When Eva woke the next morning, her heart sank at the sight of the empty, cold side of the bed. He hadn’t stayed the night. Though she understood he likely had responsibilities to tend to, she couldn’t help the pang of disappointment. Sitting up, she stretched and noticed a small porcelain bottle on the nightstand. Next to it lay a handwritten note that simply read, “For the scars. -D” Curious, she unscrewed the top, revealing a faint herbal aroma that was both soothing and unfamiliar. She studied the bottle's elegant, minimalistic design, noticing the delicate watercolor painting etched into it. The intricate craftsmanship made her pause. Not thinking much of it, she placed the bottle back on the table. Little did she know, the ointment was more than just a thoughtful gift. It was a treasure few could ever dream of obtaining. Later that morning, Doctor Sam arrived to check on her condition. She showed him the bottle, casually asking if it was effective. At first, the seasoned doc
After parting ways with his assistants at the airport, Damien headed straight for the Black Mansion. For a brief moment, he contemplated the idea of sneaking into Eva’s room, but such an action seemed beneath him. He was Damien Cross, after all. There was no need for stealth when confidence was his forte.Thus, with a heavy wooden box in hand, he found himself at the grand doors of the Black Mansion. Inside the box lay a selection of Da Hong Pao tea, priced at two million dollars per gram, and an emerald jade tea set handcrafted by an artisan whose work was once prized by royalty. These were not mere gifts; they were tokens of respect, strategically chosen to win over Eva's formidable grandfather.When the butler opened the door, her surprise at seeing Damien quickly melted into a composed greeting. "Good evening, Mr. Cross." Butler Song bowed, stepping aside to let him in.George was already waiting in the grand living room, his posture regal and imposing. The air was thick with tens
At the dining table, however, Damien's mood soured. While Eva busied herself deboning chicken and peeling shrimp for her grandfather, Damien’s plate remained conspicuously empty."Eva, you need to eat too," he admonished, his voice laced with irritation as he began piling food onto her plate.Eva paused and noticed her bowl was filled with dishes to the brim, ranging from all sorts of protein and vegetables to the perfectly deboned fish. "I will," she replied, laughing lightly at his sulking tone. He looked like an abandoned and lonely child in desperate need of love. “You don't have to get mad over something like this." She mused and grabbed her spoon."Take bigger bites," he instructed. "And don’t forget to drink the soup—it’s good for you." He poured her a steaming bowl of broth, his every move attentive and precise. He didn't hesitate and poured her a hot bowl of soup, continuing to hover over her like an obnoxious pest that wouldn't go away.When he saw her take small, elegant b
George was engrossed in the documents he had brought home from the office, his study room silent except for the faint scratch of his pen on paper. The faint knock on the door interrupted his focus.“Come in,” he called, his voice carrying authority.The door opened, and Eva stepped inside, a tray in her hands. The familiar scent of polished wood and old books lingered in the air as she walked toward him. George looked up, his piercing gaze softening slightly when he recognized his granddaughter.“Eva,” he remarked, surprised. “What brings you here?”“I brought you this,” she said, placing a steaming cup of tea beside him.George’s eyes narrowed slightly as he glanced at the cup, then back at her. It wasn’t unusual for the staff to bring him his tea, but Eva rarely did so herself. He studied her face, sensing there was more to her visit.The moment stirred a memory—of a young Eva, her tiny hands carefully carrying a teacup to his office, beaming with pride. The tea had often been awful
The room fell into a tense silence. George’s expression hardened, his sharp eyes narrowing. “Miami?” he echoed, his tone low and probing. “Is this Damien’s idea? Has he put you up to this?”“No,” Eva replied firmly. “This isn’t about Damien. This is my decision.”George frowned deeply, leaning back in his chair. “You’re still injured, Evie. You need time to recover. Going back to Miami, where I can’t keep an eye on you, is unwise.”“I’m fine, Grandfather,” Eva said, her voice steady. “I can heal anywhere, and I’ll be careful. Moreso, I’ve been thinking about everything that’s happened, especially the kidnapping. Someone is targeting me, and I won’t sit around hiding, waiting for the next attack. I need to face this head-on.”“Face it?” George’s voice was sharp. “And how do you plan to do that? Walk straight into the lion's den unarmed? This is dangerous—reckless, even!” His brows furrowed, his expression hardening. “No, Grandfather,” she said, leaning forward, her resolve blazing in
After her conversation with George, Eva spent two more days at the Black Mansion, giving herself time to reflect before making her final decision. The grand halls and serene gardens provided the perfect backdrop for her contemplation. When Eva finally made up her mind, she felt a renewed sense of clarity—she was going back to Miami.When she told Damien of her decision, his concern was immediate. He wanted her to return with him, but Eva had firmly refused. Her trip to California had been for work, and now that her business here was done, she planned to return with the same purpose—work. Nothing else would sway her.Despite his reluctance, Damien respected her decision. “Eva, are you ready?” Gwen called from the living room as Eva descended the grand staircase. Her heels clicked softly against the marble steps, and her suitcase rolled behind her.“Yes. What about you?” Eva asked, meeting Gwen halfway.Gwen nodded, while rolling her eyes. “I’ve been ready for hours.”Eva chuckled soft
