“Well?” Edwin leaned forward again, seizing the moment. “Would you reconsider helping us out in the future? It’s only fair, given what we’ve done for you. We’re family, after all,” he added, his tone almost a challenge.Eva sighed, her eyes softening as she realized the depths of their unspoken expectations. She thought back to the contacts she’d made, the alliances she’d formed. “Though I made quite a few useful ones now, most of my connections in the military aren’t powerful… yet. They’re acquaintances with the sons and daughters of high-ranking officials. In time, some of them will inherit positions that could be helpful.”Damien listened intently, his eyes never leaving her face, but he didn’t show any sign of concern. He seemed calm, almost indifferent to the information, as if her inability to pull strings didn’t matter. And yet, she thought she caught a flicker of something in his gaze—an uncertainty that sent a pang through her.She hesitated, swallowing the nervousness rising
But as the warmth of the moment settled, Edwin's sixth brain suddenly caught onto Damien's earlier words. His eyes narrowed as he processed them, his expression turning indignant. “Hey! Who are you calling a simple fool?!”Nathalia suddenly burst out laughing, unable to resist an opportunity to tease her brother. “Obviously, he means you, Eddy. ” she said, rolling her eyes with a mischievous grin.Edwin glared, unwilling to let her get away with the jab. “Last time I checked, Nathy, I wasn’t a mirror.”Nathalia shot back, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “Thank goodness you’re not, or you’d have cracked from shock the moment you saw your reflection.” She made a dramatic relief expression on her face.Just as Edwin opened his mouth to snap back, a soft knock interrupted their bickering. Eric stepped forward, his expression professional as he announced, “The doctors are here to check on Miss Eva now that she’s awake.”Damien glanced toward the door, then gave a subtle nod. “Let them i
"Gabriel, it's been a while." Nathalia spoke up, nervously glancing at her older brother and Eva. She prayed the former wouldn't understand why she was so anxious. "Yes, indeed it has. We haven't seen each other since the blind date you've set up for me. I was really hoping and looking forward to meeting her but she actually…..." His eyes trailed to the woman on the bed. He was dazed to see Eva. When he had performed surgery on her, he was simply too worried about the almost fatal state of her head injury that he didn't realize her identity. He revealed an amiable smile. Of course, he wasn't a fool to not recognize Eva at first glance when he saw her. Although they haven't met yet, he recognizes her face and that was why he had accepted the blind date in the past. "About that, can we speak about it in private?" Nathalia hesitantly asked while praying that the stoic expression on her brother's face didn't mean he understood the situation. ‘Come on, I'm trying to save both of our li
Damien's jaw tightened. He absorbed every word with the intensity of a man prepared to enforce the doctors’ advice himself if it meant keeping her from harm. Eva, however, couldn’t help but feel a pang of frustration, her independence tugging against the restrictions imposed on her. As the doctors finished their examination, they exchanged a few words among themselves before nodding at Damien and quietly excusing themselves from the room while pushing Gabriel out of the room as well. The door closed behind them, leaving a stillness that felt charged with unspoken thoughts. Nathalia, who had watched the examination with thinly veiled worry, let out a sigh of relief once the doctors left. In fact she was more relieved that Gabriel was gone for now. “Eva,” she whispered, her voice soft with an emotion that was usually hidden beneath her lively exterior, “please promise me you’ll listen to them. You scared me half to death…” Her voice trailed off, a faint tremor betraying her underlying
Damien turned his back to her while flicking his wrist. The men came forward to surround her. This was not the first time that Nathalia had gotten in trouble with her brothers due to her unruly ways. The guards already had a long protocol on how to deal with her without hurting her. Damien has strictly forbidden rough treatment against his younger cousin even while forcing her to come home. They could only surround her on all sides, and coerce her to walk.Eva frowned upon seeing her bestie’s frightened expression. When they made eye contact, she was pleading for help. She was familiar with Nathalia's mother's nagging ways. She knew she would suffer along the nagging indirectly as Nathalia never fails to run to her side and vent after getting a scolding.“Brother, listen to me. This isn't really my fault that Gabriel and ….Hey, don't touch me!” Nathalia screamed, almost as if she was being kidnapped. “Besides, I can't go back now because of my job." She protested.Eva turned to Damien
Edwin decided to drop the subject. His brother was right. This wasn't the best time and place to speak about such crucial information."I'll bring Nathy back to Miami—""You will do no such thing. Nathy will remain with me and keep me company." Eva immediately cut him off, frowning as she watched the scene unfold before her."Eva, Nathy needs to be taught a lesson-""For what? Helping me move on?" Eva angrily asked in disbelief.Damien fiercely glowered at her, "Moving on with what? Useless rebounds that would only waste your time?"She narrowed her eyes to glare at him. "She was just trying to help!" She tried to yank her hand out of his, but instead, he tugged her towards him. His pull was so strong, she would have fallen off the bed if he didn't haul her to his chest.Even when he stared down at her, she wasn't scared of him. A staring competition between the blizzard in his eyes and the raging fire in hers had started. At that moment, none of them planned to yield."Stubborn littl
