Lawrence noticed how sullen and upset his prized granddaughter had become. Her shoulders were slightly hunched over and with the dim lighting, she looked pale and lonely. Despite the fact that she was surrounded by people, the more he looked at her, the more he realized how depressing this dinner was.He knew he should’ve warned her in advance that her family would be at the table, but he knew she would immediately refuse to come.He hadn’t seen her in a couple of days and after she went to deliver the file to Cross Enterprise and he wanted to personally see how she was doing.He couldn’t help but sigh at how ironic this situation was.Whenever any of his children or grandchildren yearned for his attention and acknowledgment, he didn’t spare them a second glance. But when it came to this specific granddaughter, he was the one who was always initiating for her to come to him.She rarely visited him and he knew it was because she was fearful of appearing too clingy. In fact he was even
"You see it as sass, I see it as a genuine question." She shrugged, much to his dismay. "Oh, and my visit to the house you're so hung up about was only because of my brother. Trust me, I have only one more visit to make to that place and it's the last time you see there. Besides, you should thank me for coming home, if not your mistress wouldn't have been able to successfully hook me in another annoying date.” Eva added, completely disregarding her father's warning and keep addressing Laura as a ‘mistress’“Evangeline Carter! How dare-" "Besides, you’ve never helped me before in the past. Why start now?" She cut him off before he could complete his words. She turned her back to him and walked away to hail down a cab. However, before she had the chance to do so, Dylan stepped up."I’ll drive you home." He was obviously worried about her. It was already late at night and she had already experienced enough trouble.Getting into a taxi right now would be very dangerous, especially for a
************A few minutes later, Eva finally arrived outside a huge black gate. The security team watching from the CCTV had told her to wait for some minutes so that they could confirm from Old Lee when she told them she lived here.“We apologize, madam for keeping you waiting.” The guard apologized when they confirmed that was the new madam of the mansion. Eva nodded her head, not offended by their action. In fact she would have scolded them personally if they had let her enter like that without confirming her identity since she hadn't properly introduced herself to every worker here.As expected, Old Lee was waiting for Eva when she parked her car and got out of it. She smiled apologetically at the old man for keeping him awake at this time because she arrived late.****The next day******Eva got dressed, grabbed her bag and went out of the black mansion. She insisted on going out on her own but the worrywart butler just won’t let her, but since she was in a happy mood today she
“I am interested now. And if this turns out to be true, then it's the perfect place to start taking back what was stolen from me.” Eva replied, her eyes darkened dangerously."First of all, before I tell you if it's true or not. Tell me what was the exact reason you married Damien?” Nathalia inquired.“I told you already, Nathy. I'm done regretting and beating myself up Nathy. It's time I leave up to that reputation that everyone knows me as." “And that is…..?" Nathalia trailed off, she wanted to get a real response from Eva, that way she would know that her Eva was finally over Mark.“My position as the Queen of Socialites. Don't you think my throne has been resting all this while? Everyone sees me as an evil, wicked, vicious, spiteful, jealous woman, so why should I try to convince them? Rather than convincing them that I'm not, I would just expose the people that they think are the heroes.” A sinister smile graced Eva's face.“That is what I'm expecting to hear! Finally I have my
“Yes, he asked me to be his girlfriend a few days ago before I arrived. However, even though I agreed, I told him we aren't announcing yet because we are just getting to know each other.” Nathalia replied as she watched Eva's expression."I forgot to ask what his name is?” she finally asked after a few moments of silence." Stanley Breaker.” Nathalia answered immediately. She was nervous about what Eva would say about him.“Alright, since you like him, I wish you the best and I'm happy for you. However, look out very well. I don't want you ending up in that same crappy relationship you had with you know who." Eva remarked, her eyes burning dangerously.“Really? You're in support of it, thank God." Nathalia let out a huge breath she had been holding.“Of course, I would. I want you to be happy just as much as I am. Were you nervous because Ella didn't approve of it?" She asked.“How did you know that? Well, it's not like she didn't agree, Ell was just being over cautious about him and
