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A Devil's Deal To Ruin My Ex-husband - Chapter 34


Chapter 34


“ Just call me Ruby,” the grandmother said, beaming ear to ear as she sat beside Eloise on the couch, clasping her hands between hers.


Eloise couldn't bring herself to keep a smile, she felt a pang of guilt against her chest. If only she'd known.


She bit her lip as she remembered the grandmother telling her about her grandsons. She could remember her strong belief about Antonio's brother and her worries and wishes for Antonio.


‘ How can I lie to her? Wouldn't it seem cruel?’ Her brow wrinkled as she thought.


“ Do you know how happy I am?” Ruby giggled as she turned to Antonio, “ I liked her the moment I saw her at the hospital, I even asked if she was married.”


Antonio smiled, a tiny one that one could barely see. He glanced from his grandmother to Eloise and could see how unsettled she was. She was biting her lip again.


“ This is fate,” Ruby said, looking at Yasmin, who nodded, grinning ear to ear.


“ Welcome to the Braydens family,” She said to Eloise, beaming.


“ Thanks, grandmother.”


“ Ohh,” Ruby blushed.


Heaven knows how much she'd waited for this day, a day Antonio would bring home a lady. Now she has a daughter-in-law and her joy isn't something she could contain.


“ Is the meal ready?,” she asked the head chef who bowed as soon as he got to the living room, “ Yes, ma'am,”


“ C'mon, let's go eat something,” she pulled Eloise along with her.


Eloise dropped her purse on the couch and together with Antonio, they went out to the back where the dining table was set. The marble floor was beautiful, but nothing compared to how serene the environment was.


The three of them made themselves comfortable at the dining table, and the maids dished out the meals as preferred by each individual.


“ So, tell me, how did you guys meet?” Ruby asked, her eyes glued on them with huge interest.


Eloise chuckled nervously, They'd come to meet his grandmother without preparing a story to tell.


“ Um..,” she mumbled, searching for the perfect story to tell,


“ We met at the restaurant,” Antonio replied, grabbing a fork to start eating.


Eloise shot him a questioning glance, ‘ Is he attempting to spill the truth?’


“ Nice place to meet,” Ruby grinned, “ who approached who first,”


“ I did,” Antonio answered,


“ Of course…,” Ruby drawled, smiling, “ how did he woo you?”


Eloise nearly choked on her saliva. She chuckled as she glanced at him, “By being annoying,” she answered.


Ruby burst into laughter.


Antonio looked up at her from his plate, “ Really? I'm annoying?”


Eloise gave a fake giggle, “ more than annoying,” she replied with a narrowed gaze that hints at Antonio.


He scoffed and grabbed the cup of water and gulped down the whole contents.


“ If he was so annoying, how did you end up falling for him?”


‘ Me? Fall for this arrogant, self-absorbed storm in human form? Not even in my next life,’ Eloise smirked as she said in her mind before turning back to Ruby,


“ He might be annoying, but he's good at heart. He pursues the best, helps even when he says he won't. When I stared closer at his cold exterior, I saw a very sincere and honest man.”


‘Oh well, when I looked closer at the cold exterior, I found a very annoying man, one I can never get along with,’ she glared in her mind but smiled at Ruby, who got emotional upon hearing that.


“ I'm so glad to hear this,” She muttered, clasping her hands together and shared a satisfying look with Yasmin who returned with a smile.


“ So how long have you two been dating?” she asked,


“ Um,” Eloise searched for a perfect answer in her head, “ about…,”


“ Seven months,” Antonio replied, locking eyes with Eloise briefly,


“ That's long enough,” Ruby giggled, “ we should start planning the wedding then.”


Eloise’s heart skipped. If this weren't an act, she would've run away. A wedding is something she wants to run far away from, being married to someone, trusting and loving again, which is something she confidently knows doesn't exist in her dictionary again.


But none of this was real, there’s no love, no feelings, or any attachment. Just a contract arrangement.


After four months, she'd get her company and they'll part ways.


“ We should meet with your parents and start preparation,” Ruby said eagerly.


