Eva's POV:

"Are you serious?" I asked Ethan in shock, and he nodded, his lips curled into a smile.

"Yeah. How much do you want me to pay you? But you must abide by my rules and work as my secretary only," he said, and I gulped hard.

"I haven't been a secretary before. I just graduated with a degree in software engineering, and I want to be a software developer. I applied at Almond Tech, and they offered me a position to start work by Monday," I replied, and his brows furrowed.

"I will pay you two million dollars. If you accept, you can come to work in my company by Monday. Fail to show up, and you lose—I am in need of a new secretary," he said. I gulped hard and accepted his card.

"Fine. How about the medicine you want me to take?" I asked, as he had almost forgotten the contraceptive pill in his hands.

"Oh, here it is," Ethan said, handing me the bottle. I took two pills and gulped them down with the bottle of water he gave me.

"Don't forget. By Monday. If you fail to show up, I will get a replacement. I will be expecting you. What's your name?" he asked, pausing as he turned to walk away.

Lowering my head and avoiding his green eyes, I replied, "Eva Brooks."

"Alright, Eva, I look forward to meeting you again. Take your things and leave. The hotel staff will come to clean the room." After saying that, Ethan turned and walked out of the room.

My eyes fell on the red stain on his pristine white bedsheet.

Looking at the blue card in my hand, I shook my head and reached for my handbag. I put the card inside and took out my phone. I saw four missed calls from my mother.

"Hello, Mom," I answered, and she yelled at me.

"Eva, what did you do to provoke Jacob? He has cancelled his partnership with your father and called off your engagement. How could you cheat on him at a time like this, when he was planning to marry you? What came over you?" Mom yelled, and I felt guilty.

"Mom, I am sorry. Layla set me up," I tried to explain, but Mom cut me off.

"Shut up. Layla didn't set you up. You went to that man and cheated on Jacob. How could you do this to us? We disown you as our daughter. Don't bring your shameful self home to us again," Mom yelled, and before I could explain, the call ended.

Shaking my head, I stood in the hotel room and sighed.

Gripping my phone tightly, I tried to call Jacob one last time to explain that it was all a mistake and I would never cheat on him. However, the phone rang, and Jacob ended the call. When I tried to contact him again, I heard, "Sorry, the number you are trying to call does not exist."

"What?" My brows furrowed as I realized Jacob had blocked me.

*Did five years of our relationship mean nothing to him?* I knew Jacob had always wanted to have sex with me, but I stopped him and told him we should wait until marriage. Now, I had cheated.

Wiping my sobs away, I put on my black bra and panties, then reached for my green dress and wore it. After that, I put on my black stilettos shoes and adjusted my long hair, before taking a final glance at the room to make sure I didn't forget anything.

I walked out of the hotel room while the hotel service staff went in to clean it. Then I made my way to the elevator and rode down to the ground floor.

When I walked out, I felt eyes on me, but no one stopped me. The impressive luxury hotel was filled with different kinds of people coming and going.

Making my way out of the hotel building, I exited the premises, recalling that I wouldn't have come to this hotel if not for Layla's insistence.

I hailed a taxi and went home, even though my mother had warned me not to return.

I knew I had no one to go to. Jacob had broken up with me, and I couldn't go to his place. Not just that—my relatives would be furious with me. It was because of Jacob that my father's small loan company could soar higher. Now that Jacob had withdrawn his support and demanded I repay him for all the money he had spent on me, I knew none of my family members would want to help me at this point.

When I arrived home and paid the cab, I walked nervously to the magnificent black gate of the bungalow where my parents lived. My father owned this house—he bought it after Jacob and I started dating.

Reaching the gate, I knocked, and the security man pulled it open.

"Miss Eva, you are not allowed into the house," he said, and my brows furrowed.

"Why? This is my father's house. I want to see him and explain," I begged the security man, Tom, but he shook his head.

"Your mother said if I let you in, I will lose my job. I don't want to lose my job, madam." He went back into the house and locked the gate on me.

"Wait, Tom," I knocked again, but he wouldn't answer.

Sighing, I paced by the gate, thinking of what to do. I couldn't believe my family would abandon me at a time like this. *Was this how people fell from top to bottom?*

I tried calling my mother, but the same number she used to call me wasn't connecting.

