Eve
My head throbbed in pain, and I gripped the steering wheel tightly, as if it was the only thing holding me together. The surgery had lasted all night, hours of precision and focus. I had poured every ounce of my energy into saving that patient, only to have Scarlett come in afterward and take the credit.
She wasn't even there, but after the operation was over, she was the one who spoke to the parents, acting as if I wasn’t the one who’d done the work in her place.
I stood there like a fool. I couldn't say anything, not because I was scared of her. No. It was because I couldn't get fired. I couldn't lose the only thing I loved doing.
I exhaled shakily, the familiar ache settling in my chest. It was always like this. Always someone else taking the credit. Always me working until I could barely stand, only for my efforts to fade into the background, invisible.
I used to think it was okay. I thought helping a senior colleague was an honor, and I was fine standing in for someone and letting others take the credit. I had done it for Nick a lot of times. But after what happened yesterday, I had no idea what was okay anymore.
Nick had shattered everything I had believed in. And it wasn't an honor anymore; it was a curse I wanted to get rid of. I didn’t want anyone to use me because of my talent. I wanted someone to love me for who I was.
But I guess it was too much to ask for.
By the time I pulled into the driveway of the house, my body felt like it might give out. The sight of the familiar building did little to comfort me. I stepped out of the car, swaying slightly as dizziness crept over me. I steadied myself on the doorframe, blinking hard to keep my vision from swimming.
After a moment, I managed to gather myself enough to open the door and step inside.
The sound of laughter greeted me, light and cheerful, drifting from the dining room. It stopped me in my tracks, and I froze in the doorway, staring at the scene before me.
My mother, father, and Mia were sitting around the table. They were all laughing, as they shared stories and clinked their glasses together. In front of Mia was a cake, beautifully decorated, with candles that had already been blown out.
I stood there, watching them, feeling like an intruder in my own home. They were my family, and yet as I stood in the shadows of the doorway, I felt like an outsider.
My parents smiled at Mia as though she were the center of their world. They looked at her like she was the sun, the brightest star in their lives.
My chest ached.
They had never looked at me like that.
I swallowed the lump in my throat, exhaustion pressing down on me harder than ever. I wanted to retreat upstairs to my room, to collapse into bed and escape this feeling of being invisible in a house full of people. But just as I turned to leave, my mother’s sharp voice cut through the room.
“Eve!”
I froze, slowly turning to meet her gaze. Her face was painted with annoyance, her brow furrowed as she looked at me.
“Why weren’t you here to help prepare for the party?” she asked, her tone sharp, like I had committed some great sin. “I had to do everything myself. Do you know how hard it was? Mia’s friends didn't like the food I made. They were asking for you.”
“I…” I trailed off, unsure how to respond. “I was busy at the hospital.”
My father scoffed, shaking his head. “How busy can you be that you couldn’t come and help for your sister’s birthday? Do you expect Mia to work when she’s still weak?”
I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from saying what I wanted to. Mia hadn’t been weak for a long time. She had recovered years ago, yet they still treated her like she was made of glass, a fragile princess who needed to be protected at all costs.
But I didn’t say any of that. I just lowered my gaze to the floor and mumbled, “I’m sorry.”
Mia let out a soft laugh, her voice warm and sweet, the kind of voice that could charm anyone. “It’s okay, Mom, Dad,” she said, waving a hand dismissively. “Don’t be too hard on her.”
Her words felt more condescending than kind, but I kept my mouth shut.
“Come, Eve,” she said, patting the chair beside her. “Sit with me.”
I hesitated but nodded, forcing my legs to move.If I refused, they would just call me dramatic and jealous. It was better to just act like none of it affected me.
I sank into the chair beside her, my body heavy with fatigue.
Mia turned to me with a bright smile, her eyes gleaming. “Did you know today is also your birthday?” she said, as if it were some grand revelation.
Before I could respond, she pulled something out from under the table—a golden bracelet. She held it out to me, her smile wide and almost… too perfect.
“I got you something,” she said.
I stared at the bracelet in her hands, stunned. Mia had never done anything kind for me before. Never. I hesitated before reaching out to take it. “Thank you,” I murmured, still caught off guard. “I… I didn’t get you anything.”
She waved it off with a laugh. “It’s fine. I don’t mind,” she said, her voice light and carefree.
“There’s just one thing I want,” she said sweetly, though her tone carried an edge that set my nerves on fire.
I looked at her warily. “What is it?”
Her smile deepened. “Get married in my place, sister.”