Eloise's face dropped, “They are no more,”


“ Oh,” Her shoulder dropped as she looked at her, feeling sorry, “ what happened?”


“ Car accident,”


“ I'm so sorry.”


Eloise nodded, not looking at anybody.


“ You're one of us now. And your wedding? Oh, everyone will know he's taken.”


Eloise's eyes flung up at Antonio, who quickly turned to Ruby.


“ Ain't you too old for an elaborate party,”


“ No, I'm not too old to celebrate my grandson's wedding,”


“ I don't want a big wedding. I want it low-key,”


“ Are you kidding me right now? What low key. My almost impossible to love grandson is finally getting married and you think I'm going to make it a coded one?”


“ Unless you ain't ready to have a daughter-in-law,”


“ You mean one I already have?” She shot him a challenging glance. “She goes nowhere, and the wedding? Oh Lord, you'll think it's the president’s son that's getting married,” she finalized and stood up, not wanting to hear any more objections.


“ Your uncle will be here soon, and your brother, once they arrive, we'll talk more about this.”


Antonio's stomach twisted upon hearing that his uncle would be coming around. He dropped the fork and relaxed his back.


“ There's nothing more to talk about, and why is he coming here?” his tone became colder.


Ruby stopped and turned back at him slowly, “ He is your uncle, and it's only normal for him to come and visit me,”


“ I don't think of him as part of my relatives, so don't call him my uncle.”


Eloise's face wore a curious expression. She wondered who the uncle was and why Antonio looked so displeased at the mention of him.


Ruby exhaled, exhaustion gradually taking over her face, “ Antonio…,”


“ Mrs. Brayden,” a maid interrupted and she turned to her, “ Mr. Shawn is here.”


Antonio cursed between his teeth, his fist clenched tightly as he heard about the arrival of his uncle. He could see his grandmother glancing at him from the corner of his eye and heard her say,


“ Bring him.”


And with that, she went back to sit at the head of the table.


Eloise looked at Antonio and saw his knuckles all white with his jaw clenched. And then, a man in his early or late sixties walked up to them.


“ Mrs. Ruby,” Shawn greeted as soon as he got to the table,


“ Shawn,” Ruby nodded at him with a smile.


Shawn's eyes drifted to Antonio to receive a dagger glare from him.




Chapter 35


Shawn smiled as his gaze fell on Antonio, ignoring the dagger glare he was receiving from him, he took his seat close to Ruby.


“ Antonio, how have you been?” he asked with a jovial tone. Without waiting for a response, he diverted his gaze to Eloise and his eyes lit up, “And who's this gorgeous lady sitting here?”


“ That's Antonio's financeé,” Ruby answered, smiling,


“ Financeé?” Shawn repeated, raising an eyebrow, his tone laced with surprise that didn’t feel entirely sincere.


Antonio rolled his eyes, clenching his jaw and trying not to say a word to him but when he glanced at him and saw the way he was looking at Eloise, his boiling blood became hotter.


“ What do you want?” he snapped,


“ Huh?” he turned his gaze to Antonio and chuckled, “What do you mean?”


“ You're here for a reason. What's it?”


Shawn shook his head, the corner of his lips lifting in a smirk. “ What if I don't have a reason ?”


“You didn’t come here just to smile and stir up trouble.”


“Antonio,” Ruby warned softly.


“I came to see Grandmother,” Shawn said, eyes flicking back to Ruby. “Unless... there’s another reason you’re hoping for?”


“You’d better hope there isn’t.”


Shawn leaned back, amused. “And if there is?”


Antonio’s voice dropped into a lethal whisper. “Then I’ll trade your wine for your blood.”


Eloise and Ruby's eyes widened. The threat was scary with his deep and authoritative tone.


“ Antonio!,” Ruby called.


Shawn burst into laughter, one that makes his stomach twist, “You're still the same,” he giggled, “ the same Antonio, and that deadly glare of yours hasn't changed one bit, which makes me wonder how your fiancé copes with you?”


Eloise stared back at him, wondering what made the heat between him and Antonio that hot and intense.


“ She’s stunning,” Shawn said, his smile sharpening with mischief.


