Second chances do not exist

Eve's POV

As soon as the event was over, I hurried out of the hall with my PA and best friend; Jade trailing behind me. I needed to catch my breath and calm my rattled mind before anyone noticed something was wrong with me. I took a sharp turn to the female restroom and hurried over to the sink. Breathing heavily, I turned the tap on and washed my hand aggressively. Jade rushed towards me and turned off the tap to stop me. As I raised my head and watched my reflection in the mirror, I stared back at my now reddened eyes and Jade's concerned ones beside me. 

"Listen to me, Eve. Take a deep breath. Take a deep breath."

I tried to do as she instructed but I could not. Instead, I caught a tear in my throat and furiously blinked back the tears that had welded up inside my eyes from falling. I would not cry over him. Never again. 

"You are a strong woman, Eve. The way you composed yourself earlier was admirable. For a moment, I thought you had gotten over him…"

"I have gotten over him." I stressed my words and sent her a death glare. "Mention one word about that again and I'll have you fired without a second thought."

Jade sighed and folded her arms, resting her back against the other bathroom sink. "You can fire me as your PA but never as your best friend. It's together forever, remember?"

I shut my eyes briefly and sighed deeply before opening them again. I stood straight and straightened my dress as I forced a confident and tough demeanor. I would not let him or anyone else see me broken again. I had outgrown that weak omega girl that everyone used to trample on. This was my villainess era and I would never be weak again.

"Stop feeling yourself, Jade. I could do away with you in a second." I said to her before walking out of the restroom. She laughed and followed me. 

Just as we stepped out of the restroom, I almost had a heart attack as I sighted a tall, familiar figure standing and waiting by the hallway. My breath hitched and stopped just like they did the moment I saw him again in the conference hall after eight years. I struggled to breathe again and I clenched my fists to get a hold of myself.

"Eve." He called my name and a part of my heart softened at the name he had pronounced my name like it was some delicate flower. I had never heard my name sound so good before. "Can we talk?"

I hesitated and just stared at him for long seconds. Jade's voice broke the silence.

"I'll excuse you guys. Call me when you're done." She rubbed me reassuringly on the shoulder before turning her back and leaving. 

Seeing that she had left, he walked towards me. As he stood in front of me with hands thrusted deep in his pocket, I could feel his majestic aura vibrate around me. His deep gray eyes locked into mine and his brows had a little crease as though he was trying to decipher something. I couldn't believe those were the same eyes that I had fallen in love with years ago even though they were the eyes of the devil himself.

"So, you're alive." 

With a burning heart, I forced a lopsided grin and glared back into his eyes. 

"What? Did you try to have me killed?"

"No." He answered and his jaw set. He never took his eyes off me for a second. "How've you been?"

"Doing better than I was with you. Isn't it so obvious?" My tone reeked of so much hate and contempt. I didn't bother that he could punish me for speaking rudely to him because he was the Lycan king. I didn't bother about anything at this moment except to show him just how much I hated him and wished him dead. 

"I looked for you all over. You couldn't be found."

"You were looking for me?" I scoffed unbelievably. "Why? So you'd have me killed after rejecting me?"

"No." He answered. Even though it had been eight years, he was still the same. There were barely any emotions on his face and it was hard to see through his exteriors and know what was going through his mind. He was as ice cold as always. An ice cold demon. 

"I felt sorry about what I'd done to you and wanted to apologize to you. I wanted to make things right again."

"As if I'd believe." I turned on my heels to leave but he reached for my arm and I froze to my place. Even his touch was still familiar and made my heart race. I felt instantly disgusted at myself for feeling this way. 

"Give me another chance to make it up to you, Eve."

I turned my head to look at his face again. Again, it was hard to read through his eyes and tell if he really meant those words or if he wasn't simply teasing me, waiting for me to reveal my weak side again. 

"Stefan Heart." I called him by his full name and raised my middle finger to him. "Fuck you."

And then, I snapped my wrist from his grip and stormed away. I swear I could see an amused smirk on his face when I cursed at him. But none of that bothered me. 

I wished he would rot in hell for all he'd put me through and for showing his face into my life again. 

…………

When I returned to my suite, Jade was on a phone call and as soon as she saw me enter the room, she sent me a big smile and waved me over. I frowned at her.

"Jameson is on the phone."

This time around, I didn't wait to be told twice. I walked briskly towards her and she handed the phone to me. 

"Mummy!" The tiny voice of my eight years old son filled my ears and just like that, all of the resentments and anger that burned through my heart were gone with the winds. A big fat smile sat on my face.

"My sweetest pie. How're you doing?"

"Not fine." I could imagine him pouting as usual. "I miss you, mummy."

I chuckled lightly and sat myself on a couch to peel off my heels off my feet. "I've missed you too, my sweetest pie. Has Nanny Carlisle been good to you?"

"Mmhmm." He seemed to be nodding from the other end of the line. "She took me to the playground to play with my friends and then made me a large glass of milk shortly after. You have to give her a raise, mummy. She's super duper nice."

I laughed again as he narrated his day. I could listen to him talk all day long and never get tired.

"Oh, I will definitely give her a raise for taking care of my sweet boy so well."

"Mummy. I forgot to mention something too."

"What is it, my pumpkin?"

"The kids at the playground teased me again. They called me a bastard son and said I do not have a father. Is it true, mummy?"

The smile on my face faded and was replaced by a stone cold expression. "Who said that to you?"

"The kids at the playground. I won't call names because I don't want you to get mad, mummy."

I felt another wave of anger wash through me and I bit my lips, hating that my kind little boy constantly had to go through so much pain because of my past. If I could, I would find those kids who had been bullying him for the longest time and grab them by the hair. 

"Don't listen to them, Jameson. Alpha Micah is your father. Do not listen to them, okay?"

"But mummy, even Uncle Vesper…"

"Do not listen to Vesper either. Listen to me. I am your mother. You are not an illegitimate son. Uncle Vesper and those kids are only lying against you."

He sighed deeply. "Okay, mom."

"Listen, pumpkin, mummy is really tired and has to get some rest. I need it for the remaining days of the week that I am going to be here, understand?"

"I understand, mummy."

"Goodbye, pumpkin. I'll call you before I go to bed."

"Alright, mummy. Bye."

After the line went dead, I dropped the phone beside me and resumed the task of taking off my shoes. Jade sat beside me and massaged my shoulders lightly.

"So…tell me, how did the conversation between you and your ex husband go?"

I sent her laser glares. "I warned you already, Jade Fisher."

"Woah." She laughed lightly. "I see that you've switched to your full name calling mode. I should be scared."

I shook my head at her annoying attitude and she laughed again. 

"But seriously though, how did it go?"

"Awful."

"And when do you plan to let him know about his son? He deserves to find out, you know."

"Never would I let him find out that Jameson is his son." My face darkened as I promised myself those words. "Not even in my worst nightmare."