(Eva's POV)

"Cruz, is this what you want? To break up with me because of your slut of a sister?" Maddison shouted, but Cruz stood unfazed.

"Yes, babe. Your brother got kicked out by your parents because of his bad boy lifestyle at college, and you accommodated him. Why can't you accommodate my own sister?" Cruz asked, his tone sharp, and Maddison fumbled to find words.

"Babe, you cannot compare my brother to your sister. Noah's issues are different. Fine, if Eva stays, I don't want to see her anywhere near the company. She's fired!" Maddison declared and turned to go back upstairs. My brother sighed and turned to face me.

"Come on, let me show you to the guest room. Tomorrow, I'll accompany you to go see Mom and Dad when they've calmed down," Cruz spoke softly, and I stood there worriedly.

"I don't want you and your wife to have marital issues because of me," I spoke calmly, but Cruz smiled.

"Don't worry. I'll talk to Maddison," he replied calmly, while I watched Noah sit on the couch, his eyes on me.

"Come on," Cruz led me to the guest room, and I was marveled—the guest room was bigger than my room at home.

"Brother, are you sure you and your wife won't quarrel again because of me?" I asked, my voice filled with concern, but he shook his head.

"Don't worry about Maddison. What would you like to eat? Have you eaten?" Cruz asked, and my stomach growled in hunger at his inquiry.

"It's fine. I'll send for your meal," Cruz said as he turned and walked out of the room.

Sighing, I moved over to the white couch in the room to sit down. My phone rang, and it was my older sister, Elora, calling. We weren't so close, especially since she had tried to secretly date Jacob Stone, but he didn't spare her a glance and reported to me what she did. Since then, our relationship had been strained.

"Hello, Sister," I said, my voice calm, and Elora's sharp voice resonated in my ear. "Eva, how can you cheat on Jacob? I thought you said you loved him very much and wouldn't cheat on him?"

"It was a mistake. It wasn't intentional," I replied for the umpteenth time, and Elora scoffed.

"What would you have said before? That you didn't willingly cheat on Jacob? Eva, your wedding with Jacob was just three months away, and yet you cheated. I'm ashamed of you. Do you know that Jacob has called off the engagement and ordered us to pay him fifteen million? Where do you want us to get that money from?"

"I'm not going to pay Jacob. I didn't cheat on him willingly, so I'm not the one to be blamed," I said firmly, but Elora snapped.

"Shut up, Eva. If you hadn't captured Jacob's attention before I did—I was the one who invited you to the Elites Club five years ago, and you snatched Jacob before I could even say hi to him," Elora ranted, and I sighed. I knew my sister wanted Jacob, but he didn't like her. He came to meet me instead.

"Sister, I don't want to talk about this. I'll visit Jacob and try to negotiate with him. You don't have to worry about paying him," I replied, my voice calm, but Elora yelled, "How about Dad's company? He lost a lot of clients because he couldn't fund the loan demanded. You need to beg Jacob to take you back. You better go and look for him and beg him." Elora ended the call, and I sighed heavily.

Knock knock.

The sound of someone knocking startled me, and I moved over to the door to find out who was there. When I pulled the door open, I met a young woman standing there like a maid. She carried a tray of steamy food in her hands.

"Hi, I brought your dinner," she said, and I saw Noah walk past her as he went to the next door after mine.

"Alright. Thank you," I replied before collecting the tray and going back into my room. I locked the door and went to set the meal on the table, then sat down to eat the delicious jollof rice and fried chicken. The delicious taste soothed my body and calmed my restless mind. After finishing the food, I drank from the bottle of water, and my mind wandered to Ethan Owen.

I pulled my bag, brought out the blue card that Ethan gave me. He was offering me a job at his company for two million, while Maddison had already fired me from her tech company. Even though I was a software developer, I decided to accept working for Ethan as his personal secretary. After all, the pay was relatively high, and now that I needed to repay Jacob, I knew I could only rely on Ethan's two-million-dollar secretary job.

So I called the number on the card, my hand trembling as I heard the call ringing. Who was going to pick up? Was it Ethan's assistant or customer care? I pondered, as the card had Owen's Group CEO printed on it. Name—Ethan Owen.

The call rang, and there was no response. Trying again, I sat with unease as I called the number once more. A knock on my door startled me, but I was eager to wait for Ethan's call. Unfortunately, Ethan didn't answer. I sighed and moved over to the door to see who was there.

