"You're indeed a crazy woman to have a lot of courage to say that and deny knowing me." His voice was so thick with restrained anger, no one had ever spoken like this and this Eva's second time speaking to him in such a casual manner. Nathalia nearly ran out of the boutique in fear, why did her cousin have to pick a fight with her best friend.But Eva was used to these types of men who thought that their intimidating and daunting stare could make a woman run for their life. All of the times Mark had glared and threatened her had toughened her skin. Eva was lethargic and apathetic to this kind of behavior.She can't deny the fact that this man did it better than Mark, but who cares?"I don't think I'm obliged to know you when I don't. As for the fact that called me a crazy woman, I will let it go this time." Eva remarked, ignoring the warning bell in her head and the obvious red flag waving in front of her.Nathalia stood frozen in shock. On one hand, she was extremely satisfied with w
After going back to Eva's apartment condo, Nathalia headed straight to the to grab something to drink. She walked back to the living and saw that the driver had helped to place all the shopping bags containing the clothes and shoes they had bought.Sitting down on the L-shaped couch, Nathalia opened the bag of chips she had brought along with her from the kitchen."Now, let's see you try out all these clothes right away." She remarked while putting a piece of the chips in her mouth."You mean all of them?" Eva suddenly turned to look at her."Yes, and I know what you're thinking but the sooner you try them out the quicker you rest." Nathalia stated as she waved her hand urging Eva to go and try out the dresses. Shaking her head, Eva grabbed the shopping bags and headed towards the bedroom.An hour later, Eva walked out of the room wearing the last pieces of dress Nathalia bought for her. It was a navy blue spaghetti strap colored empire dress. "Wow, you look gorgeous and stunning.
"How can you not know who was standing in front of you? Don't you know a single information about him? Ha……. Seriously, Eva." Nathalia sighed as she rubbed the space between her eyebrows, she thought Eva would be joking but the clueless expression on her face just made more perplexed at the moment."He is the most handsome and eligible bachelor and most importantly the dream husband of every single woman in the country. Not only is he just the dream husband, he is a very powerful man no one wants to offend, yet my dear you just casually spoke to him in such a manner, plus you told him to his face that you know nothing about him. Haa……I'm already losing my mind." "So you seem to know a lot about that man." Eva raised an eyebrow and gave her a suspicious look.Nathalia did know that she was advertising Damien to Eva but she couldn't stop at this moment. "Yes, I know a lot about him because that man is my cou…..ehem, I mean because he is very famous and even if you ask any individual abo
"What?!" Eva yelped in utter shock. Of course, she wasn't a country pumpkin. She has heard of the name Damien Cross a lot of times from other female socialites. However, she wasn't really interested in knowing more about him, but according to what her ears picked from people's conversation about him, he is a very powerful individual. Mark had even told her about the Cross Enterprise in the past. "Did you know what he is mostly called among other people?" Nathalia asked but Eva shook her head indicating that she didn't know."The Demo CEO. And the reason he was given such a name was because of his cruelty and ruthlessness. That person you saw is a very dangerous man that no one dared to offend. Even the government was very cautious when dealing with him. Despite his fearsome reputation, you can tell how many single women in the country flock around him all the way to celebrities and other young men from rich families. Did you know what he did to a female celebrity who had mistakenly
After they were done eating, both Eva and Nathalia spent the rest of the day binge-watching K drama movies then switching the TV channel to the latest variety show on the best couple in Miami which gave Nathalia the opportunity to throw popcorn at the screen.Nathalia was extremely exhausted from all the day's events, slumping lazily on the couch, Nathalia slept like a child as her body was curled into a ball and her arms tucked underneath her face.Eva chuckled at this sight, she switched off the TV before walking to her bedroom and walked back to the living with a heavy blanket which she used to cover her up.Tying her up her long hair, she began to clean up the mess they've made in the living room. If it was the woman from nine months ago, she would've left the chores to the housecleaner. Since she would be twenty-three years old this year and a grown adult, she figured it was best for her not to remain lazy. Being able to clean the house and do her laundry was something she shoul
Eva's entire life was built around a man that shattered her. From a young age after the death of Eva's mother, as if it was planned, she was drilled on how to become his pillar of support, after Eva stopped modeling, her father forced Eva to help Mark manage his multi-million cooperation, she wasted her time learning how to handle paperwork, secretly helping him fulfill his position when he was absent, she was his safe haven, and also a perfect wife. Eva thought she was doing all of this out of her love for Mark. However, all of her training and endless night of working hard was completely shattered within the span of nine months. In just nine months, Mark had forced Eva to her lowest point because he betrayed and fell in love with Christine.Nathalia knew that Eva was hurting so bad, because a similar situation had happened to her mother. It was like a deja Vu for Eva.Eva sighed, not angry about the fact that she was being yelled at by Nathalia. "Okay, fine. I'll think about it bu