Calling my older brother, Cruz, he demanded, "Eva, how could you cheat on Jacob at a time like this, when we were looking forward to you both getting married?"

"Cruz, I was set up. I didn't mean to cheat on Jacob. Believe me, Layla set me up," I said, and my brother sighed.

"I warned you to stay away from Layla. That girl is a snitch, and you didn't listen to me. She is not from our place, and her parents are richer than ours," my brother fumed, and I sobbed.

"I am sorry. I should have listened to you," I replied, and he sighed.

"It's fine. Where are you now? Mom and Dad are angry, and they don't want to see you. Also, Jacob is demanding compensation and saying you never let him touch you, so you didn't do anything for him in the five years you both dated," Cruz said, sighing in frustration.

"Can I come over to your place?" I asked Cruz, knowing he had gotten married.

"Hmm. Sure, but you know Maddison and you don't get along. Don't worry, I will talk to her and make her understand," Cruz said. I sighed heavily, feeling relief that I could rely on him. Layla's betrayal still stung, and I couldn't call any of my female friends again.

I went back to the road, hailed another cab, and went to my older brother's house.

Eva's POV:

Arriving at the White Estate gate where Cruz lived, the taxi pulled to a stop in front of the entrance. My only brother, Cruz, married Maddison Brooklyn, a rich man's daughter. She was too pompous and proud, and she got along with my older sister, Elora.

Sighing, I walked up to the gate to meet the estate security man.

"Yes, who are you here to see?" the tough-looking security man in black asked me.

"Um, I am here to see my older brother, Cruz Brooks. He lives in the estate," I said, already exhausted. On a Saturday morning like this, I should have been at home resting. But here I stood in front of an estate gate.

"Call him," the security man replied, before ordering me to stand aside. I knew he wouldn't let me enter the estate without permission.

Pulling out my phone, I called my older brother, Cruz.

However, I froze when I saw a black Rolls Royce driving into the estate gate. The White Estate was known to house many wealthy billionaires in Dominic City. Gulping, I froze again when my gaze locked with Ethan Owen—the same man I had a one-night stand with a few hours ago.

*What was he doing here? Did he live inside this White Estate too?* I pondered and immediately looked away from Ethan, pretending I didn't know him. But his gaze bored into me, and I could feel the intensity of his stare.

Another security man pulled the magnificent white gate open, and Ethan's car drove in. Not just his car alone—I noticed the bodyguards in another black convoy following behind him. I sighed and released the breath I didn't know I was holding.

"Hello, Cruz, I am at the white estate gate now," I said to my brother on the call. He replied, "I will be there now."

The call ended, and I took out my white handkerchief from my bag and wiped the sweat off my forehead.

A few minutes later, my brother arrived in a red sports car and parked. The security man finally let me enter the gate.

"Eva, take a look at your face and neck. What the heck?" Cruz gasped, and I froze. I hadn't looked at myself in the mirror.

"What happened to me? What do you mean?" I asked my older brother, laughing nervously. I walked up to his car and peered at my reflection in the mirror.

I was shocked by the sight that beheld me. My cheek was painted red, and hickeys covered my neck.

"What?" I gasped, embarrassed by my own state.

"I didn't know I looked this bad. I am sorry," I said, and my brother shook his head, still laughing at my embarrassment.

"Eva, this is enough for Jacob Stone to break up with you. Who did you get laid with?" Cruz asked, his large blue eyes peering at mine. I lowered my head as my cheeks flushed.

"It's not important to talk about the man. It was a one-night stand," I said, my voice trembling as my older brother towered above me.

"A one-night stand, and he painted you this red? Do you happen to know him?"

"No… I… I mean, I don't know him," I replied, my voice quivering.

"Cruz, can you take me to your house and stop asking me questions?" I said, wanting to escape my brother's inquiry. He peered at me with a calculated gaze.

"Eva, why do I feel like you're lying to me and you know the man you spent the night with? Well, in case you aren't aware, Jacob cancelled the engagement, and he is demanding the sum of $10,000,000 as compensation for all the money he spent on you," Cruz stated as he moved to pull his car door open for me.

