Eva touched the part of her face that slapped. She could sense her cheek began swelling. She hasn't eaten since last night, and the slap made her dizzy.

  "Madam Shen! Please, forgive me! It was only an accident!"

  Slap!

  Hilda slapped her other cheek; Eva cannot hold back her tears any longer. She covered her mouth, not letting out her cry.

  "That was for you being such a liar! And that is not enough to pay for your crime! Your family has the oath to remain loyal and protect Shen from all circumstances! But what have you done instead? Spreading rumors about my son's sexual orientation? You must protect Vincent's image even if true he is gay! That was your job, the reason you are married to him! The Shen has been generous to the Lan as we felt indebted! But you dare to betray us after we save your family from almost living in the streets!"

  "Madam Shen, please forgive me if I didn't become a better wife to your son… I…"

  "You never became Vincent's wife, and thank god someone did that on your behalf!"

  Eva grabbed the hem of her dress and clenched both of her palms into fists. Hilda is referring to Hailee.

  "As you could see, he is expecting his child now!" Hilda added that enraged Eva.

  She mused, 'So it was okay for her that Vincent has a mistress? Huh!'

  Madam Shen didn't tolerate such an act. That is why in these passing years, she is cautious about everything she is doing.

  But of course! Hailee Davies is such a prize!

  Eva lowered her gaze. It's not because she felt sorry, but hatred surging uncontrollably from the bottom of her chest.

  Why was she born into a family that was only slaves to others? Being born to protect the Shen? What a joke! What is so great about them in the first place?

  The Shen family only survived because of Hilda Lopez. Now Madam Shen was throwing a fit because she harmed the heir?

  Eva scoffs inwardly. Madam Shen is also the same as those in the upper-class family who would only favor someone rich and from the most prominent family, such as Hailee Davies, the sole heiress of Davies Corporation, one of the most wealthy families in the world!

  She wanted to laugh to herself for being such a pity and a fool for losing her head over Bryan. She crawled someone's bed to get a name of her own as an outstanding Interior Designer. But she isn't just using her body to get what she wants. She also proves that she is the best. She only takes the easiest way.

  But stupid heart! Bryan's love is what she can never get because of Hailee Davies! Now, someone like Madam Hilda Lopez Shen is in favor of that girl! She even won her heart!

  Hailee has everything already. Why does she have to take the only things she wanted in this life?

  "I didn't intend to hurt her…" she said in a lower voice. "It's not my fault if she was just too weak. I touch her…." Eva gasped. Hilda slaps her one more time, and that is the third time.

  "Don't make a fool of me!" Hilda sneered at Eva. "Do you think Tim didn't send me the video? That was enough evidence that you assaulted Hailee! You slapped her and hurt her, but you acted like it was you Hailee had attacked! I will make sure you share the same fate as your parents and sister!"

  Hilda looked at Eva downward like a disgusting insect. She lifted her chin and said, "You dream of milking money from Vincent and then planning to set him up with another man's child? Huh! Keep dreaming! You will get not even one dime from him! The next time we see each other is in court! I would love to send you off to prison!"

  After saying this, Madam Hilda Shen glared at Eva before she got out of the room. Eva was left in despair. She can't accept that her dreams would shatter like this!

  Why has that girl become her nightmare even in the daytime? She was like a shadow who always hunts her!?

  Eva shoves her face in her palms. It shouldn't end like this!

  She lost track of how long she remained to lie down on the floor. She heard the door open one more time, but she didn't move, thinking that it might be Madam Hilda who came back.

  Then, a familiar black folder was thrown on the floor and landed in front of her.

  She lifted her head; she found Bryan staring at her with such cold eyes.

  "Sign it."

  Eva bites her lip. She furiously clenched her palm into a fist from her anger. Yes. She didn't feel scared or pity herself anymore. But she was angry that Bryan was completely losing his head.

  "Are you letting her marry Vincent? Don't you want to get back together? Don't you keep rejecting me because you still hope she will give you another chance? Then why do you want me to divorce Vincent? You can use me, Bryan! I will not give Vincent the divorce he wanted!"

  "Enough, Eva! I'm not interested in whatever you were saying. Now sign it!"

  Bryan squatted in front of her, shoving a pen in her hand. She wipes the tears from her eyes, then looks up at Bryan with rage.

  "You can't stop me! I will speak whatever I want! All these years, you are using me with your dark fantasies. And it bothers me how you never care about me! You were only thinking of yourself, Bryan!"

  "Is that so? Did I force you? I never had, but you also liked it! Besides, you were fooling with other men behind my back!"

  "You never treat me right, but just someone as your shit! You only see me as an object to relieve your sexual frustration! But you can't lay your hands on her, but treat her like a fragile doll! And with me, you are so heartless! You've just used me!"

  "Why are you whining now? Our relationship has no strings attached. You know that already, but you were acting as if you owned me, nor I owed you something!"

  "I only wish for a bit of love from you! But you only love her even if she just enslaves you!"

  "She never enslaved me! I give her every right to bother me whenever she wants me! Can't you understand that, Eva?"

  "You are so unfair! I love you so much, Bryan! And it bothers me that you don't care about me! You never see what I am willing to do for you!"

  "I heard loud and clear what you said! Don't you dare to deny how a gold digger you are! You are also a user for using your nominal husband and other men! You are not different from me! So stop acting clean!"

  Bryan is holding both of her shoulders, shaking her body. He was hurting her, but Bryan ignored her even if she cried with pain.

  "Bryan, I'm hurting." She pleaded for him to let her go.

  "Don't you ever dare to tell me you love me! Do you know why Eva? If you truly love me, you should have never married Vincent in the first place! You should have divorced him sooner!"

  Eva rendered her silence. After a long moment, she wipes her tears and smiles bitterly.

  "Do you want to know why I showed her the video of us having sex, Bryan?" she asked Bryan afterward, who only cast a sharp glare at her. "Every person has a skeleton hiding in their closet, and I told her how dominant you are in sexual activity. I just taught her sex education, at the same time, showed her what kind of man you are. But she is such a baby. All she did was cry…."

  Tears fell from her eyes after Bryan slapped her hard. Her face was swollen already after Madam Shen hit her three times.

  Eva welled up. Bryan has no more ounce of pity left in his heart. He doesn't mind if he's hurting her now.

  "Why are you doing this, Bryan?" Eva asked, her voice trembling due to pain and anger.

  "I cannot touch her because she is too precious to me. Yes. I am afraid she will know who I am. I don't want to scare her. That is why I was careful of what kind of man I revealed to her. I've become the best man in front of her, the reason she was shocked, and it was hard for her to accept after she learned what I am."

  Bryan hurled a long breath from the bottom of his lungs before he carried on.

  "You are right all along, Eva. I am just using you to relieve the monster inside me. I cannot love you because the only one in my heart is her…. But because of that love? I can go this far, Eva. I want her to be happy. And the least I could do is help her marry the man who can bring a smile to her face. Yes, Eva. I am willing to do everything for her, even if it will break my heart."

  "Why!?" she doesn't understand.

  Bryan replied, "Do you want to know why I can't stop loving her? And why can't I teach my heart to love you?"

  "Hailee has never been selfish. We may spoil her, act like a child, and be na?ve. But her innocence made her heart pure. She never thinks evil of others, but others teach her to become one. She doesn't like to hurt others, but others are hurting her. I've become overprotective of her because of that, and I will always be. So I am protecting her from the like of you, Eva."

  Eva dropped both of her shoulders to her sides. Her tears were flooding her eyes; she barely could see the folder in front of her….

  Then, she picked up the black pen with a shaking hand.