Originally, she had planned to rest after an exhausting photo shoot that lasted from late yesterday afternoon until midday today. Her insufferable manager and Gwen had pushed her to her limits! But her hopes of a well-deserved day of sleep were abruptly shattered when she learned about the heated argument between the budding couple whose fragile relationship couldn’t handle such a blow. If it weren’t for her good friend, one of the guards stationed outside the hospital room, she wouldn’t have known about the fight at all.Nathalia had always stood by Eva, just as Eva had always supported her. But this time, she couldn’t take her side—especially after learning that Eva had recklessly snuck out of the room, risking her health in the process.Eva blinked, noticing the dark circles under Nathalia’s eyes. "Have you been working nonstop again?"Nathalia waved her off. "That’s not important. What’s important is you. Do you have any idea how worried I was when I heard about the stunt you pull
“But he didn’t pick up...I called him twice," Eva muttered, her tone laced with disappointment.Nathalia raised a perfectly arched brow again, her sharp eyes honing in on her friend. "Twice? That’s it? Come on, the battle hasn’t even started yet, and you’re already waving the white flag?""It went straight to voicemail after the first ring," Eva explained, her voice soft and despondent.“He didn’t pick up." Nathalia mumbled to herself. That didn’t sound like Damien.Nathalia tapped her chin thoughtfully before turning to look at Eva. "What time did you call him?""Around one in the morning," Eva admitted, glancing at her phone.At this, Nathalia’s concern deepened. One in the morning was exactly when her brother had returned home the previous night. She knew this because the head maid at Damien’s mansion here in California had texted her. Naturally, Nathalia had something she personally wanted to discuss with Damien and that was why she asked the head maid to inform her when Damien ar
Eva frowned, her heart heavy with guilt."I’m not justifying his actions," Nathalia continued. "But you need to understand why he’s like this. And, to be fair, you’re not exactly easy to deal with either. Both of you guys have abnormally high egos that constantly clash with each other.”Eva’s lips twitched into a faint smile. "You don’t say."Nathalia laughed lightly but quickly grew serious again. "I'm dead serious, your stubbornness clashes with his, and it’s no surprise things escalated. But if you really care about him, you need to talk. No more shouting matches. Just...sit down and work it out like adults.""Do you understand what I’m saying?" Nathalia asked, her tone gentle but firm. "Damien doesn’t want to lose you, Eva. But the more you push him away, the harder it gets for him to figure out how to reach you and he gets really frustrated."Eva’s gaze turned inward as she absorbed Nathalia’s words."Let me ask you something," Nathalia said. "How do you feel about Damien? Be hon
“Wait, didn’t I text you earlier and you say he was in his office?" Nathalia huffed, her hands resting on her hips."Yes, Boss was preparing for the meeting there earlier," Eric replied evenly, the faintest hint of weariness in his tone."Ugh, when is he coming back then? What is he doing right now? Is he busy?"Eric turned his head to glance at Damien, seated across the aisle of the luxurious private jet. His boss was furiously typing away on his laptop, his glasses perched at the bridge of his nose. Damien’s intense concentration made it clear: this was not the time to disturb him."Yes, he’s busy," Eric finally answered."Can’t he spare just a few minutes on the phone? I have urgent matters to discuss," Nathalia pressed, her voice rising with frustration."I’m afraid he’s not in the best condition to speak right now," Eric responded firmly. He hoped Nathalia, as his boss’s sister, would understand the gravity of the situation. Once Damien entered his work mode, interrupting him was
"What is it? I’m busy," he growled, his tone clipped."When are you coming back from your trip? There’s someone who needs to see you—""I don’t have time to entertain your model friends," Damien interrupted, his tone icy. He knew how much Nathalia always wanted to use him to brag to her model friends whenever she got the chance to. And now that they were in the country where Nathalia has a lot of model friends he was expecting something like this.Nathalia paused with a small frown on her face. ‘Are my friends all really that bad?’ She thought before snapping out of her thought."No, it’s not about my friends! I mean it is about my friends…….she is not like my other friends….you know she is more like a sister than a friend. A sister from another mother and I lo—” "Get to the point," Damien snapped, his irritation mounting. He sent a quick message to his guards, instructing them to ensure Nathalia didn’t stir up any further trouble. It seems like it was time for her to really make a v
"Well," Nathalia said, crossing her arms. "It seems you will have to wait until that useless brother of mine gets his head straight and visits you.."Eva sighed, leaning back against her pillows. "Four hours, huh?""Plenty of time for you to figure out exactly what you’re going to say," Nathalia said with a sly smile. However, it soon died down as she looked at Eva.“What?” Eva asked.Nathalia said nothing and tucked Eva’s hair behind her ear. “Nothing. I will find a way to ditch my parents and come because I still have a lot of pending work to do here.” She said, not wanting to say exactly what was in her mind.“I will be fine.” Eva flashed a smile at Nathalia, who nodded her head at her.Reluctantly, Nathalia left.After Nathalia’s departure, a nurse entered to change Eva’s bandages and IV bag. Shortly after, a female doctor arrived to check on her condition.“Your recovery is progressing well,” the doctor said. “Thank you. Um….can i go out for a stroll, doctor. My body feels so st
---Meanwhile, George had just wrapped up a meeting as the chairman of the company when he noticed the storm rolling in. He stood by the floor-to-ceiling window of his office, his expression darkening as thunder cracked in the distance.“Prepare the car immediately,” he instructed his assistant, Julian. Without hesitation, Julian made the call, ensuring the driver was ready.Minutes later, George arrived at the hospital. The bodyguards outside Eva’s room stepped aside without question, allowing him entry.When he opened the door, his heart sank.The room was dim, lit only by the faint glow of lightning outside. On the bed was a trembling pitiful figure huddled beneath the blanket.“Eva,” he called gently.She didn’t respond.Julian didn’t dare enter the room and remained by the door, with his phone in hand. The weather app confirmed the worst: the storm would last all night. He sighed. There wasn’t much his boss could do within the confines of the hospital.In the end, apart from the
As they left the hospital, George’s gaze remained fixed on the pouring rain outside the car window. His normally unshakable expression revealed a rare hint of worry.“She’s fragile,” he said, almost to himself. “This environment does more harm than good.” He didn't want her to leave the hospital since she just woke up but it seems like it is not helping at all.Lately, he has been digging deeper into Eva's past and how she had been living her life when he had ignored her. Even though the information he got wasn't clear, he was able to find out that his granddaughter had developed some mental health issues but during the time she had disappeared, she was able to recover herself a bit. He just hoped the thunder combined with the irrational fear of the hospital wouldn't bring back any dangerous harm to her because he wasn't willing to take that risk.Julian glanced at him through the rearview mirror. “Sir, will the young miss be returning to the hospital for further treatment?”“Not unle
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