A black shadow flew at the speed of light and before anyone could react, a hand had smacked her face with so much force that it turned to the side.The crowd gasped in shock. Never in a billion years would they expect Mark to strike a woman.Eva's face was immediately swung to the side with so much force, she knew she just received a whiplash as she could feel a taste of blood in her mouth. Tears gathered in her eyes at the stinging pain in her cheeks, but she pushed them back. She didn't even slap Christine so hard like this earlier."Oh my god! Mark, are you okay?" Christine immediately grabbed Mark's rough and stiffened hand. It was bright red because of how hard he had smacked Eva."Does it hurt?" She gently asked him with her sweet, angelic voice, she blew air into his red hand, lightly rubbing her cold fingers against him.Mark's eyes softened at the sight of the fragile woman beside him. "I'm fine, sweetheart." He whispered to her. Eva hatefully glared at them, she sneered in
"What the fuck!" Eva who was still half asleep immediately her drowsy eyes flew wide open when she heard the distant yet familiar voice."Good morning, father. It's nice to hear your voice after all this while. I apologize, it wasn't my intention to ignore your calls but it's rather strange because I wasn't expecting to receive a call from you today." Eva explained in a modest manner."How brazen you've become! Now I have to make an appointment with you before I call you, huh? So much guts you've got!" The voice yelled again."Of course not. You can call me anytime you want, which you rarely do unless you need something from me or someone to yell and vent your anger on. The morning seems to have a good vibe so, let's not waste each other's time and get straight to the point of why you've decided to call me today of all days?" Eva said with a yawn, she was already sick of him beating around the bush. Besides, she desperately wants to go back to sleep. She has never woken up this early
A few days after Mark successfully cleared his name from the Harper Luxuries scandal, Christine sat alone in her dressing room, her perfectly manicured fingers tapping impatiently against the vanity table.She had tried everything—sabotage, whispers in the right ears, carefully placed rumors—yet Eva always came out unscathed. Every plan Christine devised had crumbled before her eyes, and it was beginning to drive her insane.If indirect tactics didn’t work, she had to change her approach. This time, she wouldn’t hide behind shadows. She wouldn’t need to.Instead, she would manipulate the situation so well that Eva would ruin herself.All she needed was the perfect stage.---An exclusive fashion gala was set to take place, attended by top designers, influencers, and media elites. Both Eva and Christine had been invited as brand ambassadors for their respective labels.Christine smirked to herself. This was it. The perfect opportunity.She had carefully arranged for the media’s attenti
The dim candlelight cast a golden glow over the elegantly set dining table. A soft melody played in the background, filling the room with warmth. Christine had spent hours preparing this—his favorite dishes, the finest wine. Tonight had to be perfect.She glanced at the clock anxiously. Mark would be home soon. And she had to fix this.The front door finally opened, and Mark stepped inside. His face was tired, his eyes dark with frustration. He didn’t even glance at the romantic dinner she had prepared. Instead, he sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair.“Christine, what is this?” His voice was cold.Christine swallowed and stepped toward him. “A dinner. For us.”Mark scoffed, shaking his head. “A dinner? Christine, do you have any idea what I’ve been dealing with? My father’s furious. Investors are backing out after the Harper Luxuries. I've lost of funds.” His voice grew sharper, filled with exhaustion. “And do you know what people are whispering? That my own fiancée might
The silence between them was thick with unspoken thoughts, but Damien wasn’t one to leave things unresolved. He turned slightly, his piercing gaze fixed on her.“Why didn’t you ask for my help?” His voice was calm but held an edge of something deeper—something close to frustration.Eva, who had been absentmindedly tracing the rim of her wine glass, glanced at him. A small smirk curled her lips, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.“Because it was something I could handle,” she said simply. “Like always.”Damien’s expression remained unreadable, but his fingers curled slightly against his knee. “And if you couldn’t?”Eva shrugged. “Then I would have asked. But it wasn’t time for that yet.”That answer didn’t satisfy him. He exhaled slowly, rubbing his temple. “Eva—”“I know what you’re going to say,” she interrupted, meeting his gaze head-on. “You think I should have let you take care of it. But Damien, I don’t always need you to fight my battles. Sometimes, I want to win them on my own