Eve “Get married in my place, sister.” Those words. They rang in my ears like a distant echo, over and over, louder with every repetition until I could hardly think. For a moment, the world seemed to tilt, and I stared at Mia, disbelief coursing through me. I must have misheard her. It couldn’t be real. But as I looked at her, my stomach twisted painfully. The look on her face told me everything. The sly curve of her lips, the glint in her eyes—she wasn’t joking. Mia never joked. At least, not with me. She was serious. Dead serious. The ringing in my ears grew louder. I felt like the air had been sucked out of the room. My chest tightened as I tried to process what she had just said, but my mind refused to cooperate. Marry in her place? Was she really asking me to take her place? To take on yet another thing she didn’t want? I swallowed hard, my throat dry and burning, but the words wouldn’t come. I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t move. Mia’s smile widened slightly,
Eve “No?” my mother repeated, her voice echoing through the room like I had just said the most absurd thing in the world. They all stared at me—eyes wide, mouths slightly agape. For a moment, it was almost comical, like a scene from one of those dramatic plays where the characters freeze in exaggerated disbelief. I would have laughed if my heart wasn’t pounding so hard it felt like it might burst out of my chest. My hands trembled in my lap, and I desperately tried to control it by clutching my dress. The fabric bunched in my fists, grounding me, though it felt like I was standing on the edge of something far bigger than I could handle. I couldn’t believe I had said it. I had never said no to them before. Not once. No matter what they wanted or asked I made sure to do it. I had always been the quiet, obedient daughter, the one who nodded and did what she was told. The one who stood in the background, unnoticed, while they doted on Mia. And now, I had refused them. I swallowe
Eve I blinked, disoriented, as the pain in my head and face blurred everything around me. I reached for the glass table to steady myself. But I staggered back, collapsing onto the cold marble floor. The world swirled around me, and I made no attempt to stand again. If I lost consciousness, they would just think I was faking it to get their attention. “Dad…” I croaked, my voice trembling. “I didn’t mean to—” “Shut up!” he roared, his face contorted with fury. His eyes were blazing, not with concern for me but with unrelenting anger. “How dare you hurt her? After everything she’s gone through! Do you know how much she struggled to stay alive, but you want to kill her? Take her away from us because you can’t control your anger? After everything we’ve done for you, this is how you repay us?” “I didn’t mean to!” I said as tears spilled from my eyes. “She dug her nails into me—I didn’t mean to push her! Believe me, I would never hurt Mia on purpose.” “Don’t lie!” he shouted, poi
Eve "Back here again? Aren’t there better ways to die, or do you just enjoy making me save you?” I froze, my heart skipping a beat at the familiar, deep voice. That night, even now, that voice was there to pull my mind away from the dark thoughts I never seemed to escape. Slowly, I whipped my head around, and there he was. My breath caught. Even in the dim light of the night, his face was striking—sharp jawline, piercing blue eyes, and a look of effortless confidence that made my stomach twist and my throat dry. Like I said, beautiful wasn’t a strong enough word to describe this man. He looked like the kind of man who would have countless women around him, yet still remain unattainable. He raised an eyebrow at me, his expression unreadable, though there was something vaguely amused in his gaze. I realized too late that I'd been staring at him like a lovestruck teenager. Oh, how embarrassing. “Or,” he said, his voice low. “are you just stalking me?” His words snap
Xander The night before I threw the woman across the room with more force than I intended, but I didn’t care. She hit the wall hard, the impact reverberating through the room. A low, guttural groan escaped her lips as she slumped to the floor, clutching her bleeding head with trembling hands. Her eyes darted to me, wide with disbelief. She hadn’t expected this, hadn’t expected the strength, the ruthlessness. After all, I was just a man stuck in a wheelchair. But it was clear she had underestimated me. She tried to push herself up, but her legs wobbled, and she staggered back down, still clutching her head as blood dripped between her fingers. Her hand slipped to her waist, and when I saw the glint of the knife, my movements were instinctive. In one swift motion, I pulled out the gun from under my pillow, the cold weight of it familiar in my grip, and pointed it directly at her. “Don’t,” I said, my voice sharp, calm. She froze, her hand hovering near the knife as her gaze fli
