"Mrs. Anderson, you have to turn on the engine first before you start driving.""Mrs. Anderson, that's not how you hold the steering wheel.""Mrs. Anderson, you're not pressing on the accelerator.""The car is not moving, Mrs. Anderson.""No, Mrs. Anderson, your left not right.""Please focus on the road ahead, Mrs. Anderson."'Urgh.' Eve hit her forehead on the steering wheel and it beeped loudly. Her heart wanted to fly out of her chest and even her hands were shaking. "Mrs. Anderson, can you please come out of the car?" Her instructor said. Eve had been waiting to hear that all day. She jumped out of the car and took in a long drag of the fresh air. Very refreshing. "Mrs. Anderson." The instructor dragged her attention. "It has been more than one week and you cannot even hold the steering wheel properly yet. If the idea of driving doesn't settle well with you, why don't I inform Mr. Anderson to find you a solution.""Are you looking down on me, Jonah?" Eve took her handbag from
"Come on, Honey. Stop it." Eve tugged at his necktie while undoing his buttons with one hand. "Ah! Not here, Honey. At least, wait until we get home." She buried her face in his neck and giggled nonstop. The footsteps from the door stopped and something dropped on the floor. "Eve, stop it," Ethan said in a warning tone. "Ah! Honey. Not the buttons. Leave my buttons alone. Stop it– Ah! Stop it." She ruffled up his shirt as well as hers. "S–Sir." A trembling voice came from the door. "I– I think I should come back later."Eve glanced over her shoulder. Jessie stood by the door, her face green and her expression sour. She squatted down and picked up the documents from the floor. "Oh, it is you, Jessie." She faked a surprised look. "Come back come back. What brought you here?"Jessie was about to head out of the office and she turned around, forcing a smile. "Sir." She ignored Eve and looked at Ethan. "I brought this report from the finance department. Can you please have a look?" "
"It was you?" Eve sat at a table in a high-end coffee shop. The soft music in the background blended with the murmurs from the other tables. And the smell of brewing coffee hung in the atmosphere. "Yeah." The man sitting across her laughed softly. Eve fiddled with the straps of her handbag, unable to take her eyes off him. Why hadn't she recognized his voice during the phone call? "How did you know my phone number, Mr. Hudson?" "Is that the most important thing to ask? I thought you were here because of the information I have for you."Of course, Eve was more than curious to know who dared send the taxi man to hit her. "Mr. Hudson, you took the liberty to investigate this matter. I am sure we don't know each other, is there something you want from me?"Wade dropped a briefcase on the table and opened it before bringing out some photos. "You can put it as that." He pushed the photos to her. "After all, you promised me a cup of coffee, Eve. But it has been one week, and you didn'
Ethan's thundering voice from the other end made Eve lose her grip on the phone. Her phone slid down her hand and hit the car floor hard. She reached down for it with trembling hands and checked the screen. It was intact. But the call was disconnected. Did Ethan hang up? Eve shuddered again. The tone of his voice still sent tremors down her nerves. What did she do this time? Was she in trouble? "Ma'am, what is your destination?" The taxi driver asked. "Th– The Heavenly Garden Villa," Eve answered. She'd be damned to go to Ethan's company today. She wouldn't even know what killed her. Ethan sounded like he would murder someone. The taxi took her to the residential area where the Villa stood, and Eve paid him then rushed into the house. "Madam, you're back early." One of the maids received her at the door. "Did you return with the Young Master?" Eve shook her head. "Hide me, Camila." She held the girl's hands. "Where is Elena and Dinah? Please hide me." "M–Madam, are you alrig
"Ah! Ethan, wait wait!" Eve gasped as Ethan suddenly lifted her and flung her over his shoulder. "Stop stop stop, Ethan, put me down!" Eve screamed and beat at his back, her heart hammering so hard that it could fly out of her chest. "This isn't the proper way to treat your wife! Mr. Anderson! Ethan, put me down!" But despite Eve's yells and screams, Ethan did not put her down. He even spanked her several times commanding her to shut up. He left the servants' quarters, heading straight into the house, and he took her upstairs. "Ethan, wait. I'm hungry, please let me eat dinner." Ethan strode up the stairs, ignoring her. And instead of stopping at the bedroom, he took her to his study room before putting her down and locking the door. "Ethan." Eve gasped and ran to a corner. "Don't even think about punishing me, I did nothing wrong. I– I didn't come to the company because I was tired. I spent the whole day learning how to drive.""You're lying." Ethan stood at the door, glaring
Eve opened her eyes the next morning, and her gaze fell on the man who was sleeping at the farther end of the bed. Ethan's back was to her and he'd pushed down the sheet that she put on him last night. Eve sighed and reached out with her hand to touch him, but her hand halted mid-air. Ethan was still mad at her, she could feel it radiating from him. She sat up on the bed and turned on the bedside lamp. Her eyes went to the tiny clock. It was four in the morning. Eve left the bed and wobbled into the bathroom, yawning and rubbing her eyes. She came out later and got ready for the day. On leaving the closet, her eyes landed on the bed. Ethan was still fast asleep. She walked out of the bedroom and headed downstairs to the kitchen. "Good morning, Madam. You're awake early." Elena and the two maids greeted. Eve covered her mouth to suppress a yawn, nodding to their greetings. "Are you cooking breakfast?""We are about to, Madam." "Great." Eve walked forward and stood in front of t
