Her words surprised Damien a little bit but due to the fact that he wasn't the kind of person to show any kind of emotion on his face, it made it hard for Eva to tell that he was taken aback by her words.Damien couldn't agree more with Eva because he had no explanation or reason why he was being nice to her. The thought confused him as well. This woman was the one who had stolen his virginity and even had the guts to pay him off with a million dollars check. He should hate her for that reason alone because she had just blatantly insulted him.“Why would I hate you?” Damien suddenly questions back.For once , Eva was shut out of words and didn't know what to say. She stared at him and tried to study his expression. With his firm eyes and unmarveling posture, she could easily tell that he wasn't lying. “Well, if you don't hate me, then I do.” She quietly muttered, turning her head and began to tidy up her things.Damien stared blankly at her, her words taking him aback again. Did she
Eva ignored his obvious stare, she picked up her phone, placed it into her purse and then walked towards the door.She was quite surprised that Damien was letting her leave the hospital without stopping her. She couldn't help but glance back at him, noticing that he was trailing behind her instead of stopping her. Meanwhile, Damien didn't bother wasting his time forcing her to stay in the hospital. He knew they would just continue to argue back and forth endlessly until one of them had their way.“Why are you walking so fast?" Damien asked, seeing her hasten her pace the moment she looked over her shoulder and saw that he was following her down the hallway.“Obviously, to get away from you." She bluntly replied without looking back.A smile creeped up on Damien's face. This was the first time a woman ever told him that. People would always want to engage him anytime he attended any social gathering and banquet. Everyone was eager to be around him. They were either drawn by his looks,
“There is no need for that." Damien curtly answered.Eva opened her mouth to say something to refute Damien's words but decided against it. She would just let this one go like that because eventually she was not going to win this argument if they continued to prolong this issue. She decided to be indebted to him just this once but also planned to make sure that she repay him back.“Fine, I won't argue with you anymore on that. Please have a safe ride back, Mr. Cross." Eva bowed her head at Damien and was about to remove the jacket Damien had given to her when she was suddenly stopped by Damien.“What are you trying to do?" Damien asked, his voice completely cold and serious with a dark frown on his face as he stared at Eva. Was this woman crazy? Why would she want to remove the jacket out in public?Eva tilted her head when she heard Damien's question and the dark expression on his face. What did she do wrong? “I'm trying to return the jacket you have borrowed me?" She innocently repl
Normally, Damien would have been annoyed or angered by her daring behavior, but for some odd reasons, he wasn't. He found himself more amused by everything she does. She always did the unexpected and went against his wishes which he had never seen anyone done before. Unlike most people that would easily cater to his every word and whim, she argued against it. Most men would find it hard and tiring to spend time with a fiesty woman, but Damien on the other hand actually enjoyed it.He didn't like submissive, reticent and unassertive women like Christine. She always had to act weak and coy to earn sympathy from people which was the opposite of Eva's personality. Women like Christine would readily agree with a man and never fight back. Damien was constantly surrounded by people like that and having a woman that refuses to think for herself but only to satisfy their man and follow his every word would surely be boring and tiring. When he got no response from Eva, Damien turned his head
Damien was about to place Eva's phone into her purse when a thought came to his head. He tried to unlock her phone and realize that there was a password. He wondered if Eva would be stupid enough to use her fingerprint as her password and just like he thought, she was. However, just in time after he was able to unlock her phone using her index finger, her phone rang again but this time the caller ID name was someone he was quite familiar with. The caller was none other than George calling, making Damien narrow his eyes at whether he should pick the call or not. How would the fierce and grumpy old man react when a man picked his granddaughter's phone? Damien contemplated while the phone kept ringing, but he ended up picking the call for her.“Evangeline, where are you right now? I just asked Julian to put a call through the front desk of the hospital you were admitted to and was told that you're discharged. Why didn't you stay longer? Is this how you're reassuring me that you're okay
Her walls were visibly cracked and barely holding itself together. If she suffered another traumatic incident as what happened to her nine months ago which she was still undergoing recovery from. George was sure that he would completely lose his only granddaughter who wouldn't be able to recover again. Her loss was the one that forced her to enter almost a year of self seclusion and rehab without any means of contacting her.“Damien Cross, let me in on something, my granddaughter is very precious to me." After a very long silence, George finally spoke up. He felt his heart tightened when he thought back to the image that Julian had gathered during his research on Eva. It was the image of the lifeless Eva on the ground in her wedding dress, whose eyes were so blank and devoured of any emotion. It terrified him because he had never thought that his granddaughter would have this kind of expression on her face.Damien's expression remained blank like a sheet of paper even though he felt