Eve Present Day “Spend the night with me, and I’ll make you forget everything.” That’s what he had said. And oh God, the things that went through my brain in that single moment… I thought I’d misheard him at first, but the way his piercing blue eyes bore into mine made it clear I hadn’t. My mind spun with all the possibilities—none of them innocent. Kinky. That was the word that popped into my head, and once it was there, it wouldn’t leave. I’d expected something wild, something intimate, something that would push boundaries I wasn’t sure I had. And yet, despite my nerves, I had agreed. What choice did I have? I wasn’t about to back down after being so bold, after yelling at him and spilling my heart out like that. Backing out now would have been foolish and embarrassing. And I had already embarrassed myself a lot today. I needed to man up and act indifferent about this whole situation. So when he led me into his mansion—a place ten times the size of where I live…..I tried
Mia “They’ve gone. You can wake up now,” Eloise’s voice came softly from beside me. My eyes snapped open, and I let out a long, exaggerated groan as I stretched my arms. My entire body felt stiff from lying still for so long, and I rolled my neck, wincing slightly. “Ugh, finally,” I muttered, sitting up slowly and rubbing my temples. My best friends, Eloise and Adele were perched on either side of the bed, watching me with amused expressions. “I swear,” I sighed, shaking my head. “If I had to fake being unconscious any longer, I think I would’ve passed out for real. Do you know how exhausting it is pretending to be weak and helpless?” Adele laughed, shaking her head. “Your poor parents were so worried, though. I actually felt bad for them.” I waved her off, rolling my eyes. “They’re fine. They always overreact. It's nothing new. I just wanted them to leave quickly so I could breathe. I mean, seriously, how much fussing can two people do? It’s embarrassing.” Eloise smirked, “You
Eve I had hit it… right. I hit it right! Oh my God!. A grin spread across my face, unstoppable and wild. My heart raced with adrenaline, and I couldn’t contain the excitement bursting out of me. I did it. I actually hit the target and so perfectly at that. “Did you see that? Did you—” I spun around in pure elation, ready to bask in their reactions, but the words caught in my throat. I froze. Luke stood there, his mouth hanging open, his eyes wide with shock. He looked like he was trying to process what had just happened, as if his brain refused to believe it. His expression was so ridiculous I almost laughed, but then my gaze shifted. And then I saw him. The man who commanded all the attention in the room. He smiled. It was fleeting, just a flicker on his lips, but I caught it. It was there—a flash of something raw and real. But as quickly as it appeared, it was gone, replaced by his usual stoic, unreadable mask. My excitement faltered for just a moment, my hea
Xander I glanced down at the file resting on my lap.Rosa Green.The world’s favorite doctor. A medical prodigy.The file listed achievement after achievement—diseases cured, lives saved, impossible cases turned into miracles. She wasn’t just respected. She was worshipped. Doctors twice her age would bow at her feet for a chance to work beside her.She had treated the Italian president when he was shot, since then, the entire country had her back. Even the Pope owed her his life after she saved his leg—he called her a miracle sent by God to help humanity.She was basically untouchable.I tapped my fingers against the leather seat, my gaze locked on her photo. But that wasn’t what caught my attention the most.She looked... familiar.I frowned, the memory nagging at me. Had I seen her recently? Then, a thought struck me.I scoffed. No. That’s impossible.The reckless woman from yesterday—the one who barged into my car like she owned it, who had the audacity to claim I liked her, that
Rosa I was sinking in darkness. The weight of the water pressed against my body, pinning me down, paralyzing me. No matter how hard I tried to move, I couldn’t. Even my head refused to obey me, throbbing with sharp, relentless pain. Had I hit it when I fell into the river? Or was it something else? I forced my eyes to shift, searching through the water, and just beside me was a body. A woman? Her eyes were open, unblinking, staring up at the moon’s faint glow above the water. My heart clenched. I know that face. A sickening realization twisted inside me. No, no, no. I forced my body to move, to fight against whatever force was keeping me down. My fingers twitched as I reached out, grabbing the limp figure beside me. I shook her. "Daisy!!! Daisy! Wake up. Please.” The scream never left my lips. It drowned, swallowed by the abyss around me. I couldn’t breathe. Daisy’s lifeless eyes locked onto mine, and I stumbled back, my pulse hammering in my ears. “You killed me, Eve.”