She had fought hard to pursue her career in modeling, a path her family had initially resisted, but her persistence eventually won them over. This latest scandal, though, had brought fresh waves of disapproval from her parents. She feared their disappointment and, worse, the wrath of her formidable grandfather. If her parent's scolding is not enough, they would definitely send her to meet their grandfather and the thought of it alone was making her cringe. Her grandfather might have a soft spot but that old man was really scary and terrifying.“Nathalia is an adult,” Eva cut in, coming to her friend’s defense just as she had done so many times during their younger years. “She can go home by herself.” Her loyalty to Nathalia was fierce, and Eva had always shielded her friend from trouble, regardless of the consequences.Damien turned his gaze to Eva, a flicker of frustration evident in his intense stare. “If you keep coddling her like this,” he began, his tone edged with reproach, “yo
“Oh, really?” Eva raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms with a skeptical look. “How about that time you sneaked out at midnight to meet a stranger who promised to show you a dozen puppies? You slipped past security, left your bodyguards behind, and nearly got yourself into serious trouble.” “T-that was one time!” Nathalia stammered, her cheeks flushing as she remembered the incident. The incident happened when they used to be models together and the security detail had woken Eva in a panic in the middle, frantic after discovering that Nathalia had snuck out on her own. Eva had been furious, and Nathalia, although grateful for the rescue, had never quite heard the end of it. “And don't get me started on the other naive things you've done in the past because it would only confirm that you are naive." Eva shook her head with a tired sigh, rubbing her forehead. She caught herself as she brushed against the thick bandage, a reminder that she was still lying in a hospital bed. Glancing u
Damien’s patience was wearing thin. He had no time for groveling and lies.Sensing his boss’s growing irritation, Eric opened his mouth to speed up the conversation, but before he could, Oliver burst into the room.“Hey, Mr. Piggy, could you shut up?” Oliver snapped, his bright yellow hoodie and ripped jeans contrasting with the grim atmosphere. He twirled a sleek switchblade in his hand, his boyish face betraying a sinister grin.Rex’s brows furrowed at the newcomer. Was this some kind of joke? Who let this disrespectful kid into the room? Besides, wasn't this one way too young to even be here? He was dressed naively young, like a baby chick with that bright clothes.“Hey, human garbage,” Oliver growled, his playful demeanor shifting in an instant. His eyes turned wild, and his grin morphed into something feral. “Don’t look at me like that.” He hurled his knife with terrifying precision, the blade grazing Rex’s neck and leaving a shallow cut. Blood trickled down, making Rex stumble b
Damien didn't speak, instead, he pulled out a gun, turning it around and examining it, a crude expression on his face.His right-hand man, Eric, stepped forward. Unlike his boss, Eric is also active and very talkative in this kind of moment when it comes to cleaning up filth like this."Take a guess," Eric said coolly, his tone sharp enough to cut glass.Rex’s eyes darted to Damien, who was calmly examining a sleek, custom-made gun. A shiver ran down his spine. He recognized the weapon—a modified Smith & Wesson, known for its devastating effects. The bullets it fired didn’t just kill, they tortured, leaving behind excruciatingly slow, acid-induced agony. It was an acid that burned through everything until the pearly white bone was exposed. That pain alone would have people begging for death over mercy.Mr. Damien, I-I’m not sure of the purpose of your visit. V-velvet vipers hasn’t interfered with the Cross’s business—”“Blood fist.” Damien’s icy voice cut through the tense atmosphere,
Just as Rex reached for his expensive wine again, the door to the room burst open with a thunderous crash, silencing the revelry in an instant. Crimson laser dots swarmed the room, targeting every man, freezing them in place.Rex barely blinked when he saw the commotion. It was not something new to have enemies barge into the place he was having fun. Probably, it would end with another threat conversation before the other party leaves. Calmly, he sipped his drink and set it down. But just as his fingers released the glass, a bullet shattered it, spilling the expensive liquor onto his custom Dior shoes."Bold little bastards," Rex muttered, his patience wearing thin. Reaching into his waistband, he pulled out a pistol.Upon seeing the lethal weapon in his hand, the women beside scattered like frightened mice, their shrieks piercing the tension-filled air. They weren't women who worked for the clan, instead, they were just simple escorts and prostitutes called in to please these big-sho