‘ What kind of man is this?’ Eloise asked in her mind, her stomach twisted at the way he looked at her, and the mischievous smile on his lips.


“ You either look away this instant or lose your sight,” Antonio's cold, rigid voice threatened, and they all turned to see his fist clenched around a fork.


Eloise felt her blood rush to her feet. His aura had gotten more terrifying, his murderous glare caused her heart to skip hard, and she felt her legs trembling under the table.


This was not just annoying, man. He was intimidating as well as terrifying. He looked like he was going to murder Shawn in the next two seconds or spill blood all over her face.


“ I just stopped by to say ‘hi,” Shawn said to Ruby with his eyes glued to Antonio. His smiles were no longer there but his fist was clenched.


‘ How can I be this intimidated by this mere boy?’ Shawn fumed in his mind, and without saying one more word, he stood up and walked away.


Ruby made to call after him, but her voice betrayed her, and she let out an exhausted exhale.


As if his presence caused everyone to catch their breath, the tension released the moment he left, and Antonio dropped the fork back to the plate.


“ Do you always have to be like this?” Ruby asked, her face twisted with frustration,


“ You should never have let him set his foot here again,” he muttered, remembering just how venomous Shawn was.


‘ Not after everything he did,’ Antonio added in his mind, ‘ Not after how he ruined my family.’


His fist clenched even harder as he thought of what Shawn did. He and his father were once entrusted with the family business but he betrayed his father. Forged documents, stole assets, and manipulated the board to push him out. Antonio watched his family fall apart, and his father had a heart attack due to this.


As if that's not enough, he also attempted to take advantage of his mother, but thankfully he’d arrive from school just around that time. This unforgivable act of his later cost him his position at the company, but his parents died months later due to a sudden heart attack that resurfaced while his father was driving.


‘It was all his fault,’ Antonio said in his mind. He has vowed never to forgive him.


Ruby knew there was nothing she could say or do that would stop the enmity between them, but she wished her family would be whole and happy again.


“It's getting late, Mrs. Brayden,” Yasmin said beside her, “ you need to use your meds and retire to bed.”


Ruby exhaled sharply, nodding her head before turning to Antonio and Eloise,


“ You should also go to bed. Today must've been so stressful. Yasmin will take you to your room,”


“ Thank you, ma'am,”


“ Ruby, or grandmother,” Ruby corrected, a weary smile on her face.


Eloise replied with a smile, standing up as Mrs. Yasmin helped Ruby to her feet and took her inside leaving Antonio and Eloise by themselves at the dining table.


Eloise sat back down, her eyes staring at Antonio who was staring at nothing in particular. She could still see his fist clenched on the table, his lips tightly closed, and his eyes, cold and blank.


“ Do you want to talk about it?” she asked, not particularly knowing what to say or how to get him to tell her what all that was about.


Antonio stared up slowly and his piercing eyes landed on her. They weren't just looking at her, they were staring into her soul.


She gulped down the lump in her throat and said, “ Why did you hate your uncle?”


“ None of your business,” sharp and cold, he replied, and stood up.


Eloise scoffed through the nose, she nodded as she felt the hard slap his response gave her.


“ I really should've minded my business,” she blamed herself as she stood up and went inside the house.


Yasmin led the two of them to the room after they got inside.


“ Where would I be sleeping?” Eloise asked when she saw Yasmin show Antonio a room and didn't show her hers.


Yasmin returned with a narrowed brow, “ Ain't couples supposed to stay together in a room?”


Eloise’s heart skipped, her eyes shone and her mouth parted without finding her words.


“ Stay together?”


“ Why? Is there something wrong with that?”


‘There's everything wrong with that? Stay together in a room with this man?,’ Eloise screamed in her head.


“ It's nothing, she's just a little bit conservative,” Antonio said to Yasmin, wrapping his arm around her shoulder, causing Eloise's heart to race.


Antonio looked at her and whispered enough for Yasmin to hear.


“ Don't worry,” he said, his voice hoarse and deep, “I don’t plan on lifting your skirt—yet.”