Asher “Ava might have been murdered.” I tightened my grip on the steering wheel, Rosa’s words circling in my head. “So, you think her death might not have been an accident?” I asked, pulling away from the graveyard. Beside me, Rosa had her eyes closed, like she was trying to piece something together. She hummed in response before finally opening them. “That day, her body looked different.” I glanced at her. “Different? In what way?” She shrugged. “It’s hard to explain. I didn’t think too much about it back then, but seeing how things are now, I can’t shake the feeling. What if Ava’s death wasn’t an accident? What if there’s something more, something we missed?” I raised an eyebrow. “So, you’re saying there might be a killer… and that killer might be the same person who just finished cleaning the grave?” She nodded, indifferent, as if just stating a fact. But I knew better. Rosa rarely showed her emotions—always guarded, always hiding behind smiles and jokes. It was rare to s
Theodore I watched her closely. Too closely. The way she blinked, how her gaze met mine without hesitation, the way her lips curved slightly when she smiled.Why was I doing this? I didn’t know. I only knew that she reminded me of her. The first and last love of my life. The woman I would have gone through hell to protect.I almost scoffed at my own thoughts. Gone through hell to protect? How delusional. How stupid of me to even think that.I couldn’t protect her.I don't even know why they reminded me of eachother, They were completely different. From appearance to personality, she was nothing like Eve. So why did she make me think of her?She blinked, parting her lips to say something, but before she could, the man beside her stepped forward."I don't know how that is any of your business," he said. "I don’t think we have to tell you anything."I turned my attention to him. Tall. Lean. Dangerous. Good-looking in an effortless way. The kind of man women would naturally gravitate tow
Rosa "Shit, Rosa, don’t you dare—" I hung up before Asher could finish. Turning sharply, I bolted toward the direction of where the person was standing. And I was right. A figure spun on their heels and ran. Tall, broad-shouldered, dressed in black gloves and a nose mask— looking completely suspicious. The uneven ground of the graveyard made chasing him a pain, but I wasn’t about to let him escape. I dodged a few tombstones, nearly tripping over one, and called out, "Aren’t you tired of running? I just want to have a conversation! My legs are hurting, you know!" He didn’t look back; he just kept running. "This shithead," I muttered under my breath. Spotting a decent-sized stone on the ground, I grabbed it mid-run and hurled it at him with everything I had. It hit him square on the back, but it didn't do any damage, because he didn’t even flinch. "Is his head made of steel?" I huffed, pushing myself to run faster. He was leading me toward a more secluded part of the graveyard,
Rosa I stared out of the car window, watching as life moved on without a care. People laughed, walked briskly to their destinations, argued over little things, and simply existed. Twelve years had passed, yet nothing had changed in this country. Still as messy, still as chaotic. The only difference was that I had changed.“What are you thinking about?” Asher’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts.I turned my head slightly, meeting his gaze in the driver’s seat. “Nothing important. And oh. How did you know where I was?”Asher raised an eyebrow as if the answer was obvious. “You didn’t come out of the airport, and since I was your only ride, there was only one place you’d be— the convenience store. I brought you ice cream there, remember?”I smirked. “Is that so?”He clicked his tongue. “You knew that. You wanted to see if I’d figure it out. You love playing mind games, after all.”I let out a small chuckle. “And I love it when you keep up with me.”He shook his head, amused, before gla
Rosa I leaned back on the plastic chair outside the convenience store, whistling a soft tune, legs crossed lazily as I spun my phone between my fingers. In my other hand, a strawberry-flavored lollipop rested against my lips, the sweet taste lingering as I watched cars pass by with mild interest. The morning air was warm, and for a moment, I just sat there, soaking it all in. Then, as if a thought had just occurred to me, I ran a hand through my short, unruly hair and smirked. That man. His expression back in the car. The shock, the way his face almost fluttered before he shut it down with that signature indifference. I chuckled in amusement. Xander… He hasn’t changed at all—still the same attractive, brooding, and serious man he always was. I popped the lollipop back into my mouth, letting it click against my teeth when a voice said, "Excuse me, miss…" I looked up. Two boys stood there, shifting awkwardly in their school uniforms. High schoolers. I let my gaze run over the
Xander "Who are you?" My voice was low, but the grip I had on her waist tightened. Her light brown eyes blinked up at me, wide and unreadable. The prettiest damn shade I’d ever seen. And I wasn’t the type of man to lose his head over a woman’s looks, but there was something about her. Everything about her felt too damn familiar. Her scent. Her voice. The way she looked at me like she knew something I didn’t. I had never met her before. I was sure of it. So why did my body seem to remember her….to want her? She wet her lips, and my gaze dropped before I could stop it. And it was a terrible mistake. Because for the first time in my life, I had the urge—the insane urge, to know how she tasted. The thought hit me so hard it nearly knocked me out of my own body. I had never once in my life lost control like this. Never once let a woman get under my skin. She gasped, snapping me out of it. Her eyes widened. "Oh my God." I frowned. "What?" She stared at me, then let out another dra
Xander I was on the phone when Luke returned, “I’ve finished talking to the ambulance and the director of the hospital, sir,” he reported. I ended the call, slipping my phone back into my pocket. “And?” “The woman and her newborn child will be taken to the hospital—all expenses covered, sir.” I gave a curt nod. “Let’s go.” After the chaotic delivery mid-flight, we landed safely. Now, back in America, Kelly and her baby were in good hands. They would be fine. I should’ve moved on, but I still didn’t understand why I did all that. Why I stayed. Why I got involved in the first place. Why I listened to her, and why I touched the newborn baby with such warmth. Normally, I would’ve walked away without a second thought, letting the situation unfold without my interference. But I hadn’t. I stayed. And it was all because of her. I hadn’t seen her again after leaving the plane. Not that I had been looking. I had no reason to care. It was better that way. Outside, a group of security pe