Eva sat on the couch, feeling bored. The scandal had caused too much noise, and going home—where the paparazzi were undoubtedly lurking—was out of the question.With a sigh, Eva reached for her phone and scrolled through her contacts. Her finger hovered over Damien for a moment before she pressed the call button.The phone rang twice before his deep, smooth voice came through. “Eva.”Just her name. Nothing more. But there was something in the way he said it—low, controlled, yet sharp with attention—that made her exhale slowly.“Hey,” she murmured, leaning against the plush headboard.Silence. Then, “What’s wrong?”She almost smiled. He always saw through her.“I can’t go home,” she admitted, rubbing her temple. “The reporters are camped outside. And after today’s interview… they’ll only get worse.”Damien didn’t answer immediately. She could hear the faint rustling of papers, the click of a pen, before he finally spoke. “Where are you?”“Penthouse suite at the Grand Royale,” she repli
---A few days later, Eva made a rare yet calculated appearance on a live talk show—The Spotlight with Emily Lopez, one of the most-watched entertainment programs in the country. Coincidentally, it was also a show that frequently collaborated with Rachel Grant, the journalist behind the scandalous article.As the cameras rolled, the studio audience buzzed with anticipation. They were expecting either a fierce defense or a dramatic meltdown. What they got instead was something entirely different.Emily Lopez, the charismatic host, smiled warmly as Eva took her seat. “Eva, it’s a pleasure to have you here.”Eva crossed her legs gracefully, offering a poised smile. “Thank you for having me.”Emily wasted no time. “Let’s address the elephant in the room. There’s been a lot of talk about you recently, especially after that article. I have to ask—what’s your response to the claims about your alleged manipulations in the industry?”Eva’s expression remained calm, almost amused. She leaned ba
Eva lounged in the living room of her hotel suite, one leg crossed over the other, casually munching on chips as she scrolled through the latest article on her phone. The bold headline blared across the screen:"The Truth About Eva: Manipulation, Power Plays, and Industry Secrets."A slow, amused smile curved on her lips as she read through the carefully crafted insinuations. Lies twisted with half-truths, designed to cast doubt on her success. Predictable.She let out a soft chuckle, shaking her head. Did they really think this would break her? Just as she was about to scroll further, the door burst open.“What the hell is this?!” Trix’s voice filled the room as she stormed in, holding up her phone.Gwen followed closely behind, her expression a mix of concern and frustration. “Eva, this isn’t funny! Someone is trying to ruin you.”Eva looked up lazily, still smiling. “I know.”Trix gaped at her. “You know?! And you’re just sitting here smiling? Eva, this article is everywhere—peopl
Christine paced in her luxurious bedroom, her perfectly manicured nails tapping against her phone screen as she scrolled through the latest headlines. Every article seemed to be about Eva—her growing success, her latest campaign, the public's admiration. Christine’s jaw clenched in frustration. She needed to shift the narrative. With a deep breath, she dialed Tanya’s number. It rang twice before Tanya’s voice came through, smooth and professional. "Christine, what is it? It’s late." Christine rolled her eyes. "Since when do you care about the time? Listen, I need you to set up a meeting with a journalist—someone discreet but influential. Someone who can shape a story the way I want it." Tanya hesitated. "What kind of story are we talking about?" Christine smirked, settling onto her chaise lounge. "Something… damning. Something that makes Eva look less like the perfect little star everyone thinks she is. We don’t need lies—just a little exaggeration, a shift in perspective. Got i
The scandal surrounding Harper Luxuries continued to escalate. Financial analysts tore apart the company’s records, exposing even deeper corruption than initially reported. Clients and investors withdrew their support, and the luxury brand’s reputation nosedived. Eva remained a silent observer, never once stepping into the chaos. She didn’t need to. The mess Christine and Mark had walked into was unraveling all on its own. Two.days later, Eva had had just finished another photoshoot and was busy resting in her dressing room when Gwen casually entered the room as she scrolled through her phone, letting out a low whistle. “Christine’s in full damage control mode, but it’s not working. Every brand connected to Harper Luxuries is distancing themselves. She’s lost all credibility.” Trix smirked. “Mark isn’t doing any better. His name is being dragged through the mud for backing a sinking company. There are even rumors his family is furious at him for making such a reckless investment.”
Just as Eva had anticipated about David Harper brand, it began to happen.It started as murmurs—whispers of instability surrounding Harper Luxuries. Industry insiders noted financial discrepancies, missed payments, and desperate rebranding strategies. But Christine, too caught up in her perceived victory over Eva, was blind to the warning signs.For a fleeting moment, she basked in the glory of being the new face of an esteemed luxury brand. She flaunted her success at elite events, paraded her contract in front of her peers, and even threw veiled jabs at Eva in interviews.Then the storm hit.A week after Christine officially signed with Harper Luxuries, a bombshell investigative report was released. The company was drowning in debt. Fraudulent financial reports, unpaid suppliers, and looming lawsuits surfaced overnight. Their attempt to save face by attaching Christine to the brand was exposed as a desperate cover-up.But the worst blow came when Mark’s name appeared in the scandal.