Chapter Three: A New Life

~Eve pov~

I opened my eyes slowly to take in my surroundings, I noticed I was in an uncompleted building, and across me was Brian and Morgan, smoking into each other’s mouth— Brian smokes!? 

“What do you guys think you are doing?” I asked shifting on the ground, because my hands and legs were tied. 

“You are awake? I guess the dose was too heavy, seeing how it knocked you out for 7 hours.” Morgan said with her birdy voice. 

“Morgan, let’s not drag this for long, mom would start getting worried soon.” Brian said, and I could tell it was Morgan who put him up to it. 

He placed the envelope in his hand on the floor, then proceeded to untie my hand. “Sign this and you’ll be free.” He handed over the document. It was a divorce paper, stating we’ll both go our separate ways without demanding anything in return. 

“What if I refuse to sign it?” I asked, glaring at him. 

My head collided with the ground the moment a hand slapped me across the face. 

“Don’t be a bitch and sign the fucking paper!” Morgan screamed, rubbing the hand she used to slap me. 

I sat upright slowly and repeated, “What if I refuse to sign?”  I used my hand to wipe my nose, and it turned out I was bleeding already. 

This time it was a plank that collided with my head. 

“Morgan! You are going to get her killed.” Brian tried to stop her. 

“Tell her to sign the fucking papers then.” She deadpanned, pacing back and forth. 

“Eve please, just let it go.” He took my hand, and placed a pen in my palm. I looked at the paper again, and took another glance at Morgan, I could tell she was ready to kill me, so I signed the paper. 

“Let’s go.” Morgan said, holding Brian’s hand.

“And leave her here?” He asked, showing concern for me. 

“What else?” Morgan left his hand and walked towards me. “Shouldn’t we finish her off before we go?” I shook my head frantically at her suggestion. 

“Please don’t.” I begged, tears streaming down my face. 

“What are you planning to do?” Brian walked over to us, and held Morgan by the arm. 

“What do you think will happen once she gets out of here? She’ll fucking report us.” She pointed out. 

Yes, I would report them, but that didn’t mean I had to die for it. 

“Do it.” Morgan handed Brian the plank she was holding.

“What!?” Brian asked in shock. 

“I’m just a woman, you don’t expect me to kill someone for you, do you?” Morgan leaned towards Brian as she gaslighted him. 

“Brian….le…let’s talk about this. Remember…ermm..the love…the love between us.” I tried to stop him when he took the plank from Morgan and took a step towards me. 

“I’m sorry.” The last thing I heard before I blacked out. 

*****

I woke to the sound of machine beeping, I looked around to see the machines I was connected to, which includes a heart monitor. But I could tell I wasn’t in a hospital.  

“You are awake.” I turned to my right hand and saw a man standing close to the window. 

“Who are you and where am I?” I asked, feeling nervous that it might be a scheme made by Morgan and Brian. 

“I’m Nathan, I found you in one of our buildings lying unconscious. I didn't know what happened, but taking you to the hospital will cause bad rumors to spread concerning our company, that’s why I brought you here.” He said, using his hands to demonstrate as he speaks. 

The moment he finished speaking, a man in his early fifty entered the room. He looked at me and smiled before turning to Nathan. 

“She is awake.” he said, his eyes beaming with joy. 

He introduced himself as Arthur Craig, and that he meant no harm. Days went by and I eventually relaxed around him. He kept talking about how I reminded him of his daughter, who died while giving birth. I felt sorry for him, so I was always entertaining his talks whenever he came to check on me. 

He asked if I had a family but I said no, I only have my father, and he is as good as dead to me. He proposed that I become his adopted daughter, which I declined at first. He told me he had helped me a lot already by saving my life. 

He told me I owe Mr Nathan my life, not him, when he seriously wanted to be his daughter. After much persuasion from him, I agreed. Told him I read Business administration in school so he took me to his company, introduced me as his daughter and gave me a position to work in. 

It was like after facing death, I got a new life. I had luxuries at my beck and call, I couldn’t even think about how bad my past life was. I was overwhelmed by the world of rich people. I attended ball parties, award parties, and elite parties, I started making connections and lines were falling in place for me. I couldn’t ask for more. For two years, I lived like Arthur’s daughter, and I got promoted at work. 

“Eve Craig, you would be attending a family dinner with me tonight .” Arthur said, taking a sip from the drink in his hands. He liked to add Craig to my name, he said he loved how his name went so well with my name. 

“Alright Dad, I’ll go with you.” I smiled at him. 

We got to a five star restaurant,  the family we were going to have dinner with were seated already. Arthur apologized for our lateness, even though we were not late. A few minutes after we took our seats and the introduction was made, a man that seemed to be older than Arthur, whose name is Gabriel, started speaking. 

“Arthur, have you considered my marriage proposal?” He asked Arthur, dropping the cutlery in his hand. 

“You are getting married?” I asked Arthur, smiling at him to tease him. 

“No, you are getting married.” Gabriel replied, making me choke on my drink. 

“To who?” I asked, trying to play along with his joke. 

As if on cue, he entered, the man I often see on billboards for topping the list of young billionaires in a year. Logan Maxwell. 

“To Him.”