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That morning, Adrian finished breakfast with a scowl.
With his back to the servants, they couldn’t see his expression, but they noticed the seemingly intimate interactions between him and Eva. From their perspective, it appeared as though the couple had reconciled.
Meanwhile, Eva had decided to take some time off from work to accompany Granny Blackwood at the nursing home every day. Over the course of several days, Granny Blackwood’s mood noticeably improved. Eva, too, found herself feeling more at ease.
Things were progressing according to plan. Half a month passed quickly, as if it were only three or four days. During quiet moments, Eva would gently stroke her belly, and her feelings toward the child grew deeper. At first, she had been confused about the pregnancy, but as time went on, she began to feel a connection with the baby—one that grew stronger with each passing day.
She could now speak to the baby in ways she couldn’t with anyone else, and it was as though their bond was strengthening.
Everything was unfolding as she had hoped. But just when Eva thought she could continue her days in peace until Granny Blackwood’s surgery was over, Vivian called again, asking for a meeting.
Eva was reluctant. After everything that had happened, she no longer wanted to meet with Vivian. She understood what Vivian was after.
Without hesitation, she declined. “Miss Morrison, I know why you’re looking for me, but I’ve already made my decision, and nothing will change that. There’s no need for us to meet.”
There was silence on the other end before Vivian’s voice softened. “Are you really sure about that?”
“Yes,” Eva responded firmly.
Vivian’s tone shifted, becoming unexpectedly gentle. “Eva, I remember you told me you owed me a favor. Do you remember that?”
Eva’s eyes hardened at her words.
Vivian continued, her voice taking on a coaxing lilt. “What if I make a request in return for that favor? Would you still refuse me then?”
Eva bit her lip, her eyelashes trembling with suppressed emotion.
“You don’t have to answer me right away,” Vivian added. “Maybe we can meet first.”
After hanging up, Eva stood there, her mind a blank. She had always thought of ways to repay her favors, but Vivian’s request at this moment caught her off guard.
She had expected something different.
Arriving at the quiet cafe, Eva saw the sign on the door: closed. Just then, her phone rang again.
“Eva, just push the door open and come in. This is my friend’s coffee shop. It hasn’t opened yet.”
With a practiced detachment, Eva hung up and pushed the door open, stepping into the dimly lit cafe.
Vivian was sitting in the corner, waiting. As soon as she saw Eva, she waved her over.
Eva walked steadily toward her and stopped before the table. A man was sitting next to Vivian—a large, scarred man with an imposing presence. He stood up quickly when Eva approached, his voice unusually soft.
“Beauty, you’re Vivian’s friend, right? What can I get you to drink?”
Eva barely looked at him, offering only a polite but distant smile. “No need, thank you.”
The man looked surprised, but Vivian swiftly ordered, “Get her a cup of hot milk.”
He nodded eagerly and left to prepare the drink.
Vivian eyed Eva, sizing her up. “This is my friend from abroad,” she began, her tone casual. “He’s got a free-spirited personality. After coming back to the US, he opened this cafe. He doesn’t have big ambitions, but his life is comfortable. And he treats his girlfriend seriously.”
Vivian paused for a moment, then added carefully, “After you divorce Adrian, if you don’t have anywhere else to go, you can consider him.”
Eva’s gaze snapped up, her voice sharp with disbelief. “Miss Morrison, do you really think it’s your place to manage my marriage because of the favor I owe you?”
Vivian’s smile faltered for a second before she responded, “Of course not, Eva. Don’t misunderstand. I’m not trying to dictate your marriage. I just think he’s a good man.”
Eva narrowed her eyes and asked, “If that’s true, then why don’t you consider him for yourself?”
Vivian’s smile disappeared completely, replaced by a cold, unreadable expression.
Eva knew the truth. Their seemingly cordial relationship hid the tension beneath the surface. Vivian wasn’t acting out of pure goodwill—Adrian stood between them, and Eva didn’t believe for a second that Vivian would sincerely want to help her.
Still, Eva had received favors from Vivian, and she knew she had to acknowledge that.
A silence hung between them for a moment. Finally, Vivian picked up her spoon, stirring her coffee absentmindedly, before speaking again with a sharp tone, “I didn’t expect Ms. Hansen to treat her benefactor with such aggression.”
Her voice was no longer soft. It had turned steely, dripping with contempt as her eyes narrowed at Eva.
Eva wasn’t fazed. In fact, she found herself liking this version of Vivian more than the previous, overly polite one. She smirked back, “Finally stopped pretending? Miss Morrison, you look much better without the pretense. At least now, it doesn’t seem so fake.”
“Fake?” Vivian sneered, her eyes flashing. “I just don’t think you’re worth being treated gently. I originally thought you were just a good girl, but now I see that you’re ungrateful.”
“Ungrateful?” Eva lifted her chin slightly, her fingers tapping the table in quiet thought. “In your eyes, I might seem ungrateful, but I never imagined that showing gratitude would mean doing something like… killing someone.”
The word “killing” hung in the air, and Vivian’s face paled, her expression faltering for the first time. “What are you talking about? When did I ask you to kill anyone?”
Eva’s gaze hardened. “So does that mean you won’t use your favor to force me into an abortion again?”
Vivian went silent for a long moment, her face twisted in frustration. After a while, she muttered, “The child is like a ticking bomb. If you were in my position, you wouldn’t accept it either.”
She met Eva’s eyes with a challenging stare. “You’re getting divorced anyway. Why keep the child? You can always have another one after remarriage. What are your real intentions?”
