The loud sound caused both Eva and Lucien to turn their attention to the direction of the sound, and to their dismay four young ladies walked into the room followed by the waiter behinds them.“Ma'am, this is wrong, you can't do this -” “Shut up!” The lady in red dress yelled at the waiter, causing him to swallow back the rest of his words.“You ladies seem to have entered the wrong room, please take your leave.” Eva remark without bothering to spare them a glance. She had already anticipated this kind of situation before hand when the waiter left the room. She was already guessing that the VIP guests that the waiter was talking about would cause some problem after she refused to leave the room.“It turns out that you are a woman after all. However, I came into the right room.” The lady in red dress uttered. She was quite taken by surprise when she saw that the guest in the room was a woman, plus she was a beautiful jaw-dropping woman at that.“What business do you have here, then?”
The lady blinked for a couple of seconds when she heard Eva's question. “W-what is that supposed to mean? I asked you to leave this room because this is the room I normally use. You are just a mere customer that came to eat here for just one day where I am a VIP guest, so I presume to have more right to request you to leave at this instant!” She was already irked enough due to how Eva had ignored her earlier, the lady couldn't control her anger anymore and barked furiously at Eva as she looked down on her.Thankfully the room was sound proof. If not, the other customers in the other private rooms would have heard her loud voice.Eva wasn't fazed at all by the yell from the lady as she still maintained her blank and calm expression on her face. “Since you claimed to be a VIP guest, then I guess I have no other choice but to agree with you on that.” Eva calmly responded.“That's right, you should have-” One of the ladies behind was about to utter something, however she was suddenly inte
“You despicable little brat. I only have your mother to blame because she had failed her duties to properly educate you which is the reason behind why you lack good manners. But I'll make you understand that there are severe consequences for your utterances." The lady declared angrily.“You're right, my mother might have failed in her duties to raise me but my sister over here did a good job taking care of me.” Lucien retorted back with a calm look.“Then, this sister of yours has done a terrible job. How dare a brat like you talk back to an adult?” The lady yelled before shifting her attention to Eva."It turns out your brother has inherited your sharp tongue and that would eventually cause his downfall in the future if you don't stop him now, but I doubt you would because it seems like it would be of no use." The lady claimed as she eyed Eva with a disgusted look."He is just a child, I thought you would be a bigger person and not take his words too personal." Eva replied in a nonch
"Are you now telling me that I've gone insane and speaking nonsense?" Daya retorted sarcastically as she got infuriated by the fact that the manageress dared to challenge her words. "I'm sorry again, miss Daya. That wasn't exactly what I meant to say but I was only trying to.....""Please, spare us the useless chattering and just do exactly as she tell you. These two lowlife are nothing but trouble and their presence in this restaurant is making us feel uncomfortable so just kick them out right this instant. " Lisa intervened into the conversation, cutting off the words the manageress was about to say. Even though her family was not as rich as the Gale family, Lisa was also from a wealthy family that upholds a high status in the restaurant as well."Lisa is right. It's either they are thrown out of this restaurant or we take our leave and never patronize your restaurant any longer, same goes for my family too. We'll also spread words to the rest of our friends to never step inside t
Since the whole meeting was about to end before the manageress left the room, Mr. Smith and the businessmen came to a conclusion on the matter. Mr. Smith was escorting the clients out of the restaurant while using the opportunity to show the clients around the restaurant and the VIP section area.Whilst he giving a quick tour to the clients, his attention was drawn to a certain private room with the door opened, when he lingered closer to the room with the guest behind him, he saw that the manageress was present in the room along with some other ladies, then he recalled that the manageress had excused herself earlier from the meeting to handle some matter, he wondered if this was the matter she was implying to when she left the meeting room.It was at that moment, Mr. Smith caught sight of both Eva and Lucien in the room which even made him intrigued to know what was happening since he couldn't just ignore them when they seemed to be in a bit of a troublesome situation. As a result,
"You've done a good job but your efforts are still lacking a bit. I want you to upgrade their level as a VVIP and they will be treated as such every time you come to this restaurant." Mr. Smith instructed in a commanding tone."I understand you, Sir." The manageress responded sharply even though she was surprised by the chairman's declaration, she wouldn't dare question him, not at this moment when he was still offended with her.“There was one more task you needed to do for me." Mr. Smith' informed the manageress while looking at Daya, Lisa and Shelly in a disregardful manner. "Tell me if I'm wrong but earlier, I think I overheard these three women demanding that you throw out both Eva and Lucien out of this restaurant because their presence was causing an inconvenience to them, am I right?""Yes, you are correct, Sir." The manageress replied instantly."Meanwhile, you were also about to carry out that order but stopped after I intervened." The old man remarked again with a questio