"What? $10,000,000? When did Jacob spend such a huge amount on me? The university cost only $800,000 per year—times four years, plus a few more expenses. Let's say a total of $4,000,000. When did Jacob ever spend up to $10,000,000 on me? Even the money he spent on me isn't up to $4,000,000," I said, my voice sharp. Cruz exhaled.

"Well, that's what Jacob is demanding as compensation for you cheating on him. As for Dad, he broke off the partnership and demands that Dad pays him $5,000,000 as his support fee. So that's a total of $15,000,000 that we have to pay Jacob now," Cruz said with a calm voice as I sat in his car.

"I will not pay that amount. We dated, and I don't owe Jacob anything. Where is it written that you have to pay compensation for a breakup? I didn't intend to cheat on him. Layla set me up, and I ought to have her arrested. How can Jacob not understand? Instead, he blocked me from contacting him," I ranted, wanting to visit Jacob and Layla, only I looked too flushed at the moment.

"Hmm," my brother exhaled and said, "That's why you should have kept your guard up. You already made the mistake, and Jacob caught you. But how about the man you slept with? Did he see Jacob and you? If he could afford a room at the Owen's luxury five-star hotel, then he must be a big shot," Cruz said, his gaze calculating.

"I don't want to talk about the man. He said I owe him for taking advantage of him," I replied, and my brother burst out laughing.

"The man took advantage of you, and he blames you for taking advantage of him? Well, I would say let him go. But if you happen to know him, you could have made him explain to Jacob that it was a setup," Cruz said, but I shook my head.

"Just take me home. I will confront Layla and Jacob later," I said, exhausted. My brother closed the car door, walked over to the driver's seat, got in, and fastened his seatbelt.

"About my wife," Cruz said, and I knew Maddison and I didn't get along.

"You have to put up with her tantrums and not argue with her," he reminded me, and I sighed.

"Why does Maddison have to control you? You didn't marry her for her money. If you hadn't helped in her father's company, Almond Tech wouldn't have grown to the height it is today," I said, knowing my brother worked for Maddison's father before he married her. But she controlled him to the point that she didn't allow their baby to take my brother's surname. Her baby is Chris Brooklyn, instead of Chris Brooks.

"It doesn't change anything, so long as we love each other," Cruz replied, but I didn't have the time to advise him. He was thirty years old and old enough to make his own decisions. I sat silently, watching the road as Cruz drove his red sports car down the White Estate road. He finally arrived at a white gate and parked.

Eva's POV:

Arriving at the white gate, Cruz parked the red sports car at the frontage, and I asked him, "How about the other houses? Are all the houses the same?"

"No. Houses in this White Estate are expensive. Only billionaires can afford to live here," Cruz replied calmly as he waited for the gate man to pull the gate open for him.

"So your wife is a billionaire? Then tell her to pay Jacob Stone for us?" I asked my brother, and he laughed.

"It's easier said than done. Maddison is not really a billionaire. Moreover, you incurred the debt. You should think of how to earn money to pay Jacob off, before he comes to arrest you," Cruz said as he ignited the car and drove into the compound.

"Why would Jacob come to arrest me? I didn't steal from him or intentionally cheat on him. Moreover, where do I find a job that will pay me enough to cover a ten million dollar debt? At Almond Tech, they offered me a job with a salary of two hundred thousand dollars. How many months will I work to be able to pay Jacob?" I said, not wanting to mention Ethan Owen to my brother.

"You should have thought about all this. If you cannot pay Jacob, you should go back and beg him. I am sure he will forgive you and take you back. Moreover, he loves you very much," Cruz advised, and I sighed as he turned off his car.

"Jacob did so much for you, Eva. Try to reach out to him and ask for forgiveness. I am sure he will forgive you. Also, I cannot ask Maddison. It's enough that I helped you get a job at Almond Tech. I don't think she will want to get involved in your scandal," Cruz said, and I nodded.

"It's fine. I will find a way to reach out to Jacob later," I replied. My brother nodded and reminded me, "That reminds me. Maddison's younger brother, Noah, is at home. You shouldn't get on their wrong side." Cruz advised me before he unlocked his side door, and I got out of the car.