Eve sat in the passenger seat of Ethan's car, hoping more than anything to disappear. "You still won't say anything, huh?" Ethan gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles bright. "Evelyn, if you dare cause any trouble this time–""I– I didn't cause any trouble, I swear. It's just a matter related to the taxi incident.""The taxi incident again." Ethan glanced sideways, his anger increasing. "How many things are you hiding from me, Eve? Why are you needed at the police custody?"Eve grimaced and looked out of the window. They arrived at the police station several minutes later, and she hurried out of the car but Ethan came to her side and gripped her hand."Stop it, Ethan. I didn't do anything wrong. And you'll find out in a moment." Eve wriggled her hand free and gave him a helpless look.Ethan gave her a skeptical look. She followed him into the station and they met her father sitting on a waiting chair. On another chair sat the taxi driver who was handcuffed. While Cole stood in a
"It's you again.""It's you again."Mia and Cole said at the same time. The man walked toward where Eve stood with Ethan, and he stood beside her. "It is me, yes." He glanced at Cole and Mia. "And I have come here, not to waste my time on you two insignificant people, but to actually see you." His gaze strayed to Eve. "Eve." Wade brought a device out from his pants pocket and showed it to her. "I forgot to give you this at the coffee shop. I guess we were both carried away.""This man again," Ethan said in a low tone. "Evelyn–""It– It isn't what you're thinking, Ethan." Eve quickly shook her head. "Mr. Hudson, I thought you would respect my request and never stalk me again. Why did you come here?""Ah! Evelyn. You're really something." Mia folded her hands and scoffed. "So this man is in collusion with you. It's no wonder, he stood up for you that night.""I can see that you have found another man, Evelyn. You now claim that Mr. Anderson is enough for you, but I don't see it that
Not every family stuck with each other forever. But forever is like asking for never. They'd all had their ups and downs. The brothers quarreled, not once, not twice, and definitely not thrice. Yet, at the end of the day, they always came back together, standing strong as one family. As Eve lounged on a recliner, staring at the vast ocean ahead, her mind couldn't help but wander to a few years back. Ethan left the company for Wade, but only to manage the one in the other city, as that city was much closer to the island. Well, they frequented here, and often, the whole family gathered here for vacation. "Mummy, I want more." A tiny voice came from her lap and Eve looked down at the baby. She'd almost been convinced that he was sleeping. Her fingers ran through his hair and she removed the straw from her mouth and let him sip the coconut juice. "This is your last sip, Evan. You can't have too much coconut." "Uhuh." The boy nodded and took a sip, but he didn't let go of the stra
"Eve, please c–calm down. Your babies must not be far," Elena tried to coax her as Eve sat on the bed the next morning, bawling her eyes out. Ethan had ransacked the whole hospital last night. They'd even alerted the authorities, and all the staff that worked in the nursery were investigated, but... Her babies were nowhere to be found, they were still missing. And the surveillance cameras caught nothing. Everywhere was dark. "Eve." The Stewardess rubbed her shoulders. "Please don't cry, it can affect your health. Even if that person is cruel enough to kidnap the babies, I don't think they'll have the heart to hurt them."Hurt her babies? Eve cried harder. "That is what I'm scared of, Elena. What if they harm my babies!?""Shhhh, it's okay." Elena hugged her and patted her back. "Don't cry, Eve. Let's keep praying. Nothing will happen to the babies, the Young Master is out there with the authorities searching for them." "M–My babies." Eve's lips trembled and she sniffed rapidly. "My
Swapping her with another baby? Eve pulled away and stared at the woman in astonishment. "Mum, what did you just say?" "I'm horrible, right?" Her mother covered her face and sobbed. "I understand if you don't forgive me, Eve. I don't think I deserve it. I wasn't in my right mind, I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought..." She trailed off and kept on sobbing. Eve opened her mouth, but no words came out. The accidental swapping wasn't an accident? Her Mum did that? "M–Mum, why did you..." Eve held back her tears from falling, trying her best to control the sudden grief compounding her heart. "Mum..." "Please don't call me that. I feel bad when you call me by that name. After what I did..." "Do you really hate me?" Eve sniffed. "What did Dad do for you to hate me so much? What did he do for you to abandon me?" "I don't hate you now, Eve." Her mother shook her head and looked up. "I am just ashamed to come near you. I am ashamed to be close to you after what I did." Eve
