Luna pointed her cheeks. "You are blushing, Eve", she teased.
The bell rang, cutting off the remaining chatter. "Okay, Zoey..., Luna, see you tomorrow," Evangeline said while grabbing her bag.
"Okay.... Don't forget to tell us tomorrow, 'What was that something?' " Zoey said with a wink.
Evangeline rolled her eyes again but couldn't help a smile. She texted Aaron: I'm leaving. If you have time, come to the hallway.
Aaron replied almost immediately: Okay.
She put her phone into her bag and glanced around the room. Nate was gone. She grabbed her bag from a desk and left the classroom. Zoey and Luna trailed behind her.
"Finally, my friend Eve got some butterflies in her stomach," Zoey teased as they reached the hallway.
Luna chimed in, "About time! I was starting to think she was immune to handsome guys."
Evangeline just shook her head hearing music, a smirk playing on her lips, and she glanced walking towards the hallway, students rushing towards their homes, their voices silent in music.
The sunlight warmly reflected Nate's face. he stood on the seventh-floor balcony, a slight breeze rustling his hair. From the height, He could see the entire campus below, the red-brick buildings, the pond at the center, and the distant sounds of students laughing and shouting. But his attention was focused on Evangeline.
She appear from the college building, her head held high. She carries a confident walk, her heels clicking against the walkway.
Two men in dark suits stood beside a black sedan, their eyes scanning the crowd with an almost predatory. Evangeline approached them, a small, genuine smile playing on her lips. She spoke briefly to one of the men, then turned to Aaron, who was coming to her, his sports uniform a splash of color against the sunlight.
So, that's Aaron..., Nate thought, his gaze fixed on him. He looked… comfortable around her. Too comfortable. Evangeline smiled at Aaron, a genuine smile. Is he just a friend? Or something more? He glanced at the bodyguards.
"You have a practice today?" Eve asked while glancing at him from top to bottom.
"Yup," he smiled warmly, his eyes crumpling at the corners.
"Okay, call me tonight," Evangeline said to Aaron, her voice calm.
"Of course, Evangeline. I'll be waiting," Aaron replied, his enthusiasm evident. He waved his hands before heading off in the opposite direction.
Nate's phone buzzed continuously in his pocket. He pulled it out.
"How was your day, Nate? Anything interesting?" his assistant asked with curiosity on the phone.
Nate's gaze flicked back down to Evangeline before he answered. "It was good. By the way, why didn't you tell me Kim was coming here?" He questioned, clearly upset.
"Your dad appointed him, Nate."
"He's here for your safety and to handle business matters. If the Winter family finds out about you, Kim is the backup. He knows everything," the assistant encouraged.
"Wait... What? Do you think I'm going to mess up Dad's plan?" his eyes narrowed.
"I mean..." His assistant opened his mouth, but Nate interrupted, "That's not happening!" His tone shifted to one of fury.
"Relax, Nate. Kim's on your side. He's here to help, not interfere. Trust me, he's a great asset. Don't confuse your mind." he reassured him gently with his words
"Fine. But this makes me disappointed," Nate replied, his irritation with his father's decision evident.
"Don't worry, Kim's got your back," he iterated. "Treat him like a friend; you need a good friend sometimes."
At that moment, Kim interrupted their conversation and signaled Nate to leave. Nate nodded to him to wait and, before ending the call, said, "Fine. Whatever Dad says it has some meaning."
"That's my boy," he encouraged him.
"Okay, Nick, I have to go," he ended the call, and both left the college building.
The car door automatically closed with a soft sound as Evangeline settled into the plush leather seat. The familiar scent of lavender car spray freshener enveloped her as her bodyguards took their positions.
"How was your day, ma'am? Did everything go smoothly?" Michael asked, his usual formality replaced with a more relaxed tone.
"Did anyone cause trouble, ma'am?" Christopher, one of her bodyguards, asked.
Evangeline rolled her eyes, and her head fell back against the seat. "Uh... Are you serious?"
"Um.... Do I look like I'm in my forties or fifties? No, right?"
"Please stop with the formal tone. It's exhausting every time. Just call me Eve or Evangeline."
Christopher straightened slightly. "Apologies, ma'am...sorry, Evangeline," he corrected himself quickly. "We were assigned two weeks ago. If you'd prefer, we can adjust our tone moving forward."
A small smile twitched on her lips. "Thank you, Chris. I appreciate it. You two seem to catch on quickly. The last team didn't..." Her voice carried a hint of something darker, leaving the unspoken story hanging in the air, "One day, I will share about them."
Christopher and Michael exchanged puzzled glances; their confusion was evident. "What had the previous bodyguards done wrong?"
The rest of the ride continued in contemplative silence, and Evangeline in the back seat watched the city blur past her window, her mind elsewhere.
After arriving home, "We reached home," Micheal said, standing outside the car. Evangeline came out of the car and walked, humming a cheerful song tune, pausing at the front door when she noticed it was ajar. Her brows furrowed, the quiet evening suddenly felt heavy with unease.
She paused and turned to them, her eyes wide. "Guys, the doors are already open."