The sunny wind hit my head and blew against my slim body as I stepped out in my green midi dress and looked at the white duplex that loomed in front of me. The last time I was here was one year ago, when Cruz and Maddison had just welcomed their son. Now, I was here again. I knew how Maddison looked down on my family because she felt we were poor, but because Cruz loved her, he condoned her silly behavior.

Ringing the doorbell, Cruz waited for someone to pull the door open, even though it was his own house.

The entrance door swung open, and a tall young man wearing a blue top and black jeans stood there and peered at us. His eyes fell on me, and he smiled as Cruz and I entered the living room. The young guy resembled Maddison, and I didn't need anyone to tell me who he was.

"Welcome, brother-in-law," he said as Cruz and I entered the living room.

"Yeah. Noah, this is my sister, Eva," Cruz introduced us, and I smiled at Noah. I had seen him once on the day of Cruz and Maddison's wedding.

"I know, brother-in-law. You don't have to introduce us," Noah replied, his tone playful as his brown eyes shamelessly raked over my body. Unable to hide his curiosity, he asked, "Why does Eva have hickeys all over her body? Or is it an allergy?"

"Noah." Cruz's expression hardened as he disapproved of Noah mocking me.

Maddison strode downstairs, her steps slow as she peered at me.

"Cruz, why would you bring your sister here? Her scandal is the talk of the town that she cheated on her fiancé and got disowned by her parents. And yet, you brought her here," Maddison's sharp voice cut through the air, and Cruz turned to face her.

"Babe, Eva didn't deliberately cheat on Jacob. They can still settle their differences. Just let her stay with us for a few days until she can find her way and settle her issues with my parents. Please," Cruz tried to explain to Maddison, even though he was the man of the house.

"No," Maddison said sharply. "What do you want my friends to say? Our family members and business partners? First, your sister cannot work with us at Almond Tech because her scandal is all over the internet—she refused to let her boyfriend touch her, yet she secretly hooks up with any available rich man she can find," Maddison said, glaring at me.

"Babe! Eva is my sister. She is not that type of woman. She didn't intentionally agree to do it. Just let her stay here for a while," Cruz begged his wife on my behalf, but she refused.

"No, Cruz. I don't want your sister here with us. Let her find her way or go back to Jacob. She is not welcome here. Didn't you see the news? That billionaire CEO Jacob Stone is demanding fifteen million dollars from your family. Are you going to help Eva pay for it? Let her leave!" Maddison shouted, and I tried to speak.

"Sister-in-law…"

"Don't call me that. I am not your sister-in-law!" Maddison yelled at me, her eyes shooting daggers my way. "I cannot be sister-in-law with a cheap slut like you. So get out of my house before you corrupt my son or get laid with my brother for money," she accused, and my jaw dropped. I turned speechless.

"What? Big sister, how can you accuse me of such?" Noah said, laughing despite his sister's anger.

"Who knows what Eva is capable of when she doesn't take her eyes off rich guys," Maddison said, her voice cold. Cruz raised his voice at her.

"Babe, Eva is my youngest sister. She is not leaving this house if your brother stays. If you don't want my sister to stay with us, then your brother is leaving here too," Cruz said, refusing to let me leave. But I didn't like that he and his wife were quarreling because of me.

"It's okay, brother. I will go. You don't have to fight with your wife because of me," I said, but my brother shook his head.

"Maddison doesn't allow you or Elora to come here, but she allows her own siblings here. Isn't that partial?" Cruz asked, his voice sad, and I sighed.

"It's fine. I will find a hotel to lodge until I can find an apartment," I replied, wanting to leave, but my brother stopped me.

"No. I said you are not leaving. Let Maddi come and take you out. Let me see," Cruz insisted. Maddison stood there speechless, peering at us.

"Come on, let me show you to the guest room," my brother insisted, but I shook my head.

"Brother, let me go. You don't have to quarrel with your wife because of me," I said, but he shook his head.

"If I do not stand up for you, who will? You are my sister, and just because you made a mistake does not mean I will cast you away. You also helped me in my lowest. So if Maddison wants to end our marriage, it's fine. She can send us out together," Cruz declared, his tone firm. Maddison stood there shocked.