Yasmin's face flushed, and she quickly walked away, trying to swallow her chuckle, while Eloise glared at him, with her face red like a tomato.







Chapter 36


With her lips pressed together into a thin line, her eyes staring blankly at nothing, Mrs. Trumpour clasped her hands around her phone tightly as she placed it on the dining table. Her head dropped as she gritted her teeth, unable to stop the anger that slowly welled up in her, hating the feeling of being on edge, it puts her.



‘ Shit!,’ she cursed in between her teeth, dropping the phone and looking away angrily.



“ What's wrong, mum?” Tamara asked as she walked into the dining room, snapping Mrs. Trumpour out of her thoughts.



She glanced at the abandoned food on the table and walked towards the fridge. Half of the meal was untouchable, and seeing the little portion of food on the spoon tells Tamara that she had stopped eating midway.



“ Just lost my appetite,” She replied, nearly under her breath,



“ What's wrong?” Tamara asked again, opening the fridge and grabbing a bottle of water before slamming the door shut, and turning back to her mother.



“ Got a call that ruined it,” her tone tells Tamara that the caller must have gotten really on her nerves,



“ Who's that? Who called?”



“ Don't worry about it,” She glanced up at her daughter and pulled her fingers away from her phone, relaxing back into the chair.



“ I hope you're not getting into some kind of trouble again, mum.” Tamara raised her brow, her tone hinting more at warning than curiosity.



“ I'm not causing trouble. How's Mason?” She asked sternly,



‘ Why is she asking about him? Oh Lord, don't tell me she needs money again,’ Tamara groaned in her mind, feeling like it was a mistake to have taken a seat at the dining table.



“ Mason is not doing good, mum,” she replied, “ things have been crazy lately,”



“ What happened? Hasn't he gotten the company and the shares?”



“ It's not that easy, mum, he has gotten the shares but…,”



“ But what?,” Mrs. Trumpour nearly snapped.



Tamara pressed her lips together, a pinch of wrinkle creeping onto her forehead as she looked at her mum's frowning face.



“ Why are you so angry?” she asked tightening her fist around the bottle of water in her hand,



“ I'm not angry, but he has gotten what he needs to get, so what more trouble is there?”



‘That is more than the trouble I'm in?’ She completed in her mind as she looked at Tamara.



“ Mum you know, without the rest of the shares, the stability of Mason at the company is nothing to zero,”



“ Isn't he working on that already? Thought he was going to get her pregnant and get the rest of the shares,”



“ That's why I said it's not that easy, Eloise has been causing us so much trouble lately. She thought Mason was cheating and went to his office to create a scene,” Tamara explained.



Mrs. Trumpour grunted, ‘ She's just like her bitchy mother, always causing trouble,’ she said in her mind.



“ They never let things go as planned, like mother like daughter ,” she said out loud for Tamara to hear.



“ Well, that won't be lasting long,” Tamara said with an evil smile, “ things not working as planned died along with her mother, now? They'll start working as planned, I'll make sure of that.”



Mrs. Trumpour exhaled, her clenched fist released as she looked at her phone before looking back at Tamara.



“ I don't care about how things work, just make sure it does, and Mason, never lose your grip on him,”



“ Trust me, mum,” her smile broadened proudly, “ He is mine.”



“ Good,” She said and stood up, “ I need to make a call,” she then grabbed her phone,



“ Mm,” Tamara nodded and watched her walk out of the dining table. She narrowed her eyes at her receding figure, unable to shake out the odd feeling that something was up with her mother.



The moment Mrs. Trumpour was in her room, she immediately dialed his contact, and after the third ring, he picked up.



“ Hi mum!” Mason's lively voice said over the phone,



“ Hey son,” She managed to mask her tone and mood, “ how are you doing?”



“ I'm doing good, and you?”



“ Yeah, sure, I am,” she nodded, “ heard about the scene and mess your wife created, I hope the damages ain't too much?”



“ Arrgg,” Mason groaned over the phone, “ but I'm going to take appropriate control,”



“ I'm glad to hear that, please, don't be so offended, she can be like that sometimes, you know, she's spoiled by her family and can be repulsive, but she's still my daughter, so I can only appeal to you not to be so offended.”