After three days.The Black mansion was in chaos. The old butler can’t control the mansion’s wild princess anymore. Two days ago, the butler mentioned that Damien was actually taking such a long time whenever he goes abroad and he said that a month was surprisingly the shortest, making Eva shocked because she was told that he would take a week before he comes back. She really needed to discuss her plan with him immediately. However, at the same time, she was glad, for she didn’t expect that she would be given so much time to prepare for the approaching battle and prepare how she would tell him. Being jobless for the past few days, she then came and insisted on making some changes in the mansion’s garden. She wanted the dark, chilly garden to turn into something romantic. She wanted to add some colors in its monotone look. She wanted to transform it into a perfect dating spot for future purposes. However, she didn't know that this garden would surely come in handy for her.Well everyo
“If you are going to do something like this then you should have asked for help." Damien said and before Eva could respond he walked away back to the mansion. Eva was dumbfounded as she just stared at his back view until he disappeared from her view. “Wait, was he looking out for the stress that I was doing?” She mumbled silently while tilting her head. After a while she finished planting the flower she was doing in that area and also headed to the main mansion. The maids came to inform her that dinner was ready and she met Damien already sitting at the dining table when she got to the dining room. Unlike what Eva expected for their first dinner together since they got married, it was rather quiet. She stole a few glances at Damien who was pretty much focused on his food. “Is my face more satisfying than the food?" Damien suddenly asked, almost making Eva jump at being caught. She didn't know that Damien had caught her staring at him. “Of course the food is delicious and satisf
“It's a lot of things so I hope you're not busy? If you are then we can talk about it tomorrow.” Eva glanced at him. The discussion isn't a short one after all. "I’m not.” Damien shook his head which was clearly a lie. He had a pile of work waiting for him to do in his study room. “Okay. First of all, I'm sorry about what happened earlier at the garden. I guess you were looking out for me but I misunderstood you. I would have apologized earlier at the dining table but you already got up to leave." Eva started off, she was feeling guilty at the way she had spoken to Damien at the garden and it's one of the reasons why she had been staring at him when they were eating.Damien frowned when he heard Eva. Did she think he was angry at her? However, he decided to use the situation to his advantage.“Is this how you plan to apologize?” Damien asked, making Eva look at him with a raised brow."What do you mean? How else I'm I supposed to apologize?" She asked back and just like that she di
The sound of glass shattering echoed through the luxurious hotel suite as Christine hurled a vase across the room. Her chest heaved with rage, her nails digging into her palms as she glared at the headlines flashing on her phone screen. Her latest scheme to ruin Eva’s reputation had backfired, and instead of dragging her sister through the mud, she had only strengthened Eva’s position. Every carefully placed trap had been countered, every lie had been exposed. Christine had never felt so powerless. Sitting on the couch, Tanya crossed her legs and sighed, watching Christine throw another decorative piece to the floor. She had been working with Christine for years now, and while she had always known that Christine despised Eva, it was becoming clear that this wasn’t just about competition anymore. ‘It was an obsession’ she thought. Tanya remained silent as Christine raged, knowing full well that any attempt to calm her down would only make things worse. Instead, she waited for the
— That evening, Eva arrived at the mansion, feeling a strange sense of relief as she stepped inside. After staying in a hotel for so long, returning here felt like coming home—not just because of the place but because of who was waiting for her. She slipped off her heels and sighed, stretching her sore muscles. Just as she was about to call out, a deep, familiar voice came from the living room. “Took you long enough.” She turned and found Damien leaning against the doorway, watching her with that quiet intensity that always made her heart skip a beat. His sleeves were rolled up, his tie loosened, and despite the exhaustion she knew he must have felt from his long day, there was a softness in his gaze reserved only for her. A slow smile spread across her lips. “Miss me?” she teased, walking toward him. Instead of answering, Damien reached out and gently pulled her into his arms. His embrace was warm, steady—like an anchor. Eva let out a soft breath as she melted into his hold, re
—-- Meanwhile, at Cross Enterprise, Damien was already aware of the situation. Sitting in his office, he scanned the online articles, his expression darkening. Christine had dared to attack Eva through the media, hoping to cause irreparable damage. Big mistake. Damien didn’t tolerate anyone trying to harm what was his. Without hesitation, he placed the tablet down and looked at Eric. “Tell the PR team to shut it down,” he ordered. “And make sure every major outlet retracts the story and destroys whatever companies are involved in this scandal.” Eric frowned slightly when he heard his boss. Again he was trying to protect Eva all again. However, he couldn’t voice out his displeasure so he quietly nodded his head. “Yes, sir.” Within an hour, the suspicious articles started disappearing. Gossip blogs that had been flooded with scandalous headlines were suddenly quiet. Comments under posts were being flooded with contradictions. The narrative was crumbling before Christine’s eyes.