Eva chuckled lightly as she found the old man's response to be through. Her grandmother would certainly react in the manner he had described. In spite of that she was still greatly concerned about the fact that this issue could cause a big loss to Mr. Smith's restaurant and she desperately wanted to avoid that."Grandpa, I won't deny the credibility of your word and we weren't kicked out of the restaurant because you prevented that from happening. There are still tons of restaurants we could go to even if we were kicked out of this place so it's nothing serious." Eva muttered playfully."Yes, I managed to stop this dimwit from kicking you out but the mere fact that ordered you to do so in the first place was outrageous. I'm not saying this only because it's you but they need to understand that all customers should be respected regardless of appearance and status." Mr. Smith pointed at the manageress as he retorted back at Eva. “Besides, you have done a big favor for me and this resta
Despite the fact that they were a little bit confused, no one dared to utter a word about. Mr. Smith is one of the big shots in Miami and he is not a person to be trifled with in society, even if the business clients that came to his restaurant were also popular, they couldn't dare go against him because it was their utmost gratitude to be given a chance to do business with him.“You gentlemen can't leave just like that, allow my manageress to escort you out of the restaurant.” Mr. Smith stopped the gentlemen who were to leave before he turned to the manageress. “I need you to escort these esteemed guests and see them out of the restaurant.” He instructed.“Yes sir,” The manageress bowed as she glanced at the gentlemen. “Please, follow me.” She said while gesturing the gentlemen out of the room.“Grandpa, we will be taking our leave now.” Eva announced to Mr. Smith.“Since you guys have brought a car, let me escort you guys to your car instead. That way we can catch up a little bit.”
“I... I’m starting to think Eva might be trying to sabotage me. You know, with the awards coming up, and her growing popularity... I just have this feeling she’s trying to push me out of the competition,” Christine said, her voice trembling slightly as if she was on the verge of breaking down. She knew Mark would respond to weakness, to vulnerability, just as he always had.Mark’s voice was low, filled with annoyance. “What do you mean, sabotage you? She’s already got the public on her side. What else does she want?”“I don’t know, Mark. But I can’t shake the feeling that she’s behind some of the things happening to me lately,” Christine continued, carefully planting the seed of doubt. “She’s been getting more endorsements, more media attention... She’s always one step ahead, and I feel like she’s using me to boost her own career. Maybe she’s trying to push me out of the spotlight, making sure I don’t have a chance to win.”Mark was silent for a moment, processing the information. Chr
Eva didn’t respond immediately. She could feel the seriousness in Everett’s words, and for a brief moment, the playful rivalry between them was pushed aside.Everett’s eyes softened slightly as she looked at Eva, a rare glimpse of concern flickering in her gaze. “What are you going to do about her? She’s the one who caused my accident but had that person lie he was a fan, right? Also with the recent things happening, I can tell she’s been pulling strings, trying to break you down.”Eva's expression hardened, her grip tightening on her wine glass. “I’m not sure yet. But Christine’s time is running out.” She gave a slight, bitter laugh. “I won’t let her destroy me.”Everett studied Eva for a moment, her face unreadable. “Be careful, Eva,” she said quietly, her tone more serious than Eva had ever heard. “Christine’s dangerous. And she’s got a way of making everyone believe her sweet little act.”Eva took a deep breath, looking away briefly as she processed Everett’s words. The concern wa
The day of the event arrived, and Christine was glowing with victory. Dressed in an elegant gown, she enjoyed the attention as she mingled with industry elites, knowing she was now the headlining speaker.With Eva out of the picture, this was her moment.Then the doors opened.Gasps rippled through the crowd as Eva walked in, effortlessly poised, wearing a breathtaking designer dress. The cameras instantly shifted toward her, flashing in rapid succession.Christine’s smile faltered. “What is she doing here?”Before she could react, the event host stepped onto the stage, microphone in hand.“Ladies and gentlemen, we have a special surprise. While there were some scheduling changes, we’re honored to have Eva here tonight.”Christine stiffened. “What? That’s impossible!”Eva merely smiled, making her way toward the front.Kai had pulled the right strings behind the scenes. Even if she wasn’t an official speaker anymore, she was still one of the biggest names in the room—and the audience