"Please endure it, Mrs. Anderson. We'll soon get to the delivery room."Eve couldn't register what happened next. All she knew was that she was being wheeled down a long hallway and the pain in her stomach kept expanding with each second. "Eve, please keep up with the pain. I know you can handle it." Ethan continuously stroked her hair while wiping her sweat with the other hand. "It's too painful, Ethan. I think I'm gonna die!" Eve cried. How could she handle this pain? It was the most agonizing experience she'd ever gone through. "You can do it, Eve. I believe in you." Ethan's reassuring words were accompanied by the fear in his voice. It took forever before they finally wheeled her into the labor room. Her gynecologist appeared and the staff lifted her on a bed. "Help me, please! I don't wanna die, Doc!" "You aren't going to die, Mrs. Anderson. It's a momentary pain. Luckily, you're already opened.""C–Can I start pushing?""Yes, please. You can start pushing.""Ahhhhh! I can'
As if they were being chased out of the island, the private jet arrived that evening. No one carried anything with them, just their clothes and phones. When the plane descended on the helipad at the rooftop of the hospital, Ethan literally jumped out before it came to a complete stop. "Th–That was dangerous, Ethan!" Eve shouted amidst the blaring sound of the plane. The gynecologist helped her out and she held his hand. "Ethan, please calm down. Let's hope nothing bad happens." The man wasn't looking at her. His mind seemed to have wandered off, the same condition he'd been in since they left the island. Ethan brought out his phone and fiddled with it. Then he made a quick phone call before holding her tight and heading down the rooftop with her. "You can go home, Eve." "No, I must see Grandpa." Her heart was racing and her nerves were wracking inside. She couldn't just go home like a coward. And Ethan wasn't himself, she'd rather be with him. They appeared on the top floor
But Ethan wasn't being too sensitive, he was just smarter than her to see the gynecologist's actions coming. As the weeks passed by, Sara's actions became bolder and more provocative. She'd even resorted to dressing in short dresses without shoulder straps. Sometimes, she'd even walk around the house in a tiny bikini, claiming she was going swimming. But even after returning from the pool, she'd take a long time before changing out of the bikini. And the worse thing was... She would use the pretense to speak about Eve's health in other to spend time with Ethan. Sometimes, they'd be discussing until midnight as she explained some difficult medical terminologies to him. "Eve, I know I'm not supposed to butt in, but you must take action before this girl snatches your husband." Elena came to her room one day and advised, and Eve found it hard to handle the bitter truth. "You also noticed it, Elena?" "Everyone notices it," Elena whispered. "Even the maids speak about it, Eve. S
Eve made sure all the things they would need were set in place three days later. After bidding their families goodbye, they set off to the island in Ethan's private jet and arrived the next morning. "This house is very huge, Madam," Camila said as they toured the mansion."I can't believe we're going to live here until you put to bed.""Won't you miss the city life?" Eve's eyes wandered around the large living room. It was even more luxurious than the one back at the Villa. "Not at all, Madam. Compared to the noises and buzz of the city, this place can be considered a paradise.""Mmm. I also like it." Eve nodded and caressed her bump. "And I think my babies like it also." They didn't kick a lot today, unlike recently when they'd been nothing but active. "This is a generous gift from their great-grandfather. Of course, they'd like it, Madam." One of the maids looked at her stomach and smiled. "Where is Elena, by the way?" Eve's brows furrowed as she asked."She must be in the kitc
Like the sand in an hourglass, the months slowly trickled by. While Ethan worked hard day and night to stabilize the company, Eve couldn't ward off the lingering fear that Wade was lurking in the shadows. Sometimes, she would forget he existed, and other times, the thought of his action and promise made her wake up with a start in the middle of the night. Such as this night. Eve reached for the glass of water on the bedside table. She took a sip of it, patting her chest to ease her frantic heartbeat. Her eyes squinted in the darkness and she turned on the bedside lamp then looked sideways at Ethan. "You're awake?" Ethan turned and opened his eyes. "Is it the nightmare, Eve?"Eve sighed and slowly nodded. "I told you to stop worrying about it. He can't do anything.""We're not sure, Ethan." Eve shifted and rested on his arm. "That man is dangerous, we must be wary of him.""He can't do anything," Ethan repeated, caressing her bump. "I'll make sure he never comes near you."Eve wasn
"You, Evelyn! You think you have finally made it in life! You think you can bully others and do as you please!? Unlike you, I won't go to the authorities. I'll take the matter into my hands and make sure you're dead!"As Mia charged toward her with a knife, Eve stood still, unable to react. But Ethan acted fast and knocked the knife out of her hand. "Ahhhhh! Leave me alone! Let me at her!" Mia screamed as two bodyguards hurried forward and seized her. "I said let me go! You are all bunch of fools and cowards, hiding behind the authorities! If you don't fear me, Evelyn, let's fight barehanded. I'll poke out your eyes and make you regret ever thinking of harming Cole.""This crazy girl. Why did you come here?" Eve's grandfather stood up with his cane. "You have lost your mind by thinking that you can harm my granddaughter.""Are you sure that she is your granddaughter!?" Mia yelled. "You have always hated me, Old Man. I wasn't surprised when you wanted to kick me out. What stupid blood