figure out why she's all of a sudden worried about her b.u.t.t. because she'd noticeably lost weight during the two-plus weeks of the worst of the h.e.l.l.  It wasn't until week three got going that she got an appetite back.

 

He lost weight, too, she noticed when she had a rare opportunity at their love nest to look at him when he was fast asleep - she noticed it and new lines on his face.

I interpreted the Tableau One choice differently. I think Eva went out with Brett because of the pain that she was still working through of Gideon spending time with Corrine, but I don't think her choice in restaurant was malicious. At that point, they both seemed to be trying to meet each other half way and choosing a place where Gideon (or Arnoldo) could watch over her, was part of that, despite her judgement to meet Brett.

 

One thing does amaze me about Eva's and Gideon's reunion.... If I was Eva (Ha! I wish!) Anyway, if I was her, in addition to the pain of the separation that Gideon caused, I would be devastated by how the press wil inevitably have a field day being spotted together again.

 

Gideon and Eva get together. Gideon dumps her for an old flame. Eva welcomes him back with open arms. Eva's publicly portrayed as a doormat...just another girl willing to put up with anything Gideon dishes out just to keep him. 

 

She and Gideon know there's more to the story, as do we, BUT, if I would still be sickened by what the public thought of me. It's rough enough sometimes when you hear a friend thinks badly of you. I can't imagine being dragged through the press like that. I'm sure perception will change some once the public wedding actually happens...until then, with his history, I'm sure everyone thinks Eva is just Gideon's doormat of choice for the moment.

 

Eva clearly is dealing with some hurt, but I think she's handling it really darn well. Probably better than I would be. No matter how well intentioned he was and how thankful I would be to him, I would still be devastated that he was capable of hurting me that much...especially all for the public watch it play out.

 

Was anyone else surprised how well she handled things? Outside of a few hiccups, she really seemed to go from devastated to happy in lightening speed.

 

I think one of the reasons Gideon wants everyone to know now (not months from now) he married her is to prove to everyone how special she is - that he loves her with all his heart. Part of his ongoing amends for how he treated her publicly earlier in the summer, when he'd let the world think she had been a summer fling unceremoniously cast aside because a woman he wanted to marry came back to him.

 

I don't think Eva is being spiteful to him with Brett now. The one time she actually was spiteful had been her knee-jerk reaction to having just learned via the media he'd taken Corrine out the night before behind her back. Brett just happened to show up at the right time for her to get even by acting on some nasty impulses, impulses she was already regretting before lunch was over.

 

I do think subconsciously though, she still is "testing" Gideon. Picking Tableau One is part of that -- he took his ex there on a "first date" of sorts, so Eva's sending some sort of message. Maybe sending a message to herself as much to Gideon, but definitely making some sort of statement.

 

Hopefully, Dr. Travis will help her get her head on straight in San Diego the upcoming weekend. Around the time she'd walked away from Brett four years ago is when she bottomed out and started getting help from Dr. Travis. It was "guy issues" that had been the flagrant sign of deeper trouble, and Dr. Travis helped her enormously there.

You know re-reading this chapter, one of the things that struck me was how physically attracted Eva still is to Brett. It's really not just a question of making Gideon jealous. She's really is drawn to Brett, even if it's mostly physically. Just read her description of him on the last couple pf pages of chapter 16 when she's coming out of the apt to meet him. And there are other similar descriptions by her.

One of the things I find most appealing about Eva is how she makes no bones about her appetites - for food, looking at hot guys, and of course s*x with a capital S. It's very rare, in my reading, to find a heroine willing to admit to those things, and it really makes me appreciate Sylvia as an author. It's interesting to contrast Eva and Gideon that way - Eva is the only one who has her effect on him - I could never imagine him ###### after Corinne or other women in any of the ways he does with Eva. And it's often so angsty (is that a word?) for him. I love the way Eva just enjoys her pleasures so thoroughly. It's a good thing for Eva that Gideon doesn't seem to feel the same sort of urges. She'd be tearing up New York.

I don't mean to imply that Eva loves Gideon any the less because of the above. Of course there's a whole lot more to her feelings for him than the physical side. It's lovely too that the rapes and torture that she endured as a child didn't destroy that side of her. She fought back and keeps fighting. Sad that gideon had to do all his fighting back on his own. That said, Eva needs to say get thee behind me satan, and cut Brett off sharpish!

 

I think it's a good thing that Eva consciously recognizes the strength of her physical attraction to Brett. Denying it and/or trying to suppress it is a recipe for trouble. Recognizing it for what it is helps her understand it's just physical and she does not have to act on it -- I think that helps to to avoid acting on it.

I want to know when someone is going to realize Gideon is wearing a wedding ring! He's not hiding it.

 

Gideon is sooooooo ready to let the cat out of the bag. Monica be d.a.m.n.e.d. As well Monica should -- Eva needs to remember she swore off paying any more emotional extortion to Mommica. 

I also love in this chapter how he handles the fact that essentially, Eva's kinda, sorta, letting her "friend" an ex-lover take her out to dinner under circumstances that will make everyone assume they're out on their first public date getting back together. Going to dinner at the same place Gideon took his "friend" ex-love to dinner under circumstances that made everyone assume they were on out on their first date getting back together.