Mason giggled over the phone softly, “It's okay mum, you're really a good mother, looking after her even after what she did, she should be grateful to have you and Tamara by her side,”



“ I know right, but I've known her mother to be someone so ungrateful, but I hope she doesn't take that after that trait,”



“ I hope so too,”



“ Umm..,” She drawled, “ how's the company doing though,”



“ It's doing fine,”



“ Um, Mason…,”



“ Is everything okay, Mum, is Tamara okay?” he asked, noticing her hesitation.



She smiled, happy to hear his voice of concern for Tamara.



‘Of course he has to be, not after everything I've done for them,’ Mrs. Trumpour said in her mind, ‘ Not after the length I had to go through so he could get those shares.’



“ Tamara is fine, and everything would have been fine if…I don't want to be inconsiderate by asking you this,” She feigned, “ but I'm really in need of it and I can't think of any other person to help me with it,”



“ No, no, don't worry, Mum, tell me, what is it?”



“ I'm in need of some money, just, seven hundred thousand dollars,” she lied.



She pinched the side of her skirt, knowing well enough that the amount she needed wasn't up to that. The real amount is five hundred thousand dollars, but when she thought of other things she could use money for, she decided to add to it.



There was a short silence after she said that, her fingers began tapping her thigh as she urgently needed him to say something.



“ Mason? Are you there?” she asked eagerly,



“ Yeah, yeah, mum, I'm here, um..,”



“ I don't know it's a lot of money for a whole CEO, I would've told my daughter about it but I know she doesn't have that amount and I don't want to make her worry about me, you know Tamara is such a fragile girl, her heart won't be able to take it if she sees that I'm in some kind of debt,”



“ Um, I understand, mum,” Mason replied, his tone now rigid and plain, “ I will…give you the money,”



“ Oh my goodness,” She exclaimed excitedly, “ you're such a darling, thank you so much, you have my account details, right?”



“ Yes,”



“ Good, I'll be expecting it.”



She said and hung up. A huge smile plastered on her face and her tensed mind eased up.



Mason groaned angrily after dropping the call.



“Argghhhhhh,” he grunted angrily as he clenched her fist tightly around his phone.



He's been searching for Eloise nonstop; she hasn't been visiting the hospital either, and his anger is almost reaching it's peak, out of frustration.



His reputation is also on the line after the drama at the office, and now, the mother of the woman he truly loves is calling and demanding money.



Mason stared angrily at the phone in his clenched fist and felt a huge urge to smash it on the floor.



“Can everything just stop frustrating me?” he grunted, gritting his teeth..







Chapter 37


Antonio stirred in his sleep, a slight wrinkle pinching his brow, arms folded tightly across his chest. Sleeping on the floor in his own home is the last thing he'd ever thought would happen to him, but after Mrs. Yasmin had shown them the room they'll be sharing, and knowing that disagreeing would be putting their acts in jeopardy, they both had no choice but to agree to share a room.



But Eloise had murderously and sternly rebuked him, throwing him a pillow and telling him to take the floor while she kept the bed to herself.



Cold seeped into his bones, a soft sound prickled his ears continuously, causing his furrowed brow to deepen.


Whimpers.


His eyes flew open. He's sure he heard it, the whimpering sounds coming from the... He sat up immediately and his head turned to the jerking body on the bed. It was dark, but he could still see her.



Without thinking twice, he climbed onto the bed, surprised to see her reacting that violently to a dream she seemed to be having. Her face, her cries, showed Antonio a different Eloise, one tormented by something cruel and bitter.


Her fist was clenching the sheet harder by the second, her face was coated in sweat, and her body was jerking violently under the cover.



“ Eloise, Eloise, wake up,” he called as he shook her, but she wasn't waking from the nightmare she seemed to be having.



He could see the fear on her face, her gasps, and her whimpers that told how horrifying and painful the nightmare must be, and the sight of it caused Antonio's heart to sink.


' What kind of nightmare causes someone to cry out from sleep'


How can it be that horrible?