Instantly, Eva stood up from the sofa and ran back to her room to pick up her phone . Just as she was scrolling through her phone contact to look for Nathalia's contact, she froze and nearly dropped her phone again to the ground. Right above her contact list before she could get to Nathalia's number she came across the name Damien Cross among her contacts. She knew she didn't add him on her phone, she knew she didn't have his contact as well. So how on earth did his number get into her phone contact list? She was here to sort out one issue, but now she was coming across another problem. Not only was her house invaded but her phone as well.Swallowing her hesitation, Eva decided it was smarter and better to call the man himself. It rang a few times without anyone answering, but Eva kept calling after the call disconnected. It was only until the third calling did he finally pick up.“You! How did you know my house password? How were you able to unlock my phone as well?" Eva discarded e
“What? A grandfather can't decide to talk to his granddaughter without a reason?" Instead of replying to Eva's question, George asked back.“I didn't say that, but your case is different. You don't call me on a normal good day unless you have something to say and that is to nag me on one thing or the other which could eventually lead to us arguing again.” Eva calmly replied. “So, if you know that you're calling me for just another annoying conversation, I'd advise you to hang up the call.” She added harshly, not wanting to engage in a conversation that could cause another argument in the friendly relationship that they are beginning to develop." You cold-hearted brat! Has our good relationship ended that quickly to make you use such a harsh tone on me?! Well, since you've asked nicely, then I will tell you why I'm calling because it's very important for you.” George replied, his voice changing into a serious tone." What is it? “ Eva asked, thinking that the matter her grandfather wa
Eva’s heart pounded as she searched for a way to diffuse his anger. She knew that escalating this tension would only make things worse. Desperate, she decided to play a different card—a gamble.“Tell me, how would you like to handle the consequences? Perhaps I should start with—" He was interrupted when she abruptly stepped forward, wrapping her arms around him in a tight embrace. The suddenness of her action made him freeze in place.“What are you doing?" He blinked. "Damien," she murmured softly, her voice sweet and soothing. She pressed her face against his chest, rubbing her cheek against the silk of his shirt.His body stiffened, his clenched fists trembling at his sides. "This won't work," he said, though his voice had lost its sharp edge."I'm cold," she whispered, her words muffled against his chest."Eva," he warned, but his tone lacked conviction."Won’t you hug me?" She tilted her head up, gazing at him with wide, pleading eyes and a slight pout on her lips. Her heart ski
After bidding Belle goodbye and promising her one last time that she would return tomorrow, Eva walked down the hospital halls with a spring in her step. A soft hum escaped her lips, her arms filled with snacks Belle had insisted she take. The little girl had brightened her day and made her feel less alone in the dreariness of the hospital."You shout it out, but I can't hear a word you sayI'm talking loud, not saying muchI'm criticized, but all your bullets ricochetShoot me down, but I get up," Eva softly sang, her favorite song playing in her mind as she strolled back to her room. She smiled, wondering if her friend Nathalie would enjoy the snacks she was carrying.“I'm bulletproof, nothing to loseFire away, fire awayRicochet, you take your aimFire away, fire awayShe was in such a good mood that she even gently danced along the hallway to her. “You shoot me down, but I won't fallI am titanium………..”“You shoot me down, but I won't fallI am titanium” a low voice suddenly com
She paused, her mind flashing back to the countless fights, the shattered dishes, the cold silences that followed her every rebellion. "But I didn’t let their expectations control me. I chose my path, even when it meant walking away from them entirely." Eva let out a sigh, her gaze still focused outside the window. " I really loved it when I refused them, even though it would earn me being slapped senselessly. I always find pleasure somehow and I took pride in becoming the perfect, graceful black sheep of that damned family.” Belle hung on every word, her eyes wide with admiration and curiosity."But," She continued. “I only did it when I was a grown adult, legal enough to make my own choices. My plan wasn't perfect nor did it work in pleasing my family, but then again, why should I continue to please them when they were never family to me in the first place?" Eva gently moved her gaze back to Belle, leaning forward, "However, as someone who has gone through all that, you should k
"So, Belle," Eva began, pulling a chair close to the bed and sitting down. "Why don’t you tell me a little about yourself? What brought you here to this hospital room?" Her eyes scanned the room, taking in the overflowing flowers and gifts surrounding the small child."I caught a fever a few days ago," Belle replied glumly, her voice quiet. Though it was just a fever, she’d been stuck in this hospital for a week. She felt fine now, but her parents insisted she remain."I'm all better now. Nothing hurts anymore. I just want to go home, but they won’t let me." Belle’s lips turned down in a bitter frown as she recalled how her parents refused her calls and ignored her requests to leave. Deep down, she knew they preferred her absence."Why not?" Eva asked softly, though she already sensed the answer."Because they hate me."Eva’s heart clenched at the words, so full of pain and resignation. She studied the young girl, who stared back with guarded eyes that looked far older than her years.