Christine was livid. Every attempt to ruin Eva had backfired, and now, the industry was beginning to suspect foul play.Her carefully crafted innocent image was slipping, and she refused to let that happen.Gripping her phone tightly, she dialed Tanya, her voice sharp the moment the call connected."Tanya, listen carefully. I don’t care what it takes—pull every string, bribe whoever you need to, but make sure Eva does not attend the upcoming fashion event. I want her out, completely.”Tanya hesitated. “Christine, are you sure about this? Maybe you should—”“Don’t question me!” Christine snapped, her frustration boiling over. “Do you think I have the luxury of waiting? Eva is already taking the spotlight. If this continues, I won’t even be considered for the Top Ten Models Award!”Tanya sighed. “Fine. I’ll see what I can do. But Christine, be careful. You’re playing a dangerous game. If this backfires, it could cost you everything.”Christine scoffed. “Please. Eva won’t be able to prov
Christine sat alone in the dimly lit hotel, her fingers lightly tapping against the side of her untouched wine glass. The usually confident and composed woman looked lost in thought, her expression unreadable as she stared at the city skyline beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows.Everything she had planned against Eva had backfired spectacularly. Instead of destroying Eva’s reputation, she had only fueled the public’s admiration for her. The industry was turning against Christine, and the narrative was slipping out of her control.A soft click of heels echoed through the room, breaking Christine from her thoughts.“Christine?”She turned her head slightly, finding Tanya standing near the entrance, a curious look on her face.Tanya was one of the few people Christine trusted—or rather, tolerated—because she was useful. Smart, cunning, and always willing to play dirty, Tanya had been by Christine’s side long enough to know exactly how far she was willing to go to get what she wanted.“Wh
A few days after Mark successfully cleared his name from the Harper Luxuries scandal, Christine sat alone in her dressing room, her perfectly manicured fingers tapping impatiently against the vanity table.She had tried everything—sabotage, whispers in the right ears, carefully placed rumors—yet Eva always came out unscathed. Every plan Christine devised had crumbled before her eyes, and it was beginning to drive her insane.If indirect tactics didn’t work, she had to change her approach. This time, she wouldn’t hide behind shadows. She wouldn’t need to.Instead, she would manipulate the situation so well that Eva would ruin herself.All she needed was the perfect stage.---An exclusive fashion gala was set to take place, attended by top designers, influencers, and media elites. Both Eva and Christine had been invited as brand ambassadors for their respective labels.Christine smirked to herself. This was it. The perfect opportunity.She had carefully arranged for the media’s attenti
The dim candlelight cast a golden glow over the elegantly set dining table. A soft melody played in the background, filling the room with warmth. Christine had spent hours preparing this—his favorite dishes, the finest wine. Tonight had to be perfect.She glanced at the clock anxiously. Mark would be home soon. And she had to fix this.The front door finally opened, and Mark stepped inside. His face was tired, his eyes dark with frustration. He didn’t even glance at the romantic dinner she had prepared. Instead, he sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair.“Christine, what is this?” His voice was cold.Christine swallowed and stepped toward him. “A dinner. For us.”Mark scoffed, shaking his head. “A dinner? Christine, do you have any idea what I’ve been dealing with? My father’s furious. Investors are backing out after the Harper Luxuries. I've lost of funds.” His voice grew sharper, filled with exhaustion. “And do you know what people are whispering? That my own fiancée might
The silence between them was thick with unspoken thoughts, but Damien wasn’t one to leave things unresolved. He turned slightly, his piercing gaze fixed on her.“Why didn’t you ask for my help?” His voice was calm but held an edge of something deeper—something close to frustration.Eva, who had been absentmindedly tracing the rim of her wine glass, glanced at him. A small smirk curled her lips, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.“Because it was something I could handle,” she said simply. “Like always.”Damien’s expression remained unreadable, but his fingers curled slightly against his knee. “And if you couldn’t?”Eva shrugged. “Then I would have asked. But it wasn’t time for that yet.”That answer didn’t satisfy him. He exhaled slowly, rubbing his temple. “Eva—”“I know what you’re going to say,” she interrupted, meeting his gaze head-on. “You think I should have let you take care of it. But Damien, I don’t always need you to fight my battles. Sometimes, I want to win them on my own
Eva sat on the couch, feeling bored. The scandal had caused too much noise, and going home—where the paparazzi were undoubtedly lurking—was out of the question.With a sigh, Eva reached for her phone and scrolled through her contacts. Her finger hovered over Damien for a moment before she pressed the call button.The phone rang twice before his deep, smooth voice came through. “Eva.”Just her name. Nothing more. But there was something in the way he said it—low, controlled, yet sharp with attention—that made her exhale slowly.“Hey,” she murmured, leaning against the plush headboard.Silence. Then, “What’s wrong?”She almost smiled. He always saw through her.“I can’t go home,” she admitted, rubbing her temple. “The reporters are camped outside. And after today’s interview… they’ll only get worse.”Damien didn’t answer immediately. She could hear the faint rustling of papers, the click of a pen, before he finally spoke. “Where are you?”“Penthouse suite at the Grand Royale,” she repli