Suddenly, a phone rang in Aaron's pocket, jolting him back to reality. "History repeating," he thought, silently sensing how she would react. Evangeline noticed a continuous ring on his coat. "Shit! Who might be?" she whispered, pulling the car over near a quiet parking area. She let out a deep breath before getting close to Aaron, an air filled with unspoken emotions in her eyes as she leaned against the passenger seat.She inhaled his familiar perfume after a long time, her gaze fixed on Aaron's sleeping face. Her heart started to beat faster, and a wave of nervousness overtook her. Why did he look so handsome today? she wondered, observing him closely in the dim light. Her eyes drifted to his cupid, pink lips. She leaned closer to his jaw, her warm exhale ghosting his face and stopping it. Eve... what the hell are you doing? A sudden voice rang in her mind like a warning. He kissed you accidentally, he is not in love.... He loves Zoey. You can't betray your best friend. You're not s
"What the fuck your mom feeding you Aaron?" Evangeline yelled, dragging Aaron's body towards the restroom door in the dark. "Finally... we came to the door..." she panted, struggling him closer, her fingers fumbling for the lock. The click echoed in the quiet hallway.When she opened the door, Aaron's leg, without balance he bumped, tangled with Nate, who was passing by. In the dark, Nate, with sudden flex, gripped Aaron's coat with one hand, power collapsing to the floor. He yanked Aaron to his side. Aaron still has no response, no action over his body. Then, after a moment, he slightly moved his hand and grabbed Nate's waist, and his head rested against Nate's chest. Just then, a sudden power came, and now the dark mall became bright and beautiful. The harsh fluorescent glow stung Evangeline's eyes, she rubbed her eyes and watched the mall, half of the guests had already left. The remaining guests were calmly and securely escorted by security towards the exit."Nate....."Evangeline
"What the hell? Why the sudden power cut?" the guests murmured in the coward, their voice echoing in the dim mall as they flashed their phones to see what things there. Everyone was in a panic, moving slowly, some bumped into tables while others cautiously felt their way around, touching the furniture like blind people."Everyone, please stay where you are. I believe there’s a UPS generator here, and the power should be back in just a moment..." Maxmillian shouted from the stage, pulling out his phone, his hand trembling in the sudden blackout.But his voice doesn't reach out without the mic sounds as his eyes narrowed, focused on the guests, who were already moving towards the entrance, some struggling to move from one place to another. He understood the seriousness of the current situation. Without any delay, he dialed the mall manager, "Jack... Why sudden blackout... what about UPS, just power them on? he ordered, his words fast as train coming out from his mouth."Yes, sir... but t
"Maximillian standing at the center of the stage... Be ready to upload the video" Zoey ordered in earpiece to Daisy, saying in a sharp and leader manner, her eyes fixed on Maximillian, who roamed the stage with an easy smile. Then her gaze shifted to her phone screen, displaying the time 8:46. "Be ready, when I say yes... Upload." On the left side of the mall, Aaron tracked Zoey's every move. He knew she was poised to upload the video. His finger pressed the earpiece; I'll never let you bring Eve down," he vowed confidently as he stiffened his posture and adjusted his coat. "Have you connected the screen?" he asked to hacker to check him again properly, to prevent any future failure."Yes, Aaron, everything's perfect. Waiting for your command," the hacker confirmed, his gaze still sweeping every corner of the mall, another screen displaying the projector's reflection.Kim silently dragged an empty tray towards the cooking area. He stood and leaned against the fridge. He scanned around
"Evangeline…."Ashley called out as she walked towards the Evangeline allocated table, her eyes narrowed in confusion, looking at the empty seat. "Why is she not here?" she demanded, turning to Serena, who stood awkwardly beside the table."Maybe... she just slipped away? To the washroom or somewhere. She needed air. Sometimes it's too suffocating for her, " Serena explained about her with a smile as she glanced around at the people."Ah!" A small sigh and a disappointed sound escaped from Ashley's lips as she settled into the chair. A sudden excitement peaked on her face. "I'm happy for Evangeline," she said with casual nonchalance in her tone and expression. "Why?" Serena asked, placing her luxurious bag on the center of the table and drawing her legs up onto the chair."Oh! She's going to be my daughter-in-law!" Ashley screamed, in eagerness, her voice clearer visible as she placed her hand on Serena."We've been best friends for over fifteen years…" Serena murmured, her eyes drift
"Finally, Min-Jee kissed with girl." Hwang teased, and for his joke, the room erupted with a burst of laughter.Now the laughter turned into a tense, silent room. Inside Seo-Yeon's room was cold and bright, illuminated by sparkling lights. She sat on the bed with Myung, the distance between them visible. "I just searched by accident, that's all, Oppa." "Seo-Yeon was pleased, trying to reach his hand to convince Myung. "Please understand me."A disingenuous smile spread across Myung's lips, thin and cold. "Accidentally? Are you sure?" He questioned, his brows arching in clear disbelief. "Are you sure?"Seo-Yeon nodded, "Yeah... I am sure"Myung stood up from the bed, his brows were arched, more like doubting. "You have already said that asshole was handsome, and in your class, everyone has a crush on him...." He roared, including her last talk as he let out a deep breath and realized, exhaling and leaning close to Seo-Yeon, his voice deep and his eyes full of frustration and doubt. "If