Once the door shut, the girl turned her head slightly. "You can come out now."Eva pushed the gifts aside and slid out from under the bed. She straightened up, her gaze meeting the child’s lifeless, cold eyes. They lacked the innocent sparkle of youth."Why were those men chasing you? Who are you?" the girl asked, studying Eva intently. Despite her disheveled hair and rumpled gown, there was no mistaking the elegant air that surrounded her.Eva smiled faintly, deciding to test the girl’s intuition when she noticed how she was studying her. ‘Let’s see if you're smart. "Who do you think I am?"The child’s eyes narrowed. "You’re not a simple patient.""Oh? What makes you say that?""This is the VVIP floor, accessible only with a private keycard. Your gown is made of high-quality cotton, reserved for VVIP patients.""Well, I could’ve stolen the keycard and clothes," Eva countered.The girl’s gaze didn’t waver. "Despite your messy appearance, you carry yourself with grace. Your posture, ev
Eva jumped in alarm, spinning around to find a young girl sitting on a hospital bed. The room was filled with vases of flowers, their cloying fragrance filling the air. The child, no older than fourteen or fifteen years old, looked at her with wide, innocent eyes, her long hair framing her delicate face.Eva blinked in surprise, her anger momentarily forgotten as she stared at the young child. Somehow she felt something about this girl resembling a boy she used to know. “Hello.”“What's your name, child?" She asked, just as the footsteps outside became louder.The girl smiled faintly. “You’re running from people.” she said nugging at the door.Eva's brows furrowed. “Yes, I am.”. “Quick! Look for her before Boss gets upstairs!”The sound of the bodyguards’ voices rang in the hallway, getting closer. Panic flooded Eva's chest. She scanned the room frantically, looking for a way out, but the space was small, and the windows were sealed shut.She turned back to the girl, her pulse racing
Eva who was moments away from hitting him with the IV pole again when his pitiful plea caught her attention. “You can tell your boss to rot in hell—” she started, but the man cut her off.“Please, Lady Boss!” he cried, desperation in his voice. “I have a wife, kids, and a family to feed—”Eva's brow twitched at his words. Of course, he definitely wouldn't be a monk like his boss, however, she had a feeling he was saying this to make her feel guilty. “And you have a dog too, I bet?” she quipped sarcastically.His eyes widened in shock. “Y-yes! Exactly! His name is Chase!”She grit her teeth in annoyance, snatching the phone from his shaking hands. “What do you want?” she demanded, her patience wearing thin. She could guess that he was trying to stall time until he got here but she wasn't planning to let him meet her here.The bodyguards flinched in fear. They truly applauded her for her boldness, but they also feared for the poor woman's head! It would really fly if she continued talk
Turning back to the bodyguards, she picked up the IV pole and tested its weight in her hands. It was lighter than she expected, perfect for swift strikes. She had a lot of experience fighting with wooden sticks in her days in the military.Her gaze landed back to the men, a dark scowl on her face.“I’m sure everyone of you all heard the conversation,” she said coolly, her voice steady. “If you value your limbs, step aside.”The men stood their ground, but the unease in their expressions was clear.When reinforcements arrived to block the entrance entirely, Eva's lips curled into a dark smile. They’ve made a mistake.Gripping the pole tightly, her eyes blazing with determination as she scanned the men creating a barrier at the entrance.“Fine, you've all made your choices. Let's see who’s leaving with bruises.”Eva's grip on the metal IV pole tightened as she positioned herself to strike. Her eyes locked on the bodyguards standing in her way, each one ready to brace for her next move
She sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of her nose in exasperation. If they were working for Damien, they wouldn’t stand insults against him. She smirked, deciding to bait them.“Fine. Is it your unbelievably stubborn, hideously jealous, and completely insufferable boss, Damien Cross?”One of the guards instinctively stiffened, muttering, “Our boss is not—” and immediately cut himself off, his face paling. He can't believe he just fell for that trick.“Aha!” Eva said triumphantly. “We have our catch. So it is Damien.”Smirking, she stalked back to her bed, grabbing her phone. She dialed Damien’s number, and unsurprisingly, he answered on the first ring.“Evs, you should be resting—”“Young man, tell your men to step aside,” she interrupted, her tone sharp.Damien frowned when he heard her. Asking him to order his men to step aside meant that she had gotten out of bed!His voice hardened. “What are you doing out of bed? Get back to bed right-”“You’re not the Boss of me. I’m not goi