For the past few days, Christine had kept a low profile, following Tanya’s advice to wait for the right opportunity. Her previous schemes had failed miserably—each attempt to sabotage Eva had only backfired, making Eva look even more poised and untouchable. But Christine wasn’t the type to accept defeat.If she couldn’t surpass Eva professionally, then she would tear her down personally.Her mother, Laura, had been the one to plant the idea in her mind. "If you can’t win on the battlefield they’ve chosen," Laura had told her, "then change the game. Make them play on your terms."And that was exactly what Christine intended to do. This time, she wouldn’t just aim for petty sabotage—she was going to destroy Eva’s reputation completely.…………Early in the morning, Eva’s phone buzzed non-stop.Gossip sites, entertainment blogs, and even major media outlets were exploding with headlines:"Supermodel Eva Caught in Scandalous Affair with HB Industry CEO!""Is Eva Using Her Influence to Secure
Meanwhile, Eric, who had been silently watching the interaction, let out a small scoff. “So this is what I wasted my time for?” he muttered under his breath.Gwen immediately shot him a glare. “Excuse me?”Eric smirked slightly, shoving his hands into his pockets. “You barged in here like it was urgent, but all you’re doing is dragging her out for a photoshoot?”“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Gwen said mockingly. “I forgot you were Mr.Cross's bodyguard and not his secretary. If it bothers you so much, maybe you should have stayed outside instead of following me in.” she said, though she knew that he was Damien's secretary but still said that to irk him.Eric chuckled darkly.’This crazy human being.’ “Believe me, I wouldn’t be here if someone didn’t insist I help her get past the receptionist.”“I did not beg—” Gwen started before cutting herself off, clenching her fists. “You know what? Forget it. I don’t have time to argue with an overgrown ice cube.”Eva, who had been watching the entire exch
Eva leaned back against the couch, patting her stomach in satisfaction. "I have to say, I really outdid myself picking that restaurant," she mused.Damien, who was already sitting behind his desk, raised a brow. “You outdid yourself? All you did was order the food. I don’t remember you being the one who actually cooked it.”Eva scoffed, sitting up straighter. “Excuse you, do you know how much effort it took to pick the best dishes from that menu?”Damien smirked. “Oh, I’m sure scrolling through a menu and pointing at things was exhausting.”Eva gasped, placing a hand over her chest dramatically. “Wow, Damien. I put all this effort into making sure my husband doesn’t starve, and this is the appreciation I get?”Damien let out a chuckle, the warmth in his gaze betraying his otherwise teasing expression. “Your husband could have easily ordered lunch himself, you know.”Eva narrowed her eyes. “Really? Because from the looks of it, you were buried under so many files that you probably woul
Gwen strode into Cross Enterprise’s grand lobby, her heels clicking sharply against the polished marble floor. She just got back from where she had told Eva she was going and had tried calling Eva multiple times, but as expected, Eva was too busy flirting or whatever she was doing with Damien to answer her phone.Glancing at the time, Gwen muttered under her breath. “If she doesn’t come out now, Victoria’s going to have my head.”With no other choice, she let out an exasperated sigh, and approached the receptionist’s desk.“I’m here to see Mr. Cross,” she said, adjusting the strap of her handbag. “Let me through to the top floor.”The receptionist, a young woman with perfectly styled hair and an unbothered expression, simply smiled. “I’m sorry, miss, but you don’t have an appointment. I can’t let you in.”Gwen blinked, momentarily taken aback. “What?”The receptionist gave her a polite but firm look. “Without an appointment, I can’t let you through. Company policy.”Gwen narrowed her
As Damien led her to the couch, Eva suddenly halted, making him turn with a questioning brow.“You know,” she mused, tilting her head with mock seriousness, “before you interrupted me, I was actually offering a very expensive consultation service.”Damien crossed his arms, amusement twinkling in his dark eyes. “Oh?”Eva nodded, tapping her chin as if in deep thought. “Yes, I used to charge companies millions for my insights. So technically… you owe me.”Damien let out a low chuckle, stepping closer. “Let me get this straight,” he said, his voice rich with teasing authority. “You walked into my office, sat in my chair, went through my documents without permission—and now you’re asking me to pay you?”Eva grinned. “That’s business, Mr. Cross. Nothing is free.”Damien smirked. “And what if I refuse to pay?”Eva pretended to think, then shrugged. “Then I guess I’ll take my brilliant mind elsewhere.”Damien’s eyes darkened slightly, but he played along. “That would be a shame. Tell me, Mrs
Minutes passed, and Eva quickly grew bored.She had been in Damien’s office many times, but she still found herself looking around. It was immaculate and organized, but it lacked anything personal. Nothing in this room screamed Damien—except for the towering stacks of documents and reports on his desk.Her eyes narrowed as she walked over, running her fingers lightly over the ridiculous amount of paperwork.“No wonder he barely has time to eat.” She muttered, shaking her head.The sight of his overwhelming workload triggered a familiar ache in her chest. She remembered her past—being buried in work, managing her father’s company alongside Mark. She had spent countless nights drowning in documents, starving herself to meet deadlines, and yet… no one had cared. Neither her father nor Mark had ever asked if she had eaten.Her fingers clenched slightly against the papers.She had left that life behind, yet here Damien was, doing the same thing to himself.Determined to help him, Eva sat i