Pulling the door open, I caught Noah standing there.

"What do you want?" I asked him coldly, and he smiled at me.

"I'm sorry to bother you, but I just wanted to know how you're doing and if we can be friends," Noah said, his brown eyes glinting with interest as he peered at my face. He was taller than me and had a well-built body, but he was my age-mate—I was a twenty-five-year-old woman.

Shaking my head, I replied with a stern voice. "No, we cannot be friends. Because your sister accused me some minutes ago that I would sleep with you. So I cannot be close to you. Stay away from me and focus on your life." I turned to go back, but he caught my hand.

"Wait, it's not like you're a kid, or I am. My sister doesn't have the right to control me. I honestly want to be your friend."

"Well, sorry, I don't need your friendship. My best friend betrayed me, and I cannot blindly trust a new friend, whether male or female. I want to be alone at the moment. So shoo away." I walked back into the room and slammed the door in his face.

Exhaling, the sound of my phone ringing caught my attention, and I moved over to the table to grab it quickly before the call ended. I was taken aback to see that Ethan was the one calling me back. My hands trembled as I sat on the chair and answered the call.

(Eva's POV)

"Hello, sir. This is Eva Brooks calling," I said swiftly, my heart pounding faster in my chest. Why am I like this because of a simple call? I pondered as there was silence on the line, before Ethan's deep voice reverberated in my eardrum.

"I am aware. Have you made up your mind to work for me? I gave you my personal contact card, so I know you're the one calling," he replied, his deep voice making my thighs clench together. I gasped, "Oh! Well, I thought about your offer, and I accept to work as your secretary. Are you sure you will pay me two million per month?"

"Yeah. Or have you changed your price?" he asked smoothly.

"No. I accept. It's fine. I just want to be sure that you will pay me that amount," I replied, and he sighed.

"I will keep to my terms of the deal. You should keep to yours. I expect to see you in my company by Monday. Note, not the hotel," he stated, and I gulped hard, looking at the company's address.

"I will be there, boss," I said, and he laughed.

"Fine. I am your boss. You should address me as boss," he agreed, and I smiled with relief.

"Alright. Take care, sir," I replied, to which he muttered, "You too."

The call finally came to an end, and I felt my heart throbbing faster, like I had just won a lottery.

"Yes!" I squealed, before another intense knocking rumbled on my door.

Rushing to check who was at the door again, I hoped it wasn't Noah. When I pulled the door open, I met my brother, Cruz, standing there, carrying his son in his arms. The chubby little boy was awake. Even though I wanted to carry him, I recalled that Maddison forbade us from touching her son. She accused my parents and me of inflicting her son with 'poverty syndrome,' so we abstained from touching the little boy.

"Hey, I heard you scream, and that's why I hurried over," Cruz said with a smile, and I laughed.

"I'm sorry for alerting the whole house. I got a new job," I said, blushing as I peered at my older brother's face.

"Where did you get the job?" he asked, his eyes watching me curiously as he frowned.

"Eva, don't take Maddison's words to heart. I won't allow her to sack you. Moreover, we need your expertise at the tech company," he said, knowing I was very intelligent. Even though he worked as an assistant, my brother knew I was more intellectual than him and Elora.

"Well, I know. But I have to find another job. I don't want to cause any problems for you and your lovely wife. That's why I accepted to work for another company—as a secretary, though," I explained, and my brother's frown deepened.

"Secretaries doesn't earn much. How much were you offered, and at what company? Before you can find a company that will pay you up to 50,000 for a secretary role is hard," Cruz said, his voice filled with disappointment as he played with his son in his arms.

"I know. Actually, I'm not going to earn 50,000. My boss offered to pay me two million," I replied, and Cruz gasped.

"What the hell? You're lying to me, Eva. This is not a time to joke," he said, his voice full of disbelief, and I laughed heartily.

"I'm not lying. I'm going to work for Ethan Owen," I said, and my brother gasped again.

"What? Which Ethan Owen are you talking about? Do you mean Dominic City's top richest CEO is your new boss? Where did you meet him?" Cruz questioned me, but I couldn't respond.

"Wait a minute—is Ethan the man you slept with?" Cruz asked, trying to piece the puzzle together, as I saw Noah walk out of his room and peer at us. His sister entered the corridor to carry her son, glaring at me. But hearing Cruz's questions, she was stunned for a moment too.

