A scowl appeared on Damien's face when he heard her. She made it sound so casual like she had a job to do. He knew that they signed a contract but he felt like she was trying to do her part of the contract quickly even before the five years deadline was up. If that happened, he would lose his chance at getting into her heart and making her open up to him.“You still have years, don't rush into something that won't work. Like I told you, you have to work hard before you seduce me." Damien said.“Then, I'm not trying to seduce you according to the contract. I'm doing this as a wife. We are legally married." Instead of backing down, she confidently stated. “I’m not doing anything I will regret!" "Are you sure? Once I’ve made you mine, you will no longer have the chance to change your mind," Damien said, trying to restrain himself. His deep sexy voice was enough to strike a chord in anyone’s heart putting them into a daze."I am certain." Eva nodded her head confidently. " But it's okay
She had been trying to match his pace but had no idea how clumsy she was. It was obvious that his wife had no experience in kissing and it brought a good feeling to his heart. He had aggressively kissed her earlier when he thought back to how annoying she had been when he usually tried to get her to marry him. However, his anger had subsided, with the thought that she had no experience with kissing. It means that Mark had never kissed, because if he had she should be used to it.“That's enough for now." He quietly said to her after giving her a short peck on the lips."H-Huh?" She opened her eyes and stared at him in daze, unable to fathom his words.“What's wrong?” Eva finally asked, tilting her head to look at him. Her face was blushing attractively."Let’s continue next time." Damien calmly replied, brushing the strands of hair that had fallen out of her bun."Is it that you are not satisfied with me?" She worriedly asked. " I'm sorry if I was unable to match your pace. I was the o
“Just my presence in one event is the one causing all this chaos. How much influence I have in this industry.” Eva muttered, completely proud of herself for what was going on.She grabbed her new cellphone that Damien had bought and given to her a day before the fashion show. She dialed a particular number and after the third ring the phone connected.“Hello." Eva was the one to speak first.“Miss Carter, it's been a very long time since I heard your voice. How are you doing, ma?" A male voice spoke through the phone." I'm very much fine as you already know.” Eva replied, indicating the news about her." Haha, you're as straightforward as ever. I wonder why you're suddenly calling me?” The man laughed upon the way Eva replied to him. He had known this woman for five years and even though they hadn't spoken in a while she was the same as ever. “Aren't you hungry for some stories? I'm sure you're already planning to call me even before I do. Isn't that right, Mr. Cox?” Eva dryly spoke
Meanwhile, at the Carter mansion.In the living room, Laura could be seen sitting on the couch and hugging her daughter Christine and consoling her while Mark sat beside Christine and slowly patted her back as well.Ever since the footage of Christine being at the hospital had been released, reporters from different broadcasting and news stations had started to flood the hospital. Left with no other choice, Mark had the doctors discharge Christine out of the hospital and thanks to his strong and security team, they were able to use.the garage of the hospital to leave the premises. On their way, Christine had told him to head to her family home instead of his mansion, so he had no choice other than to bring here to meet her mother.“Christine, you should have let Mark drive you home instead of bringing you here. You know how everything is in chaos now and Mark can protect you from the media better than you being here.” Matthew, who was sitting on another couch said as he looked at his
Taken aback by the new interrupting voice, everyone turned their attention towards the door and saw Lucien standing by the entrance with one hand tucked in his uniform pants and bag slung over one of his shoulders. He had a completely cold expression on his face as he stared at everyone in the living room. A few moments earlier when the four people were still engrossed in consoling Christine. They had failed to notice the new sound of a car driving in which was none other than Lucien's car. The moment he stepped out of the car and saw a familiar looking car parked outside the compound, he had a disgusted expression on his face. He didn't need to be told who the car belonged to and the owner was the last person he wished to see. “Now I understand why those suspicious looking cars were parked outside." He mumbled to himself, remembering the reporter's van he had caught sight of on his way to the mansion. They would have flooded out the mansion gate by now but because of the hefty l
“You don't deserve to say her name from your mouth, Mark Johnson. And for you Christine, I never see you as a sister other than a person I share the same blood with. You all can keep deceiving yourselves and putting the blame of your misfortune on my sister." Lucien coldly remarked as he made his way to the staircase. “How dare you, Lucien Carter! Do you know the person you are speaking to? Where are you god-damned manners?!" Matthew uncontrollably yelled furiously at Lucien who just reached the staircase. “Christine is your sister and not that wrench you call a sister. Where have I gone with training you and that stupid, useless, good-for-nothing sister of yours?!” He continued to rant angrily. “I guess I don't have one, because I never thought of one. And you've gone wrong in many places, father. If only you showed just ten percent of the attention you gave to Christine, my sister wouldn't be a demon that is out for your blood. You made her what she is, so it's your turn to em
“I came here thinking I can have a conversation with you but I won't stand you insolent brat insulting me. I'm your sister no matter how you try to pick that bitch over me." Christine muttered, her eyes flashing with anger. She was now a completely different Christine that everyone knew her to be. “Haha, so you finally decided to show your real self, huh? I knew you were just hiding behind your facade all along." Lucien let out a dry chuckle as he turned his head to look at Christine. Because Christine had manicured fingernails, her nails had scratched Lucien's face when she slapped him and blood dripped down the wound. “Get out of my room, Christine Carter." Lucien said in an extreme cold voice as he glared at Christine. The temperature in the room instantly dropped and Christine couldn't help but tremble at the cold gaze in Lucien's eyes. She slowly stood up from the bed and looked at Lucien completely stunned by his change in demeanor. “W-why are you being l-like this?" She
Eva who was still sitting in the living room and watching the news that Spectrum Broadcasting company had released couldn't help but commend Mr. Cox for his dutiful work. However, just as she was celebrating her time, her phone began to ring and it was none other than her father. Already knowing that he was calling because of the news, she decided to pick the call this time and hear what he had to say. “You crazy insolent-" " Come on, let's be civilized here. You don't have to scream like that since I can hear you perfectly. How about you tell me what you're calling me for?” Eva quickly interrupted Matthew before he could speak. Everyone on the other hand were shocked by how calm and collected she was, including Mark who was listening to her familiar enticing voice. He couldn't help but think she was really crazy. Eva was unaware that Christine and Mark were present, she was just having a good time annoying her father. “Are you the one behind the news that the Spectrum B
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