Eva blinked after opening her eyes again, her mind was still sluggish from the lingering effects of whatever drug she had inhaled in the car. When she tried to move, she realized she couldn’t. Her arms ached, heavy with something pressing down on them. She turned her head slightly, wincing at the stiffness in her neck. Her wrists were bound to the arms of a metal chair. Panic shot through her. Her heart hammered in her chest as she tried to move again, tugging harder, but it only made the ropes dig painfully into her skin causing a hiss sound from her. Her wrists were bound, pulled tight behind her back, keeping her firmly attached to the cold metal chair beneath her. It took a few more blinks for her vision to clear, and when it did, the sight that greeted her sent a chill down her spine. The room was massive, cavernous, with steel beams crisscrossing above her like the bones of some giant skeleton. It was a warehouse, old and worn, with the scent of rust and dampness heavy i
Since no one has walked in through the door, Eva thought of using the opportunity. Her eyes darted around the room again, searching for something—anything—that could help her. There was a stack of crates nearby, just a few distance away from her, covered in heavy plastic sheeting. The walls were rusted metal shelves, half-empty but littered with old tools and bolts. She strained to see further, craning her neck to take in the shadows at the back of the warehouse, but nothing stood out. The place was almost unnervingly empty. “Shame. My purse isn't with me." If only her purse was somewhere in sight it would have been easier for her. But she knew that the men who took her would have rummaged through it, and the dagger she always carried in her person had already been discarded by now. They’ll be back soon, she reminded herself. She needed to be ready. With no other options at her disposal, Eva leaned back in the chair and waited. The cold metal beneath her was uncomfortable, pressing
Her plan was to act nonchalant despite the fact that she was growing wary. The weapons they had with them were to inflict a lot of pain, but not enough to immediately kill. If they were going to scare her to intimidate her, she knew she’d survive. But if they were planning on murdering her, they planned on doing so through an immense amount of torture. "To what pleasure do I owe your presence?" Eva asked calmly while surveying the masked men in front of her. “Well, well,” a voice drawled, smooth and unhurried. One of the figures stepped forward, removing his hat to reveal his face. He was the only one not wearing a mask. She was surprised to see someone so young be the leader of a gang. Unlike his burly comrades, he was lean and does not seem like someone who beat people up for a living. His appearance was well-kept and sharp-featured and he was actually wearing a black suit. But his eyes were a completely different story. She saw the bloodlust within his dark eyes that glinted wit
"Now that, young lady, is private information." He mused, watching her eyes scan his men. Despite seeing the metal bats, knives, and brass knuckles, she didn’t seem to shake or cringe back in fear. This was getting really interesting. "Hm, I assume you were requested to keep the exact number private. But can I get an approximate amount?" She was hoping to delay time or at least buy them out. "I’m afraid your little plan won’t work on me." The leader chuckled. " Come on, I'm offering you twice the money you were offered to take me and you're rejecting it. I've met people with the same profession as you and they never let such an opportunity I'm offering to you go to waste.” Eva raised a brow at the man. The leader took a step closer, leaning down slightly to bring his face level with hers. His expression was calm, almost amused, but there was a hard edge to his smile. “Let’s just say you’re a piece in a larger game.” Eva’s pulse quickened. A game? What kind of game? She wasn’t in
She panted, struggling to pull oxygen into her lungs, her body clenching involuntarily, bracing for the next blow. Every muscle in her core tensed as though it could protect her, but she knew how this game was played. They were trying to break her, not physically, but mentally. In situations like this, if she didn’t give them what they wanted, fear, pain, submission, they would only escalate, push harder, to make her scream. The only way to survive was to give him what he wanted and she had to play her part perfectly. And when the second punch came, straight into her stomach again, she couldn’t stop the cry of pain from tearing out of her throat. When the next hit came—this time aimed at her stomach again—she let out a cry of pain. Not too loud, but just enough to satisfy the man’s sick need for control. It wasn’t that hard really, especially when it actually hurt. Her body recoiled, and she felt a warm, wet trickle down her stomach. The skin had split from the blow. Her breath ca
The leader reached out, his gloved hand brushing against her cheek. The cold and rough leather sent a shiver down her spine, and she stiffened at the touch. Every fiber of her being screamed to slap his hand away, but she in restrain. Goosebumps rose on her arms, and she swallowed hard, biting back the surge of bile rising in her throat. "W...whatever...he paid you, I...I’ll double it." Her voice was barely a whisper, each word costing her. Breathing was becoming harder, her ribs protesting with every shallow gasp. “Hm," he mused, releasing her hair and stepping back. “Should I take that as an answer?” Eva asked. The leader chuckled darkly, a sound that made her blood run cold.He said you’d offer that. Very predictable." She watched as his long fingers toyed with the butterfly knife in his hand. The blade flicked open and shut with practiced ease, gleaming menacingly under the dim light. Her eyes narrowed as she followed the movement, and an idea formed in her mind. She wasn’t c
Evangeline’s mind raced. His words didn’t add up. The tracker was military-grade technology, a simple scanner would have picked it up, not even the advanced ones the black market can detect it. Whoever this man worked for had access to far more advanced technology than she had anticipated. “You know you really can't blame me for having that, right? I mean unlike you poor gentlemen who have to take others from someone, people like me tend to give orders. And someone as influential as me needs to have those kinds of things in hand for situations like this. It just so happens that you guys are not slow witted like I expected and you were able to find that tracker.” Eva casually explained with a shrug. " Bravo! You made a really good point, Miss and I'm really starting to love this entire situation.” The leader smirked at Eva. “Glad to hear that." Eva modestly nodded her head. The leader also nodded and tossed the crushed wallet behind him carelessly, letting it skid across the floor
The wooden chair cracked under the impact, and the man grunted in surprise, clutching at his chest where the blow had landed. She didn’t stop. Using her momentum when she felt a presence draw close, she used her entire body weight to jam the chair right into the man rushing towards her.. By heaven’s luck, it was enough to send him crashing to the ground. CLUNK! The chair was close to breaking when she hit the other man. For a brief, exhilarating moment, hope surged through her veins. Her eyes saw momentary hope that she was close to winning when suddenly, a bloodcurdling laughter rang throughout the air. What followed after the laughter was loud clapping sounds from the men surrounding them, but she didn’t waste any time. She knew it was to momentarily distract her so that the men could all pounce at her. She didn’t care about the noise as she swung her body again. This time, the chair connected with something else. Instead of another body, a hand had grabbed the leg of the chair
“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