After switching the light on, her eyes landed on a set of bags near the couch. The scent of familiar dishes wafted through the air, and her heart twisted painfully. He had brought her favorite foods, likely intending to eat with her.He had wanted to eat with her. Her chest prickled with guilt and for a moment, she hesitated.But then she glanced at the shattered vase she had thrown in anger, and the guilt was replaced by frustration. Gathering the bags, she marched to the door and opened it to find Damien’s bodyguards standing stiffly outside.“You must be hungry standing out here all day,” she said, shoving the bags into their hands. “Take these. I’m not in the mood to eat.”The men exchanged bewildered glances.“Lady Boss, are you sure—”“If you don’t want them, throw them away,” she said curtly, shutting the door before they could protest further.“We can't really toss this away, can't we? This is too expensive." One of the bodyguards said, glancing at the bag while the others nod
His scowl deepened, and for a moment, she thought he might explode. But instead, he bit back whatever retort had been on the tip of his tongue. He knew that pushing her further would only backfire.“I understand you hate hospitals,” he said after a long pause, his voice gentler. “But staying here and resting is for your own good. You’re too stubborn to take care of yourself, so I have to do it for you.”Did he view her as a child? Why was he so persistent in keeping her here? She could recuperate somewhere else with a personal doctor — anything was fine, as long as it wasn't this chemical-filled location brimming with painful memories.Eva’s lips pressed into a thin line. “I don’t need your intervention.”His eyes narrowed, his irritation simmering just beneath the surface. “Don’t be stubborn—”“You’re a hypocrite,” she shot back before she could stop herself. Well, to some extent, she was hypocritical."Ehm, ehm……you demand me to not be stubborn, but here you are again, also being st
Eva felt her heart ache at the tone of Damien's voice, so small and fragile, like that of a lost child. Her chest tightened with guilt for having pushed him to this point. Her logical mind chastised her for taking things too far, while her heart yearned to soothe and comfort him.“Will you do it again?” she asked softly, her fingers tracing gentle circles over his rough, calloused hands.Immediately, his hand shifted to clasp hers tightly, intertwining their fingers in a firm yet comforting grip. Her heart skipped a beat at the gesture, a tiny smile tugging at the corners of her lips.“I can’t promise you a definite no,” he admitted, his deep voice muffled as he rested his head on her shoulder. He breathed her in—the intoxicating, calming scent of jasmine filling his senses and clouding his mind. “But I will try my hardest to be lenient.”She paused, unsure how to respond. Sensing her silence, Damien tightened his hold on her fingers, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.“Are you sti
Eva’s heart pounded as she searched for a way to diffuse his anger. She knew that escalating this tension would only make things worse. Desperate, she decided to play a different card—a gamble.“Tell me, how would you like to handle the consequences? Perhaps I should start with—" He was interrupted when she abruptly stepped forward, wrapping her arms around him in a tight embrace. The suddenness of her action made him freeze in place.“What are you doing?" He blinked. "Damien," she murmured softly, her voice sweet and soothing. She pressed her face against his chest, rubbing her cheek against the silk of his shirt.His body stiffened, his clenched fists trembling at his sides. "This won't work," he said, though his voice had lost its sharp edge."I'm cold," she whispered, her words muffled against his chest."Eva," he warned, but his tone lacked conviction."Won’t you hug me?" She tilted her head up, gazing at him with wide, pleading eyes and a slight pout on her lips. Her heart ski
After bidding Belle goodbye and promising her one last time that she would return tomorrow, Eva walked down the hospital halls with a spring in her step. A soft hum escaped her lips, her arms filled with snacks Belle had insisted she take. The little girl had brightened her day and made her feel less alone in the dreariness of the hospital."You shout it out, but I can't hear a word you sayI'm talking loud, not saying muchI'm criticized, but all your bullets ricochetShoot me down, but I get up," Eva softly sang, her favorite song playing in her mind as she strolled back to her room. She smiled, wondering if her friend Nathalie would enjoy the snacks she was carrying.“I'm bulletproof, nothing to loseFire away, fire awayRicochet, you take your aimFire away, fire awayShe was in such a good mood that she even gently danced along the hallway to her. “You shoot me down, but I won't fallI am titanium………..”“You shoot me down, but I won't fallI am titanium” a low voice suddenly com
She paused, her mind flashing back to the countless fights, the shattered dishes, the cold silences that followed her every rebellion. "But I didn’t let their expectations control me. I chose my path, even when it meant walking away from them entirely." Eva let out a sigh, her gaze still focused outside the window. " I really loved it when I refused them, even though it would earn me being slapped senselessly. I always find pleasure somehow and I took pride in becoming the perfect, graceful black sheep of that damned family.” Belle hung on every word, her eyes wide with admiration and curiosity."But," She continued. “I only did it when I was a grown adult, legal enough to make my own choices. My plan wasn't perfect nor did it work in pleasing my family, but then again, why should I continue to please them when they were never family to me in the first place?" Eva gently moved her gaze back to Belle, leaning forward, "However, as someone who has gone through all that, you should k