CHAPTER 4

Eva's POV

~~~~

Arriving at the White Estate gate where Cruz lived, the taxi pulled to a stop in front of the gate. My only brother, Cruz, had married Maddison Brooklyn, a rich man's daughter, and she was too pompous and proud. 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'm here to see my older brother, Cruz Brooks. He lives in the estate," I said, as I was already exhausted.

On a Saturday morning like this, I knew that I should have been at home resting. But here I was, standing in front of an estate gate.

"Call him," the security man said before ordering me to stand aside. I knew I wouldn't be allowed entry into the estate.

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

However, I was stunned when I saw a black Rolls-Royce driving into the estate gate, as the White Estate was known to house many wealthy billionaires in Dominic City.

Gulping, I was stunned when my gaze locked with Ethan Owen's—the same man with whom I had had a one-night stand a few hours ago.

What was he doing here? Did he live inside the White Estate too?

I gulped and immediately looked away from him as I pretended like I didn't know him. But his gaze bored into me; I could feel the intensity of his gaze on me.

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

"Hello, Cruz. I'm at the estate gate now," I said to my older brother on the call, and he said, "I'll be there now."

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

A few minutes later, my brother arrived in a red sports car, parked, and 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 was stunned as I hadn't looked at myself in the mirror.

"What happened to me? What do you mean?" I asked my older brother with a nervous laugh. I walked up to his car and peered at my reflection in the mirror.

I was shocked by the sight that beheld me. My cheeks were painted red, and there were hickeys all over my neck.

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

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

"This is enough for Jacob Stone to break up with you. Who did you get laid with?" my brother asked, his eyes peering at me, and I lowered my head as my cheeks flushed.

"It's not important to talk about him. 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 said, my voice quivering.

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

"Eva, why do I feel like you're lying to me and you know the man you had a night with? Well, in case you are not aware, Jacob canceled the engagement, and he is demanding the sum of ten million dollars as compensation for all the money he spent on you," my brother said as he moved over to pull his car door open for me.

"What? Ten million dollars? When did Jacob spend such a huge amount on me? The university cost only $200,000 per a year, and he paid for four years, and a few more expenses—let's say a total of $2,000,000. When did Jacob ever spend up to $10,000,000 on me? Even the money he spent on me isn't up to $2,000,000," I said, my voice sharp, and Cruz exhaled.

"Well, that's what Jacob is demanding as compensation for you cheating on him. As for Dad, Jacob broke off the partnership and demanded that Dad pay him five million as his support f*e. So that's a total of fifteen million dollars 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 for a breakup as compensation? 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 so flushed at the moment.

"Mmm," 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 is able to 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 that I owed him for taking advantage of him," I said, and my brother burst out laughing.

"He took advantage of you, and he blamed you for taking advantage of him. Well, I will say you 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, and my brother closed the car door. Walking over to the driver's seat, he got into the car and fastened his seatbelt.

"About my wife," Cruz said, and I knew that 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 will Maddison be the one controlling you? You didn't marry her for her money. If you hadn't helped her father's company, Almond Tech wouldn't have grown to the height it is today," I said, knowing that my brother had 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 last name. Her baby was Chris Brooklyn instead of Chris Brooks.

"It doesn't change anything. So long as we love each other," Cruz said, 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.