Antonio's face drew tightly with anger, fist clenched so hard, his teeth gritted as he saw tears streaming out of her eyes, his jaw tightened as if he wanted to tear through whatever darkness haunted her, to drag it out and destroy it.



Eloise bolted upright with a strangled cry, and her eyes still closed, but she sprang into Antonio's arms, who caught her without hesitation and wrapped his protective arms around her.



He felt her entire body tremble, clinging to him like he was the only thing keeping her anchored.



Gently, he laid them both on the bed, his arms wrapped tightly around her, the sounds of her cries and whimpers felt like a dagger against his chest, mercilessly tearing his soul apart.



“How dare this nightmare,” he muttered under his breath.



It wasn't showing her mercy, and Antonio felt like unleashing everything called hell on the stuff called nightmare.



“ It's okay, Eloise, it's just a dream,” he mumbled softly into her ears. A part of him hated the fact that that's all he could do at that point.



She didn't answer, she just clutched at him so hard, burying her head against his chest with her slender body in his arms as if wanting to disappear into him, to escape every horrible thing chasing her.



He stroked her hair, slow and steady, till the sobs faded, till her body stopped trembling, and till she drifted back to slumber.



**********



She could feel the soft surface of the bed beneath her skin, but her mind was adrift—calm, safe, as if wrapped in the warm embrace of the universe.



Eloise moaned softly, snuggling deeper into the warmth. Her nose nuzzled into the comforting scent, and her hand reached out to touch it.



A small smile played on her lips, but it slowly faded, a wrinkled brow slowly replacing the smile.



Her fingers had found something. Not a pillow. Not the universe.



It was warm, yes. Soft, fleshy… and undeniably solid.



Eloise furrowed her brow and fluttered her eyes open, only for it to widen as it dawned on her.



…..



“ No, put that here,” Ruby instructed one of the maids, grinning ear to ear. Everyone could see her in a heightened mood and knew exactly what was making her so joyous.



Mrs. Yasmin giggled as she joined in making sure the breakfast was perfectly set before Antonio and his fiancée got to the sitting room.



“ Isn't this wonderful?” Ruby asked grinning,



“ It is, and I'm also excited,”



“ I'll make sure the wedding takes place as soon as possible, so that…,” Ruby was interrupted and startled by the loud scream of Antonio that echoed out of the room.



Ruby and Mrs. Yasmin glanced at each other bewildered. Every other person in the room also paused, startled and baffled by the screen and without saying anything to each other, Ruby and Mrs. Yasmin hurried towards the room in panic.



……



Antonio glared at Eloise in utmost disbelief. She was also glaring murderously at him and panting slightly. He held his chest that she had bitten and looked at her like she was a madwoman.


He couldn't believe that she had bitten that hard in his chest. He was sleeping peacefully when he felt her snuggle closer into his arms, and the next thing he felt was her teeth clenching hard against his chest.



“ Are you crazy, What the hell is wrong with you?!” he barked, wincing and clutching his chest.



He looked at his chest to see the mark of her teeth.



She gnashed her teeth at him, “ You pervert!”



“ What?!,”



“ What are you doing next to me?!,” she yelled and checked her clothes, her body, and under the sheet, but nothing seemed off or strange. Her mind eased when she saw that nothing happened between them, he didn't do anything to her.



Antonio scoffed. His blazing eyes flared up at her, the coldness and darkness they held caused Eloise's breath to quicken, and he looked like he was going to pounce on her and make her regret ever biting him, which a part of her had begun to think might be a mistake.



He meant to tell her about the nightmare she was having, but he held back.



Just then, the room door burst open, and a feeling of relief washed over Eloise as Ruby and her personal maid dashed in.



“ What happened?” she asked worriedly, and her gaze fell on Antonio on one of his knees beside the bed. The shirt of his nightwear had the top three buttons undone, exposing the upper part of his chest.



Mrs. Yasmin looked away as she saw this.



“ Good morning, grandmother,” Eloise greeted with a fake chuckle as she smoothed her hair with her hand,



“ Morning my daughter, what happened? I heard Antonio scream,” Ruby asked again,



“ Nothing,” Eloise replied trying to mask her tone with a wry chuckle.