……….HB Industry had sent the new manager, Trix, to pick them up from the airport. As Eva and Gwen emerged from arrivals, they spotted Trix standing by the exit, her impatience practically radiating from her. She wore a light green chiffon dress, towering in ten-inch heels, and sported dark sunglasses. Her eyes were fixed on the watch on her wrist. Her whole body exuded a sense of impatience, like as if the roles were reversed and she was an international superstar waiting to be picked up instead.Next to her, a sign with Eva’s name was propped up on the ground. Eva glanced at it briefly but chose to ignore it, walking past Trix without a second thought. Gwen stifled a laugh, noticing Eva’s growing temper.They made their way out of the airport, and it was only halfway to their destination that Eva’s phone rang. The voice on the other end was Trix’s, sharp and annoyed."Eva, where are you? Your flight was supposed to arrive at 12!""I’m already on my way back to the office," Eva repli
*********Meanwhile, at Elite Entertainment...Eva sat in her personal dressing room, leaning back against the plush chair with a sigh of relief. She had just returned from Kai’s office, where the encounter had been far from pleasant.“Why are the people around me so nagging all the time?” she muttered, rubbing her temples and scratching her ear as if trying to dispel the lingering echoes of Kai's scolding voice.The moment she stepped into his office, she was bombarded with a lecture about the dangers she faced and her reckless decisions. Though he had already reprimanded her over the phone when she was in California, it seemed that was just the preview. Today, Kai had unleashed the full movie.He paced back and forth, arms crossed, his tone both stern and worried as he drilled into her about the kidnapping incident and her insistence on returning to Miami. His concern was obvious, but to Eva, it was overwhelming.“I get it, Kai,” she had tried to interject at one point, but he would
But as Eva stepped off the stage, the storm brewing backstage awaited her. Director Rick and the client stormed toward her, their expressions thunderous."Eva!" the client barked, jabbing a finger in her direction. "What the hell were you thinking? A model like you, daring to cause a scene in front of so many people? Have you lost your mind?""You turned this event into your personal press conference!" Director Rick snapped, his voice low but venomous. "Do you realize what you’ve done?"Eva remained calm, her gaze steady as she met their furious stares. Her poise, far from pacifying them, only seemed to infuriate them more."Eva, I’m warning you," the company representative growled, his tone filled with arrogance. "If you still want a career in this industry, you’d better get out there and apologize. Otherwise, I’ll make you regret ever setting foot on this stage."Eva’s soft laughter filled the tense room. Her calm expression, betraying no hint of fear, seemed almost mocking. "The wo
------------------The venue for the event was modest, with the main hall accommodating roughly 200 seats. Despite its size, Eva knew that the real audience extended far beyond the people present. Countless eyes would be watching her through live streams, hoping to see her stumble while endorsing this low-tier brand. They were eager to find ammunition for gossip and ridicule. But Eva smirked inwardly—they were in for a rude awakening.After a spirited introduction from the host and a reassuring nod from Trix, Eva stepped onto the stage. The spotlight bathed her in a warm glow, and though it had been a while since she stood in such a position, her confidence remained unwavering. She paused for a moment, letting the silence settle as she adjusted to the glaring lights and curious gazes.The host, an energetic man eager to hype the event, grinned widely. "Ladies and gentlemen, our dazzling Eva is here! Doesn’t she have the most enchanting presence? Let’s give her a warm welcome!"He hand
Upon entering the house, Eva immediately noticed Damien already home. His tall, imposing figure was stretched out on the sofa, his right arm resting across his eyes to shield himself from the bright lights. Eva smiled softly, her presence unnoticed at first. She quietly approached him and sat beside him, gently running her fingers across the sharp angles of his face."Why aren’t you in bed?" she asked, her voice tender."The company you're endorsing tomorrow," Damien began, his tone serious, "Cross Enterprise’s legal team has already sent them a letter, suing for fraud. The news should be spreading tomorrow afternoon."Eva rested her head against his chest as she replied, "It’s fine. I'll only be appearing in the morning."Although she didn’t elaborate further, Damien seemed to sense what she was planning. He understood that her actions tomorrow would have consequences, and the client wouldn't let her off easily. Hence, Cross Enterprise, a company that rarely involved itself with such
