"Wow, you were so fast, Ethan." Eve stood up and met him on the way. "You really are excited, aren't you?" Ethan walked past her and sat on the head chair. "What is it, Eve?""I knew it. You're excited." Eve giggled. "No, I mean what do you want?" Ethan stared straight at her. "You keep saying you want to show me something since last night. Is that thing invisible that you can't show it already?" Eve pursed her lips and stomped forward. "Stop being a killjoy, Ethan. At least, act as if you're excited." "Acting is being fake. I'm not a fake person." "Ethan!" Eve sighed. "Whatever it is, I know you're excited deep inside. But I have my pride to preserve, and I won't show you anymore until you beg for it.""Good." Ethan picked up his utensils. "That means I can eat in peace." Eve grumbled and sank down on the chair beside him. 'This heartless man.' "Have you forgotten about our agreement? You can't make me unhappy, Ethan." Ethan ate his food silently. "And that is exactly what yo
"Evelyn, you caused all this! Where is she!? If this Young Master doesn't break her bones today– If she doesn't beg for mercy today! Bah! There's no mercy in my vocabulary!" Two bodyguards were dragging Ethan's brother into the Villa. They were still at the gates and Eve sighed in relief. She quickened up her space and limped toward the back of the Villa where she met Ethan playing golf on the grass field. She didn't possess the energy to tackle Matt this morning. And that idiot seemed out of his mind. "Ethan, what are you doing?" Eve hurried up to where he stood. She couldn't even bring herself to be mad at him anymore. Otherwise, who would save her from that crazy Matt? "Isn't it obvious?" Ethan was very focused as he aimed for the golf ball with the club. He didn't seem to want to be disturbed. Matt broke out of the bodyguards' holds and charged in their direction. "Ethan, teach me how to play golf." Eve gasped and ran into Ethan's embrace. She snatched the golf club from hi
"Argh! Don't give me that look. She started it!" Matt dropped the grocery bags and said. "Oh my, goodness, Camila." Eve stood up and touched her shoulder. "What happened? What did he do to you?" "Madam!" Camila sobbed loudly, covering her face. She went to her knees and lamented, "I only asked him to hold the grocery bags as you instructed. But he pointed at me and said... He said..." "What did he say, Camila?" Eve pulled her up and glared at Matt. "Don't be afraid, tell me." "Madam." Camila sniffed and wiped her tears. "He told me that I'm so skinny and pale. He said I'm so fragile that I won't even last a second in bed. He also said my chest is too flat and I look like a boy." "Ahhh! Matt!" Eve gasped. "Shame on you. How can you say this to a lady? Are your eyes paining you to say that she's too skinny?" "She asked for it. No one orders this Young Master around and goes unscathed." Eve shook her head and patted Camila's back. "Don't listen to him, Camila. You're very be
Not a minute late, the stylists arrived. Eve sat in front of the mirror as they put makeup on her face. "There's a variety of designs to choose from. Which one do you prefer, Ma'am?" One of the stylists asked as she arranged some gowns on the bed. "What color is Ethan's necktie?" Eve accessed the gowns. The designs were on par with each other and it was hard to choose one. "I think Mr. Anderson is wearing a golden necktie tonight.""In that case, I'll take the red one with golden patterns." "That's a nice choice. You have eyes for great things, Ma'am." Eve smiled through the mirror. After the stylist was done with her face, she pulled out the cap on her head and let her hair loose. "You have great hair, Ma'am. What kind of hairstyle do you prefer? A bob, or a shoulder-length hairstyle with a bang, or you'd like us to add an extension?" "No, make it wavy at the end, and leave some strands at the front." The stylists did as she instructed and when they finished styling her hair,
"Ahhh! Ethan, y–you." Eve yelped. His hands wandered into her dress and she quickly pulled away, pushing at his chest. "Argh! What is wrong with you, Ethan? I worked so hard on this makeup." Eve stared at her reflection in her phone's camera. Her lipstick was gone.She pursed her lips and opened the pouch. Luckily, a lipstick rolled out and she picked it up and applied it on her lips. "Apart from making me feel like the ugliest person alive, you also planned to ruin my makeup. Ethan, are you a psycho?" Ethan brought out his phone and operated it silently, acting as if nothing had happened. And Eve sighed and stared out of the window. The large billboards lit up now and then. Skyscrapers glowed with lights. And the night sky shone with stars. They soon arrived at the heart of the city, and the Limo stopped in front of an enormous hotel. Eve's eyes brightened up and they snapped to Ethan. "Don't go out yet," Ethan said in a warning tone as if sensing her excitement. "Wait for my c
Eve's grandfather and Ethan's grandfather were about to play chess. The duo did not notice them even when they approached the table. Eve shook her head, wondering about their obsession with chess. Because even during her wedding ceremony with Ethan, they didn't cease to compete there. "Ah! Big Sis! It's Big Sis!" The first person that noticed them was one of her sisters sitting across the table. "Big Sis, is this really you? Am I dreaming?" Eve's other sister stood up and exclaimed. Her father stared at her in shock and her grandfather stood up. "The heavens must have blessed me tonight. My favorite granddaughter is here, and I'm about to beat this Old Man." He wrapped Eve in a firm hug. "Evelyn, you silly girl. Just because we sent you off to this boy doesn't mean that you can't visit us. It has been many months. Why haven't you come to see us yet?" "Big Sis!" Her sisters left their chairs and came to her side. "You look so different, Big Sis. Wow, you're so pretty." "Brothe
"What is going on?""Why are policemen here?""Is there a criminal amongst us?"The crowd started murmuring and the soft music quieted down. Cole stared at Eve, fists clenched and eyes flashing with anger. The policeman advanced towards her and her brows furrowed. "Mrs. Anderson, Mr. Nathan has put a charge against you. Can you follow us to the station?" One of the policemen held out the handcuffs in his hand and said. "A charge against me? For what?" Eve's frown deepened. It wasn't because of the beating she'd given him in the changing room at the boutique, right? "What is going on? What brings this imbecile here? This Young Master has been ransacking the whole city to find you. You dared come here and press charges against my Sister-in-law?" Matt hollered, flailing his hands in the air. More crowd gathered around and the whispers increased. "What business might Mrs. Anderson have with this Young Man?""He doesn't seem to be part of the social circle, but he doesn't look ordina
"Well well well." The video stopped playing and someone stepped out of the crowd and clapped. The Young Man was tall. He looked to be just about Ethan's age. His lips quirked into a mischievous smile, and he whistled loudly. "What a great show you have pulled off," he said. "I didn't know this party would be so interesting. Thank heavens, I didn't miss the flight."The crowd's murmur quieted down as the new man stepped in front of Cole. "But believe me, Young Man. I was a bit disappointed. Even a bad scriptwriter would come up with something better. Did you think everyone in this hall is a fool?""What do you know, Mister? This isn't anyone's problem." Cole retorted. "This is between me and Mrs. Anderson.""Then wait until you are alone with Mrs. Anderson and her family before you take this kind of action. This is a cliched approach, Young Man. And every sensible person in this hall knows what you're aiming at.""Ethan. Do you know him?" Eve whispered to Ethan.But the slight frown
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