 

Old Gideon: would have gotten really jealous

 

New Gideon:

1. The thing he'd done the week before that got Eva to "wait" (instead of possibly giving Brett the second shot Brett wanted) was to finally start to open up about the sex abuse. So now Gideon opened up entirely, letting Eva ask whatever she wanted -- he was willing to answer anything.
2. Asked Eva to move in with him -- making it clear that his ultimate goal is marriage, but in the meantime, he plans to end her secret "waiting" period and openly declare he's getting back together with her.
3. Proposed a plan to make the very first public move later that day (well, evening, really) by approaching Eva at a high-profile event (in front of Brett as a two-fer).
4. Added as part of the plan taking her out for a lunch date the following day at a place people associated with them as a couple (Bryant Park).
5. Oh and yeah -- crash the dinner date in order to make sure no one thinks Brett won.

 

Er, Gideon, let's see -- you went out to dinner with your ex, and Eva countered by going out to lunch with her ex. Now Eva plans to go out to dinner with her ex, so you're planning to go out to lunch with Eva. A bit ironic here -- ya think? 

So true unfortunately I think the mention of the gun is foreshadowing...

 

I once read a piece of advice a successful author gave aspiring authors. I cannot for the life of me remember which author it was, but I clearly remember the advice: "Never introduce a weapon into a story unless you plan to use it."

 

Repeatedly, it's been noted that both Angus and Clancy carry firearms. Thus far, one weapon has been used in the story: a knife, because Nathan was stabbed to death. Is someone getting shot before this is over?

Everyone believed that Gideon had left Eva as soon as Corinne became available again. Heck, Eva believed it at first. So If Anne is targeting the woman in Gideon's life, it would be easy to see why see went after Corinne. And maybe Elizabeth had mentioned to Anne that Gideon had asked for her wedding ring (if that is where he got it) assuming he was going to propose to Corinne.  I know it's a reach but that is half the fun! 

 

Strange how Anne picked Corrine to use as collateral damage in Anne's apparent plan to get revenge on Gideon, while Deanna picked Eva to attempt to use as collateral damage in Deanna's definite plan to seek revenge against Gideon.

 

I think each villainess chose her victim because the victim got from Gideon something that the Gideon refused to give the villainess.

 

Deanna:

What she wanted: hot passion from Gideon, wanted to thaw The Iceman. Also probably craved social standing -- a freelance journalist drawn to high society, possibly husband-hunting in society circles where extremely eligible bachelors could be found. 

What Deanna got: being treated like a call girl that didn't even get paid -- or even properly laid. Coitus interuptus: Gideon decided taking a business telephone call mattered more than finishing the f***** in progress. He told Deanna to leave. And it's apparent he's shunned her since.

What Eva actually got: The social standing on the red carpet as Gideon's Cross' date -- and -- made hot news in two public incidents caught on camera (sidewalk kiss, Bryant Park kiss-and-make-up) that proved Gideon was seriously hot for Eva sexually.

But then: Eva apparently got thrown onto the reject pile too, Deanna thought -- and so Deanna tried to prey on the possibility her victim, Eva, was as angry as Deanna herself.

 

Anne:

What she wanted: to successfully chase Gideon Cross down. To have Gideon rejoice at her leaving Terry, welcoming her with open arms in front of the world as his lover. Maybe even more than that -- make Anne his wife after her divorce went through? (Delusional) 

What she got: sent back to her own husband as damaged goods and shunned socially since then

What Corrine (apparently) got: successfully chased Gideon Cross down. Gideon rejoicing she left Jean-Francois, welcoming her with open arms publicly as his lover, likely destined to become his wife once the divorce went through.

But then: Corrine ultimately got her heart broken by Gideon too -- and so Anne apparently preyed on the fact Corrine was as devastated as she (Anne) must have been being hurt by Gideon.

We do need that chart sooner rather than later!!!

 

I hereby make a motion we appoint sscrph as record keeper of the Crossfire character nickname chart. Can I have a second on the motion?

So LN here is finally a way we can rationalize Gideon's actions !! The fact that he was playing a game with Corinne's emotions aka sending MIXED SIGNALS he was actually saving Eva from Anne Lucas and her demented actions...But as we have said Eva and Gideon need to have Anne Lucas on the radar because that woman is out for BLOOD!!!

 

Without even knowing it, potentially Gideon saved Eva from another homicidal maniac, Anne Lucas. That's a big stretch -- but an interesting one, and hey, this site is where we have fun stretching theories. We need to do something to amuse ourselves until around Christmastime, when Book Four might be coming out.

Anne became a problem/danger for Eva the second she opened her mouth to talk to her at the end of EWY. 

 

It worries me that Anne "picked up" Cary at that event. In high society circles, everyone knows he's close to Eva and Eva's parents. Some suspect wrongly (based on tabloid gossip) they have been more than friends in the past.

 

So Anne ephs with Eva's mind and tries to literally eph a man (Cary) who possibly had been Eva's lover earlier this summer, and if he had been, then there may be some sort of Cary-Eva-Gideon love triangle going on.

 

Scary.

I think that Anne went after Gideon because of his incredible, smokin , hotness and the fact that he is a young stud (like Cary) and I don't think it had anything to do with Hugh...

 

New nickname for the growing list of them around here:

 

Dr. Anne "Cougar" Lucas