"No, Ethan is not the man I slept with," I quickly denied, but my cheeks flushed.

"Don't lie to me, Eva. If Mr. Owen isn't the man you met, then how did you get a job as his secretary?" Cruz questioned curiously, and I fumbled to find words to explain.

"Well, I was leaving the Owen's Hotel, and I heard they were in need of a new secretary for the big boss. I accepted the application card to work for the boss, and he said I should show up at work on Monday," I lied, and my brother's jaw dropped.

"I don't believe that. Do you mean you have Ethan's contact with you? Let me see it!" Cruz insisted, but I didn't want to give it to him.

"You cannot call him. What matters is that I got the job, and I will be going to work by Monday," I said, and my brother appeared doubtful.

"Eva, if you're lying to me just because Maddison said you shouldn't come to work at Almond Group, you don't have to lie to me using Ethan Owen. Do you know that getting a partnership deal with Owen's Tech company is very difficult, and one partnership can change your life forever?" Cruz said, his tone serious, and I nodded with a smile.

"I know. Don't worry, when I secure the job by Monday, I will let you know," I replied, and he looked at me doubtfully for a moment and sighed.

"Alright. I will be looking forward to seeing where you will go to work. In fact, I will be the one to take you to work to see the company myself," Cruz declared, and I laughed.

"Alright. By Monday," I agreed. But Maddison quickly questioned, "Babe, don't tell me you believe Eva. She's just lying to make it look like she got a job at Owen's Group. Ethan's fiancée, Freya Dallas, is my best friend. Let me call her to ask if Owen Group is hiring a new secretary."

The color drained from my face as I heard Maddison mention Ethan's fiancée. Wait a minute—so Ethan was engaged, and he shamelessly slept with me. Oh no! I felt uneasy, knowing I had slept with another woman's fiancé. Yet, he was shamelessly asking me to be his woman.

My fascination with Ethan faded as I watched Maddison pull out her phone from her pocket and dial a contact. A feminine voice responded happily, "Hello, Maddi?"

"Hi, Freya. I want to ask you a quick question," Maddison said, her tone urgent as her eyes locked with mine coldly.

"Yes, what is it?" Freya asked nervously, not knowing what Maddison wanted to ask.

"It's about your fiancé, Ethan Owen," Maddison said, and my legs trembled as I became weak, a wave of guilt washing over me. Before I could lose my balance, Cruz caught me, despite carrying his son on one arm.

"Are you alright?" he whispered into my ear, and I nodded and moved away from him. I was perspiring. Beads of sweat marred my forehead as I heard Maddison ask aloud, ensuring to put her phone on loudspeaker.

"Freya, is Owen's Group hiring any secretary? My husband's sister, who shamelessly broke off with her ex, mentioned that your fiancé is hiring a new secretary," Maddison asked, a sinister smirk curling up her lips.

Freya replied, "I don't know if Ethan is hiring a new secretary. He doesn't let me work for him, so I don't know. But if she is hired to work there, good luck to her. I heard that Ethan doesn't fail to fire his secretary every month end. Since we were engaged, I think he has fired no less than fifty secretaries."

"What?" Maddison gasped, and even I looked stunned.

(Eva's POV)

"I am being honest with you, Maddison. Ethan doesn't like his secretary coming late to work or fumbling at business meetings. You know that Owen's Group has many businesses, so he is very busy. Also, he hates when his secretary gawks at him. His rules are much like I heard, but it's good for me. He hasn't cheated since we started dating. It was our families who set up our engagement. So I consider myself lucky to have a man like him," Freya said happily, and I nearly coughed out my lungs hearing that Ethan hadn't cheated on Freya. Wasn't he the same man who plastered me with hickeys all over my body? Well, I thought I was the one who rushed to meet him, so maybe he might not have cheated on Freya truly.

"Hmm. That sounds nice. But my husband's sister is a hooker. She broke up with her ex-boyfriend to sleep with a rich man for money. So I will advise you to keep your man in check, before she snatches him," Maddison said, her voice stern as she glared at me.

Freya laughed it off. "Forget about how beautiful your Sisters-in-law is or if she is a hooker or not. Ethan will not cheat on me with her. She's wasting her time. Moreover, Ethan and I will be getting married next month. So why bother about the secretary who will soon get fired for failing at her job?" Freya said, and I felt sad in my heart to hear that Ethan was in a serious relationship with her, and yet he was offering me a high-paying job and also asking me to be his woman.

