(Eve’s POV)“Ha! What rich people can do. What rich people can have,” Bethany murmured, her eyes wandering the VIP room as she picked up her cup of coffee. She leaned comfortably against the backrest of the couch. A half-smile curved into my lips, quietly agreeing with her. The tasteful artwork on the walls and the windows offering a stunning view of the city skyline screamed an expensive room. The room was furnished with plush, comfortable seating, an extra bed, and a large flat-screen TV mounted opposite the bed. Despite Cooper’s excitement when he saw the TV earlier, they all fell asleep as soon as they lay on the extra bed. I wish the bed would call me the way it invited my kids.“Have you seen the bathroom?” Bethany asked, her eyes wide, sitting upright. “Will they notice if I take some of those toiletries?” she joked.I scoffed, rolling my eyes. “They’re not to your taste, Beth.”“Yeah, right.” She nodded, gulping the coffee and placing the cup on the table. “By the way, Moira
(Eve’s POV)“Cotton?” Moira chuckled. “Nope. It’s not the feline’s fault.”I gasped. My eyes were wide as I leaned slightly toward her. “You can hear my thoughts, too?”“Umm…” She shook her head briefly. “I wish, but I can’t read thoughts. That’s out of my talent. Not a mind reader here. I just guess you’re thinking about Cotton.”“But why does it keep on coming back? Don’t they forget?” I asked, almost in a panic.“Well… Hmm, how should I put it?” She narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips, then her face lit up like a light bulb turned on. “Cats are sacred.”My eyebrows raised, unsure of what she was saying.She raised her hands briefly. “Okay. We don’t have much time for that cat-sacred-god-symbol lesson, but cats are special. They’re our protectors.”My lips curved into a sneer. “But she failed to protect my daughter.”“Quit blaming the cat. You're the one who keeps changing your mind. The thing is, she doesn’t care about that. Once cats find their spot, settle in, and meet the peop
(Eve’s POV)“This is a dream!” I murmured, closing my eyes and gently patting my cheeks. My chest was about to burst as anxiety and fear combined. “Wake up, Eve. Moira’s on her trip somewhere with her boyfriend.”Moira answered with a deep sigh, and the hospital chair creaked as she leaned on the backrest. “I told you I came here as soon as I heard about Isabella… and to make sure to give you a beating for not listening to me.”“What did I do?” I lied, but my heart was about to explode.“Pfft! What did I do?” She mimicked, rolling her eyes as she sneered. “You know what you did. I told you not to enter the room. And still…” She eased back and sighed. “Don’t you know what forbidden means?”“Argh!” I closed my eyes, thinking she was nothing but my imagination, a by-product of guilt because I did not follow her simple request. “Go away!” I murmured, hoping it would work.“Marga… Isabella… all your kids… Everything’s your fault, Eve.” She waved her hands animatedly in the air as she talke
(Eve’s POV)It was chaos, and then I realized it was just me.My hands were cold, and I could hardly think straight. The faint hum of machinery and the soft whispers of other patients created a backdrop of nervous anticipation. As to how we reached the hospital, everything was Callahan’s doing. We sat in the waiting area, patiently waiting for her to complete the CT scan.If Callahan hadn’t been there, I would have carried my children to the car and driven them to the hospital, but given the situation, after quickly assessing the situation, he said my youngest daughter mustn’t be moved from the ground. Isabella fell from the ladder she found in the garden in an attempt to save the kitten meowing from the tree. Theo tried to stop his little sister and went after her. Cooper was too late to pull them back.I turned my head slowly in his direction, glad that Rosie was there to comfort him, explaining over and over again it wasn’t his fault.Her brother was in shock, crying at his failur
(Eve’s POV)Me in his arms. And him inside me…I swallowed hard, feeling the fire spreading through my core to every part of my body. Although Callahan had no recollection of what happened, the drugs seemed to be stuck in my blood.“Eve?”My eyes blinked rapidly, waking me up from daydreaming. “Huh?”“I’ve no choice, Eve,” he said, showing his phone screen. “My driver’s already in your place, so…” He tilted his head, his eyebrows raised.A nervous chuckle escaped my mouth. “Of course.” Just the car, not me. This whole thing of repeating days was causing me paranoia. I breathed and nodded briefly. “Let’s go.” I turned around, hiding my flustered face.“Where did you go?” he asked, walking beside me.“Just…” I pursed my lips, pausing for a second. “It’s personal.”“Okay,” he said, opening the door for me and letting out a frustrated sigh. “Let’s grab a bite before going to your place.”I stopped walking; my eyebrows raced as I turned to him. “We had just coffee.”“Something to eat, Eve.
(Eve’s POV)“Your face,” Bethany said, hovering her index finger on her face. “Don’t look at me like that, Eve.” She groaned and stood up. “I need coffee.”I expected Callahan to pour out questions, but he didn’t. Instead, he leaned on the backrest and closed his eyes. Stress and exhaustion were visible on his face, but I was afraid to talk… to ask. He might wonder what I was doing there when I texted him earlier, telling him I wouldn’t go to work because something came up and I had to leave home with my kids. Looking at him, I wondered what happened to him when he suddenly disappeared in the hallway.“Stop staring at me, Eve,” he murmured, opening one eye and sighing deeply as if the world fell on him. His lips slightly curved into a smile. “If you didn’t send that message, I was probably in your place.”My face flushed, and suddenly, I felt hot. I swallowed hard, remembering what happened to us last night. It was insane and intense. If only we had more time, I would let him do whate