Antonio stood up angrily and threw her a dagger glare before walking out of the room without saying anything to anyone. His disdainful glare was so terrifying that Mrs. Yasmin quickly moved out of the way for him to walk away.



“ Did something happen?”



Eloise turned to Ruby, not sorry for reacting that way, she was shocked and upset when she woke up to see him cuddling her, and panicked that he might have took advantage of her which she realized didn't happen, but with how upset and scary he looked, she began to think maybe she should have just pushed him away instead of biting him.



She looked at Ruby with a sweet bitter smile,



“ It was a morning prank,” she cooked up a lie, but all she could wish for right now was to just, never, be alone, with him.



‘ This isn't interesting, she's a witch, a crazy, mad woman,’ Antonio cursed under his breath as he climbed the stairs, the pain from the bite seething into his veins.







Chapter 38



Steam curled in the air as hot water cascaded down her back, each drop striking the curve of her spine like a rhythmic whisper. Eloise stood still beneath the showerhead, arms resting limply at her sides, head tilted slightly forward.



The warmth should have soothed her, but her mind was far from present. The rest of the visit at the grandmother's house went peacefully, with her avoiding Antonio who barely says a word to her since then. She doesn't know if she should be grateful for that or if she should be wary of him. They had left without meeting his brother, who, to Ruby's expectations, was out of the country, somewhere, partying.



‘ Why?’ Eloise muttered under the shower. Thoughts spiraled through her like smoke, restless, uncontainable. She couldn't shake it off. For the first night since she came back in time, she had a peaceful sleep. She knew she had a nightmare that night, but could barely remember what it was, the peaceful feeling afterward had washed away the usual fear and horror she felt each night.



“Why did it feel safer in his arms?” She asked, letting the water drip into her mouth, then onto the floor.



Was it because she's scared? Because her chest feels so heavy and suffocating, and she desires comfort?



“I hate him,” She said loudly to herself, “ But why?”



She asked, her face dropping, hating this feeling, this feeling of wanting that warmth again, of wanting that peaceful night again. She knows she should concentrate more on getting her revenge, on getting back her company. But she trembled under the pouring water, she couldn't lie, that a part of her longs for comfort, the warmth reminded her how much she desires a shoulder to let it all out on.



The rage, the pain, the aches that kept drowning her. Her desire for a release from the horror that kept replaying in her head each night.



Longing for protection from the cruel world. But the only person who could protect her is herself.



Eloise clenched her fist hard.



There's no comfort anywhere. There's no shoulder to lean on. Just shadows of lies, deceit, and betrayal.



“I don’t want that,” she whispered, a part of her trembled. “What I want is revenge,”


Her voice hardened, venom soaking each word. “What I desire isn't comfort, it's to make them pay.” With fury seething through her veins, she turned off the shower.




**********



Dressed in a black corporate trouser and a white shirt, Laera smiled as she stood alone in the elevator. She glanced at the two cups of coffee in her hands once again, and her smile broadened.



“ She's such a gem,” Laera said to herself, her mind filled with gratitude towards Eloise. Her joy knew no bounds after she received the message from the company about her getting the job, and she was to resume that morning.



One of the coffees was how Eloise loves her coffee, and she has gotten one for her when getting hers. Laera felt her phone ringing inside her bag that hung on her shoulder, but because of her occupied hands, she couldn't reach out for it.



“ That might be mum,” she guessed as she glanced at her bag.



The elevator dinged and opened, and she stepped out.



“ Ah, uh!” Laera yelped, followed by a gasp. In a switch, her face full of smiles got replaced with a deep frown as she glanced at the side of her trousers that were now stained with coffee.



“ Goodness, I'm so so sorry.”



She heard a deep, rigid voice say in front of her, but it only caused her frown to deepen. With just a few steps away from the elevator, someone had bumped hard into her and spilled her coffee all over her trousers.



“ Seriously?! Can't you watch where you're going?” she said angrily, glaring up at the man, opening her mouth to yell at him again, but paused as her eyes locked with his.



Oh. Damn. Okay… maybe not.