Eva stood, smoothing her dress with deliberate grace. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave. Feel free to send any legitimate offers my way—ones that aren’t tainted by ulterior motives.”As she turned to leave, Rick called after her, his voice laced with frustration. “This isn’t over, Eva. You’re making enemies you can’t afford to have.”Eva paused at the door, glancing over her shoulder with a calm, confident smile. “Director Rick, I’ve faced far worse than this. If you want to play games, just remember—I always play to win.”With that, she exited the office, leaving Rick stewing in his defeat. Eva knew the battle wasn’t over, but she was ready for whatever came next. After all, she wasn’t just surviving in this industry—she was thriving on her own terms.—---The next day, HB Industry and the event organizers issued statements, instructing the public on how to obtain tickets to see Eva at the upcoming event.As soon as the announcements went live, the backlash followed almost
After ending the call, Eva placed her phone on the small garden table and picked up the watering can again, intent on tending to the roses that had flourished under her care. But before she could continue, Damien’s strong arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her back into his chest.“You’re not going to escape that easily,” he murmured, his voice a deep rumble in her ear.Eva turned slightly, her lips curling into a teasing smile. “Escape? I didn’t know I was being held captive.”Damien tilted her chin up with his hand, his dark eyes locking onto hers. Without another word, he lowered his head and captured her lips with a passion that stole her breath away. It wasn’t just a kiss—it was a declaration, intense and consuming.Eva sighed into him, letting the watering-can slip from her fingers and thud softly onto the lush grass below. Twisting in his arms, she wrapped hers around his neck, pressing herself closer as she returned his kiss with equal fervor. The garden seemed to fade int
As Director Rick read the magazine offers, he hesitated. But before he could act decisively, Christine intercepted.“We agreed not to accept any work for her, didn’t we? Are you ignoring what I said?” Christine snapped, her voice dripping with entitlement. She had also taken a glimpse of what is written in the file from where she was standing.Trix smirked inwardly at Christine’s audacity. It was almost amusing how she acted as if she already owned this company.Director Rick sighed, he wanted to shut her up but he knew things wouldn’t end well for him because she had Mark Johnson backing. So he tried calming down and tried to placate her. Unbeknownst to Christine, Trix had already switched sides, reporting every move back to Eva. When Trix relayed both Christine and Director Rick's plan to use her as a shield, Eva’s response was swift.“Reject the offer. Tell them I’m not feeling well if that so-called Director Rick asked about me,” she instructed, her tone calm yet firm.Trix nodde
Christine stormed into Director Rick’s office, her heels clicking sharply against the polished floor. Without knocking, she pushed the door open with enough force to make it bang against the wall. The sudden force made Rick look up from his desk, his expression turning sour.“Christine,” he said coldly, setting down his pen. “I wasn’t expecting you. To what do I owe this surprise visit?”She strode to his desk, her anger barely contained. “Don’t play dumb with me, Director Rick. I just signed a contract with these companies, and now all my other deals are being revoked. I want an explanation, and I want it now.” Christine demanded.He was one of the directors at HB Industry, tasked with overseeing most of the models working in collaboration with the company. Beyond his professional role, he maintained a close friendship with President Adolf of BTG Industry, a connection that often allowed Christine to leverage favors from him. It was through his influence that Trix was appointed as Ev
*******The next morning, the air hung heavy with humidity. Eva was roused from sleep by the persistent ringing of her phone. It was Trix, and her tone was surprisingly softer than it had been the day before."Eva, I just arrived at your house, but only your assistant is there." Trix said. She has gotten Eva's current home address from Gwen but unfortunately she met Olivia there."I’ve moved," Eva replied flatly. Of course, she had given Olivia the key to her apartment before she left to California and since she heard Olivia was currently looking for a place because of the incident that happened."I came to tell you something important," Trix began, hesitating for a moment before continuing. "After HB Industry announced you would be appearing at the corporate event, your fans are in an uproar. They’re arguing fiercely among themselves. They say if you attend this event, it means you’re endorsing unreliable products. They’re threatening to abandon you if you go through with it."Eva re
After a moment of silence, Damien finally spoke. “Let me change your bandage now,” he said gently. Though he was savoring the moment with her, her health remained his top priority, and he couldn’t let it slip his mind.Eva pouted, letting go of him with a hint of disappointment at his response. She couldn’t argue and allowed Damien to change her bandage carefully."Since we're done, let's head outside," she finally said once he finished. But before she could get up, Damien scooped her up effortlessly in a bridal carry."Hey! What are you doing?" Eva exclaimed, caught off guard by the sudden gesture."You’re not walking on your own," he replied firmly, his expression calm and unyielding as he made his way to the door."I have my own legs, and they work just fine! I’ve been walking around all day," she protested, even as she instinctively leaned into his embrace.“You’re at home now. You don’t need to walk when I’m here. I’ll carry you until you’re fully healed,” Damien responded, his t