The next morning, Eva woke up feeling refreshed. She recalled what had happened last night and how Damien had stayed by her side. Standing up on the bed and taking a look out of the window, although the sky is a bit clear, the wind is very cold. With a thought suddenly popping into her mind, Eva quickly dashed into the bathroom and took her bath. She quickly changed into casual outfits and rushed to the second floor where the kitchen was. The head chef was surprised to see Eva in the kitchen so early when they were preparing breakfast. Eva told the Head chef that she would like to prepare something for Damien. A few minutes later, Damien raised a brow when he saw Eva sitting on a seat in the dining room when he entered. Now he knew where this woman was because he was unable to find her in the room. “You're here. Sit down." Eva turned to look at Damien who was dressed in his usual three-piece black suit, his dark hair neatly styled. Sometimes, she wondered how he never fails to
Eva frowned at his words. Her eyebrows came together in confusion, forming creases between it. "Why can’t you tell me over the phone—" "No." Lawrence cut her off before she could complete her words."But—""You will know when you get here." He told her. Her frown deepened when she heard him. Now she was getting suspicious of what he wanted to tell her. She had a feeling she wouldn't like it.“Wipe that frown off your face and come here quickly.x Lawrence commented again, already knowing that Eva was frowning."You think I should when you won't give me a tip of what you want to tell me?” Eva asked, her voice laced with a bit of sarcasm."I will be waiting for you." Lawrence ignored her and hung up the call before she could argue about not coming again. “Tsk. Sly old man!” Eva clicked her tongue. She would have refused coming but he wouldn't even give her a chance to refuse.Left with no other choice, she walked to the walk-in closet to change into something else. Since she was going
The three men could tell that she was grumpy because Lawrence had dragged her here without telling her what she was here to do. “Young Eva, you’ve become very lazy." Dylan commented. “I agree with you Brother Dylan. And I wouldn't mind you lending me a hand over here as well since you seem less busy." Eva shamelessly agreed with Dylan who chuckled at her. “It's your work to do, not mine." He replied with a smile still on his face. She ignored Dylan who was obviously making fun of her and flipped through the reports, grabbing the pen on the table as she began to thoroughly scan the pages. She marked the paper whenever she noticed any errors and wrote tiny notes all over the reports. After what felt like a long time, she placed her pen down and let out a tired sigh. Today’s reports were boring as usual. Even though there weren't a lot of glaring errors, she was still diligently focused on them. She pried through every number and sentence to make sure nothing was amiss. “I'm done.
Eva flinched as if expecting him to hit her, but he surprised her by gently patting the top of her head. He used to pat her head when she was still a child clinging onto his leg anytime he visited. She had always had eyes for big men who have out terrifying aura ever since she was a kid and that was why Lawrence liked her because of how fearless she was. His expression became gentle and the glacier within his eyes melted. His cool facade was dropped to reveal a doting grandfather he was. “My dear, Eva." His voice was ripe with old age, reminding her that he wasn’t as powerful as she thought he was. He knew she hated it, but he needed to expose her back to these banquets. She can’t stay as his consultant forever. She would need to network and build connections within the business world. He was not her biological grandfather but he knew these were the things his friend would do if he was alive so he was trying to do better. "Be a good girl and attend the banquet." He affectionately pa
" Are you stupid, Dylan? We are supposed to convince her to work in the company and not tell her she belongs on the runway.” Lawrence snapped at Dylan. “I was only complimenting her and giving her courage." Dylan tried to defend himself. “What stupid courage is that!" Lawrence replied and glared at Dylan. " And you, who told you I'd admit something outrageous as that? You're just going to expose yourself to their criticism again.” He turned to look at her. Eva smiled because she knew that Lawrence was worried that she'd get hurt by the harsh criticism from people again. However, if she didn't do it there is no way she'd get back to get feet. “You have nothing to worry about, grandpa. I have to finish what I started. Even if I'm a model again, I can still be a part-time consultant for you if you need my help." Eva smiled at Lawrence. " My time is up. I will see you another time again, grandpa.” She added, grabbing her purse and standing up from the couch. “There is still five mi
“Anyways, I called normally to tell you that my lawyer has handled everything for Olivia. Though her contract with BTG Industry has already been terminated.” Nathalia finally reported what she had called Eva for after insulting Damien to her heart's content.“Olivia already called and told me. She was the person I was speaking to earlier before you called." Eva also told Nathalia.“So what's your next move?" She suddenly asked Eva who paused for a while as she glanced at the school entrance and saw students pouring out of the school.“Where is that sound coming from?" Nathalia asked when she heard the loud noise in the background.“I'm outside Lucien's school to pick him up." A response came from Eva who still had her gaze locked at the entrance.“What a filial sister you are. I wish you'd come and pick me up from work just like the way you do for Lucien." Nathalia remarked while pouting her face. She didn't have any work to do today since she had taken a day off, so she was just lazi
“Just how long do you plan to sleep and keep me waiting for you?" Eva suddenly remarked in a questioning voice as she crossed one leg over the other and rested her chin on the table. Lucien, who had been pretending to not hear his friends that were telling him to go home, raised his head up instantly when he heard Eva's voice. His eyes widened when he saw Eva sitting in front of him. “Y-you…..” he stammered while looking at Eva's face. A smirk appeared on her face as she raised her head up from the table and looked at him. "Yes, it's me.” She nodded her head but a small appeared on her face as she glanced at the black facemask he was wearing and the hoodie sweater as well. She gets that autumn is here and the wind might be cold, but why does he wear a facemask? “What are you here, sister?" He asked and some of the students opened their mouths in surprise. Who knew Lucien had a beautiful sister like this one. “Obviously, big sister came here for you. However, you kept me waiting ou
"If you are not going to tell me what happened, don't interrupt what I'm going to do." She added turning back to look at the road.“Even if you knew, what would you do?" Lucien suddenly asked, noticing how the grip around the wheel was harder than normal.“What should be done shouldn't be your worry as long as someone dared to touch you. Was it our father or Laura that did it?" Eva replied, still looking at the road."No. It was Christine.” Lucien finally revealed, making Eva turn her head instantly."Christine? When did this happen?" She inquired, surprised to hear that Christine dared to hurt Lucien.“Yesterday, after what happened at the fashion show. She came home with that pea head to get some sympathy from our parents." Lucien gave a short briefing and explanation that contained all the things that happened yesterday. After what happened with Christine, he hadn't come downstairs to eat and asked the maid to prepare some snacks to eat later when he was hungry.“Christine, huh? Sh
“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