"Alright. I just decided to give you a heads up. You know you're my best friend, and I want the best for you," Maddison said, and Freya laughed.

"I know, Maddi. Once my wedding invitation comes out, you will be my number one guest. Also, Ethan's sister, Angelina, is hosting a birthday party at Owen's Hotel next weekend. Has she invited you?" Freya asked, her voice bubbling with excitement, and Maddison smiled, "Of course. I saw Angelina two days ago at the tech gathering. She is a genius. I will be there at her party."

"Sure. Take care, Maddi, and don't bother worrying about your husband's sister. She is not a problem at all," Freya stated, her tone confident, and Maddison smirked at me.

"Alright, girlfriend. Take care," Maddie replied and put her phone back in her pocket.

"Do you hear that, slut? Ethan is in a serious relationship with my best friend, so if you are going to work for him, be ready to lose your job. He won't spare you a glance at all in his office. Coupled with your scandal at his hotel and your breakup with your fiancé, I am sure Ethan will fire you upon arrival." Maddison smirked, and I couldn't find words to refute her claims. I was still shaken by the fact that Ethan had a fiancée and yet he agreed and slept with me. His words rang in my mind: "If I hadn't slept with you, who knows what the drug would have done to damage your body. So you owe me compensation."

"Eva, Eva!" Cruz called my name after his wife had carried their chubby son and walked away.

"Eva, are you alright?" Cruz asked me softly, and I nodded and wiped off the tears that had slipped down my cheeks. I didn't know I was crying. I didn't even cry when Jacob Stone, my boyfriend of five years, broke up with me. But here I was, crying to hear that Ethan was already in a relationship. Maybe I felt guilty that I had been with another woman's fiancé. I didn't envision myself as a woman who would sleep with another person's fiancé. It was all Layla's fault for making me break up with Jacob. If I had known that Layla was jealous of me, I wouldn't have attended her twenty-fourth birthday party at Owen's five-star hotel. Now, I lost my chastity and also my fiancé caught me red-handed with another man.

Even after using the back of my palm to wipe off my tears, more tears flowed down my cheeks, and I couldn't stop the guilt I was feeling.

"Eva, don't let Maddison's words get to you. If you are truly employed by Ethan Owen, I think it's best that you focus on your job there and not try to lust after him or break his rules, alright?" Cruz gave me hope as he saw my sad look.

"It's fine. Thank you," I replied, but the sound of police sirens arriving at his home caught my attention.

"What's going on?" I asked, looking up at my brother's face, and his brows furrowed.

"Let me find out," he replied, and I was nervous about why the police had arrived at his house. Were they here to arrest me? I paced about the corridor but couldn't sate my curiosity. I walked out of the house to see Jacob Stone standing there in a black shirt, trousers and shoes. His expression was frosty as he arrived with the two police officers.

"Officer, that's the woman who cheated on me and made away with my money," Jacob said, his voice firm, and I gasped, "What? Which money? Officer, this is all a misunderstanding."

"Madam, you have every right to remain silent and follow us to the police station for questioning. Anything you say or do shall be used against you in the court of law. Now, come with us," the policeman in black uniform ordered me.

Cruz tried to speak to Jacob, as he knew him. They were once university friends.

"Jacob, you cannot have my sister arrested. Please, Eva didn't mean to cheat on you. You are taking this too far," Cruz tried to speak up for me as the policemen handcuffed me like I was a criminal.

Jacob turned to face my older brother, his expression cold. "Cruz, you don't expect me to let your sister go just like that. She cheated on me after everything I did for her. I need my compensation, unless she will rot in jail. She never let me touch her, and yet she slept with another man. Forgetting that she is mine!" Jacob looked furious as the policemen led me into the black car, and I was taken away.

"Jacob, you're making a mistake. You should arrest Layla. She set Eva up. You cannot do this to my sister!" Cruz cried, chasing after us, and I saw his wife standing there on the porch, recording us.

"That's not my business. Your sister will compensate me for wasting my time with her," Jacob insisted, while the police car drove out of the house.

I heard Maddison screaming, "Babe, don't waste your time on Eva. Let her pay the price for her crime."

The rest of her words cut off as the police car drove off and headed for the police station. I sat with unease, wondering if this was how I would rot in jail.