Racheal snuck a glance at her handsome boss. She always thought it was strange how he treated her better than most of his employees. Her colleagues had all pointed it out before. They would tease her that it was because he liked her since she was never in danger of being fired or harshly scolded. Not even the Ice King, Eric and the Sky king, Shane, had disciplined her before!Unknowingly to her, both Shane and Eric had only ignored her mistakes because they knew their boss’s plan of organically growing his own subordinates.Damien only favored her a bit more than the rest of his secretaries because her behavior and attitude truly resemble that stubborn child from the past…Racheal bent down a bit to properly examine the contract. "Oh, there’s another one here." She said, pointing to the top of the page. Her hair fell beside her face, and she pushed it back, revealing her tiny face and sharp jawline. With her neckline revealed, a soft and sweet scent exuded from her, but Damien didn’t
"Look at me." He ordered, not wanting her to jump to conclusions anymore.She refused to listen and dared to look away from him, making a loud "Hmph!"His eyes narrowed when he saw how stubborn and childish she was behaving."There is a limit to my patience." He warned her, despite the fact that his brain was screaming at him for saying something so foolish. Was there a limit to his patience? Yes. But was there a limit when it came to this daring girl in front of him? There was none.A simple rejection like this was enough to cause a sharp stabbing pain to spread in his chest. But regardless of his frustration, the overwhelming affection he had for her was enough to suppress his anger.The moment she had stepped foot in his office, it seemed that the sleepless night he had endured with her running through his mind had vanished. It was then that he realized just how much of a tight grip she had on his heart."I don’t care about your stupid patience. Let me out!" She demanded, refusing
“I-I came here to deliver this to you directly.” She mumbled gently." Is that so?” With that said, he dragged her towards the couch and sat down while placing her on his lap. Even though he spoke coldly and indifferently to her, he still treated her gently with care.“You came in with an envelope. What did you want to show me?" He asked her, pulling back a bit to finally give her some space. But he didn’t let her go very far and kept her securely seated on his lap."Let go of me first. We can talk on the couch." She told him as she awkwardly squirmed on his lap, wanting to sit on her own. She tugged at his arms that had caged her in and kept her from moving.His gaze darkened as desire filled him. Did she not realize that she was sitting on a delicate part of his body?"You can tell me what it is right here." He said to her, refusing to let go."How can you read like this?" She rolled her eyes as she referred to their position, leaving almost no room for anything to come in between.
Damien easily shifted Eva from his lap to sit beside him before he stood up from the couch and assisted Eva up to her feet again. “What are you trying to do now?" Eva raised a brow and asked him.Damien ignored her question and walked with her to his big desk. He sat down on the black enormous, emperor looking chair and pulled Eva again to sit on his laps.“What are you doing, Mr. Cross?" She asked again, trying to release his grip off her but to no avail as she was sitting on his lap again. She had an inkling of what he was trying to do but couldn't help but ask.“I have to work." Damien curtly replied."Okay, I understand that. But why did you drag me here? Since you have work to do then I will just go now. Besides, I've already handed in what I came here for.” Eva spoke, she tried to stand up again but Damien's grip around her was firm, making her sigh in helplessness.“Don't be stubborn and stay still. I have to confirm what you brought.” Damien gently muttered very close to her
"I don't want rumours to get out if your employees misunderstood that we are doing dirty things in your office. People might think I seduced you into collaborating on a project with Smith Enterprise!” She said, referring to the fact that she walked into Cross Enterprise without an appointment and even asked the receptionist to deliver an envelope to the CEO."I will fire anyone who dares to badmouth you. But it wouldn’t be a bad idea if you could seduce me to accept proposals. How about we start now?" He wrapped his arms around her waist, tugging her to him with a grin on his face.Eva sighed in her head, knowing that she would be entering the dragon's cave if she eventually married Damien but she had no choice. "Let go of me and let the employee in. It must be something urgent." She said and pushed his chest for distance."It better be." He grumbled something under his breath. He was prepared to not only have the employees who dared to interrupt him fired but cut off the employees he
************Just as Eva arrived and parked her car in the parking lot of her apartment building, she received a phone call from her grandfather, making her raise a brow at why the old man was calling her.She picked up the call before she stepped out of the car. However, before she could even greet him, he had already started speaking."What are you doing at Cross Enterprise?" He didn’t bother beating around the bush and decided to confront her on the most pressing issue.Eva frowned at his words. She couldn’t help but look around for his people, but alas, they were well-hidden. She figured one of her hidden bodyguards reported to him but she didn’t think they would move this fast."You always seem to skip the greetings, grandfather. That’s not polite." She said, twirling a strand of her hair."Greetings are pointless phrases to establish a good relationship. We already have one, why establish it further?" He told her, his words an obvious stab to Julian who always greeted him. The p
Eva glanced at the time on her cellphone before she stood up from the bed and stretched her body. After stretching her body a little bit, she started arranging the bed and pillow since she had enough time left to do that before she left. She grabbed her towel after she was done and made her way to the bathroom to take her bath. A few moments later, Eva walked out of the bathroom dressed in her bathrobe and strolled to her large wardrobe and opened it. Her eyes scanned through the clothes she had in there and a small scowl appeared on her face. Despite having a full wardrobe filled with clothes, Eva felt none of the dresses was suitable for her to wear.“How come none of the dresses here are suitable to wear? Should I have gone shopping for clothes yesterday?” Eva mumbled under her breath as she traced a few dresses with her hand.“Don’t be ridiculous Evangeline. It’s not a big deal. There is nothing to be worried about, there are enough clothes for you to wear.” she chastised herself