Her pulse quickened.



Standing before her is the Greek god, or a man crafted by the Greek god in the image of himself. He was a six-foot-tall man, his faded undercut fit perfectly with his handsome face.



Laera's frown vanished as she took in his stunning features, her gaze drifted over his broad shoulders and perfectly tailored suit.



‘ Is he a worker here? Or just a business man who came here for something,’ she wondered, ‘ Damn, he's hot’



“ I can get you another one, I'm really sorry,” Laera heard him say. Other parts of which he said went on her blocked ears as she was busy tripping.



His voice, which sounded so annoying seconds ago, was beginning to sound deep and soothing to the ears.



“ Get me another what?” she asked looking back into his brown eyes,



“ A new coffee, and I can get you another pair of trousers,” he said, looking so sorry as he looked at the trousers.



He was so distracted with the call he was making and wasn't looking ahead of him when he bumped into her.



“ Nay, don't worry about that,” she waved him off, surprising him.



She no longer sounded upset, and the irritation had vanished from her face.



“ Are you sure, I can…,”



“ Yeah,” she cut in, “ I wouldn't have let this go this easily, especially not without you fixing my trousers or getting my coffee, but it's alright, you don't have to worry about it,”



“ Why? You said you wouldn't have let it go,”



“ Well, you're too handsome for me to want to stress,” she said honestly but blatantly and rounded her pointing finger at his face, “thank you for having this face of yours, you better make sure nothing happens to it.”



And with that, she walked out, leaving Oliver stunned and rooted to the spot. This isn't the first time he'd be called handsome, nor is this the first time he'd receive benefits from some women because of his looks, but this was different. She didn't look like she was spellbound by his looks, yet her statement, which was with a mixture of compliment and threat, left him speechless.



Who’s she?” he muttered, a crooked grin tugging at his lips. He’d never met anyone quite like that.



…..



Laera groaned as she tried wiping the coffee stain off her trousers. Her frown returned with the stain not coming off.



“ What exactly happened?” Eloise asked with concern as she watched him struggle with it.



Laera hissed, “ Someone bumped into me,” her teeth clenched together as she remembered how she was tripping instead of lashing out her anger. This wasn't how she wanted to start her morning. It was the first day at her new place of work, and she should be impressing and making sure things were perfect. But someone had ruined that plan for her.



“ So sorry about that, should we go and get another one?” Eloise suggested, unable to take a sip from the coffee given to her as she was busy worrying over Laera,



“ No, don't bother, really sorry I'm starting this way,” she said with a pout,



“ C'mon, you've got to be kidding me, this wasn't your fault,” Eloise replied with a pinch of wrinkle on her brow, “ Antonio is currently having a meeting with a client, let's go get you a trouser before he's done,” Eloise suggested, quickly grabbing her purse.



“ You don't have to follow me, Elly, he could be done at any time,”



“ Say this is also my excuse for avoiding him,” Eloise voiced, not ready for Antonio's infuriating attitude,



“ Why are you avoiding him? Did something happen? Did he do something to you?” Laera asked frowning as they both hurried out of the office.



Eloise exhaled, “ Nothing happened, he's just annoying,”



“ Tell me, how annoying?” Laera pressed further with curiosity as they both entered the elevator to the first floor,



“ Trust me Laera, he's super annoying, in everything you do, try not to get on his bad side.”



Laera twiced her lip to a side, wondering the kind of man the CEO is and how annoying he really could be.



“ If I get on his bad side, would he fire me?”



Eloise scoffed. She felt that wasn't even supposed to be a question.



“ Without a second thought. He'd fire you immediately”



“ Okay, I don't like him already,” Laera gave out a cute pout that caused Eloise to chuckle.



Soon, the elevator came to a stop, and they both stepped out. Hadn't taken many steps further when Eloise heard a call from the receptionist.



“ Someone is here for you,” the receptionist said and Tamara came to view.



The moment Eloise's gaze landed on her, her heart skipped so hard, a rush ran down her veins, and her fingers curled into a fist.



“ Hi, love,” Tamara waved with the most innocent and beautiful smile ever.


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