She couldn't help but wonder if she was making the right choice at this moment. A part of her was still terrified about the thought of getting married. Anytime she thought about what happened to her nine months ago on her wedding day it scared her and that was one of the reasons why she had tried to Damien desperately after he made the offer of marriage to her but he was unavoidable.‘Eva, take it easy. This isn't a real wedding, it's just a contract marriage about two people getting married for their benefits. It's not going to be like the last one because there is no ceremony, you just have to go to the Civil Affairs Office and get the marriage certificate.’ Eva thought to herself. ‘Don’t be delusional, marriage is marriage. How are you so sure of yourself that Damien wouldn't disappoint you just like Mark did.’ she had the voice of the little devil in her head. “Young Miss, we are here." Eva snapped out of her thoughts when she heard the voice of the driver. She looked outside th
“I... I’m starting to think Eva might be trying to sabotage me. You know, with the awards coming up, and her growing popularity... I just have this feeling she’s trying to push me out of the competition,” Christine said, her voice trembling slightly as if she was on the verge of breaking down. She knew Mark would respond to weakness, to vulnerability, just as he always had.Mark’s voice was low, filled with annoyance. “What do you mean, sabotage you? She’s already got the public on her side. What else does she want?”“I don’t know, Mark. But I can’t shake the feeling that she’s behind some of the things happening to me lately,” Christine continued, carefully planting the seed of doubt. “She’s been getting more endorsements, more media attention... She’s always one step ahead, and I feel like she’s using me to boost her own career. Maybe she’s trying to push me out of the spotlight, making sure I don’t have a chance to win.”Mark was silent for a moment, processing the information. Chr
Eva didn’t respond immediately. She could feel the seriousness in Everett’s words, and for a brief moment, the playful rivalry between them was pushed aside.Everett’s eyes softened slightly as she looked at Eva, a rare glimpse of concern flickering in her gaze. “What are you going to do about her? She’s the one who caused my accident but had that person lie he was a fan, right? Also with the recent things happening, I can tell she’s been pulling strings, trying to break you down.”Eva's expression hardened, her grip tightening on her wine glass. “I’m not sure yet. But Christine’s time is running out.” She gave a slight, bitter laugh. “I won’t let her destroy me.”Everett studied Eva for a moment, her face unreadable. “Be careful, Eva,” she said quietly, her tone more serious than Eva had ever heard. “Christine’s dangerous. And she’s got a way of making everyone believe her sweet little act.”Eva took a deep breath, looking away briefly as she processed Everett’s words. The concern wa
The day of the event arrived, and Christine was glowing with victory. Dressed in an elegant gown, she enjoyed the attention as she mingled with industry elites, knowing she was now the headlining speaker.With Eva out of the picture, this was her moment.Then the doors opened.Gasps rippled through the crowd as Eva walked in, effortlessly poised, wearing a breathtaking designer dress. The cameras instantly shifted toward her, flashing in rapid succession.Christine’s smile faltered. “What is she doing here?”Before she could react, the event host stepped onto the stage, microphone in hand.“Ladies and gentlemen, we have a special surprise. While there were some scheduling changes, we’re honored to have Eva here tonight.”Christine stiffened. “What? That’s impossible!”Eva merely smiled, making her way toward the front.Kai had pulled the right strings behind the scenes. Even if she wasn’t an official speaker anymore, she was still one of the biggest names in the room—and the audience
Christine was livid. Every attempt to ruin Eva had backfired, and now, the industry was beginning to suspect foul play.Her carefully crafted innocent image was slipping, and she refused to let that happen.Gripping her phone tightly, she dialed Tanya, her voice sharp the moment the call connected."Tanya, listen carefully. I don’t care what it takes—pull every string, bribe whoever you need to, but make sure Eva does not attend the upcoming fashion event. I want her out, completely.”Tanya hesitated. “Christine, are you sure about this? Maybe you should—”“Don’t question me!” Christine snapped, her frustration boiling over. “Do you think I have the luxury of waiting? Eva is already taking the spotlight. If this continues, I won’t even be considered for the Top Ten Models Award!”Tanya sighed. “Fine. I’ll see what I can do. But Christine, be careful. You’re playing a dangerous game. If this backfires, it could cost you everything.”Christine scoffed. “Please. Eva won’t be able to prov
Christine sat alone in the dimly lit hotel, her fingers lightly tapping against the side of her untouched wine glass. The usually confident and composed woman looked lost in thought, her expression unreadable as she stared at the city skyline beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows.Everything she had planned against Eva had backfired spectacularly. Instead of destroying Eva’s reputation, she had only fueled the public’s admiration for her. The industry was turning against Christine, and the narrative was slipping out of her control.A soft click of heels echoed through the room, breaking Christine from her thoughts.“Christine?”She turned her head slightly, finding Tanya standing near the entrance, a curious look on her face.Tanya was one of the few people Christine trusted—or rather, tolerated—because she was useful. Smart, cunning, and always willing to play dirty, Tanya had been by Christine’s side long enough to know exactly how far she was willing to go to get what she wanted.“Wh
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