TEMPTATIONS OF EVE.

( Hello, this is a trigger warning. As you progress this book, there are some occurrences that are considered grotesque and unpleasant. I'm talking about Abuse and violent scenes. So I strongly suggest that if you can't handle it, you skip this one out. Thank you and God bless.

This chapter is long, that is because it is a completed version of all events )

(EVE'S POV)

Just as she was about to delve deeper into her slumber, she felt a familiar wind hit her. She knew she was going to have that dream again. The wave placed her in a known position mixed with different emotions. One of pain, sadness, regret and a great deal of fear. It made her body respond lightly to the new effect. her legs subtly swung, her head turned, but she didn't wake up.

Having that dream over and over meant that she had to dwell on what she most feared, it also meant that she could remember what she once lost, her family. Evelyn never wanted to forget what happened that fateful night, neither did she want to recall it often. But she wanted the memory of what happened to fill her being with it's harsh potency. Her entire existence should strive on the mere thought of what went down twelve years ago, on Sunday night at the Rivera's home. That was the only way she could remember her family.

*********

The dream began,

" Evelyn! Get down here! Dinner is ready! "

Evelyn, upstairs inside her room, with a guitar at hand, she heard her mother screeched.

" I'm coming mom! " she yelled back.

But instead of obeying her mother, Evelyn went back to what she was doing, playing her guitar and writing a song.

" Everybody needs inspiration... Everybody needs someone... " Evelyn hummed and wrote some notes inside her diary.

She soon heard footsteps approaching her room. Initially, she felt her heart skipped a beat because she assumed it was her mother. But as the footsteps came closer, she felt a deep relief, it was her father. She knew how her father walked, sluggish and tender. She wore a smile on her face and proceeded with the guitar.

" Peanuts, " Her father called crawling inside her room, " Aren't you a bit scared of your mother? "

Evelyn smiled and made room for her father to sit next to her, " I have to write this down, I just came up with it.

" You can do it later, no? "

" No papa, if I don't do it now, I'll forget it. "

Her father, Ronaldo anxiously stared at the doorway and back to her, " What is this that you got? "

Evelyn excitedly turned to him, she was always thrilled to perform for her father, he was her biggest fan.

" I haven't gotten a title yet, but it's a special one, I call feel it. "

" What are you waiting for? Let me hear it no? "

Evelyn sniffed and cleared her throat. She began with soft and melodic guitar playing before uttering a word.

"Everybody needs inspiration, everybody needs someone. Someone who could cover the hurt, somebody who can hide the pain... I still feel your presence. Tears go away, I'm sorry I'm late again, pain go away, I'm sorry I'm late again. "

Evelyn paused as she saw how deep and intensely her father gazed at her.

" Is it good papa? "

" Where did you get the inspiration for this peanuts? "

" It's about love in general. " Evelyn answered.

" but it's too sad, no? "

" Well, I think accepting love is also accepting the presence of pain, don't you think? "

The sudden look her father gave her after her question, was the first hint that all was not well with him. He gently patted her hands and said, " You're right my child. "

" Is it good? " Evelyn impatiently asked.

" It is very beautiful peanuts, but silent rock is still my favorite. "

Evelyn giggled.

" Now, let's go down before your mother__

" Evelyn! "

Her mother call came right in time.

Evelyn and her father exchanged smiles and they both hurriedly exited the room

***********

Her mother, Penelope, carefully scrutinized her.

" You cannot leave the guitar in your room? Must you carry it everywhere? " Her mother launched from the seat she occupied.

The tone at which her mother spoke to her was second hint that something was amiss. She'd long known her parents to have on and off issues. But the recent days were alarming. She'd noticed how they avoided each other and only spoke when they needed to.

" Let her be, Penelope. " Her father remarked as they both took their seat.

Evelyn was now certain her parents had some sort of issue because her father had just refered to her mother by her name.

Dinner immediately began. Evelyn would never forget the delicious taste of spaghetti and chicken sauce her mother prepared that night. It was the right amount of spicy and saucy, she loved it.

Dinner was quiet, which was very weird, another proof that all was not well. The usual Rivera dinner was always chatty, her parents would talk about work or she would discuss music with them. Her mother wasn't more of a music fan, but she listened either way. Now, with the way things are going, Evelyn was curious to know what happened, but she made no mention.

Just then, her father's phone rang. All eyes travelled to the screen of the phone as it laid on the table. Evelyn was only able to read an initial, D. Shell. Ronaldo immediately placed his phone off, ignoring the call. That was when the talking began.

" Is it that woman? She's is the one right? " Her asked in a stoic tone.

Evelyn prepped for the drama that would follow. She remember hoping that it wasn't something serious.

Her father ignored, softly eating his meal as though he heard nothing.

" Ronaldo? " She called

Ronaldo gently took his eyes to her, " pass me the juice bottle, would you please? "

Evelyn had the liberty of passing the juice bottle. With the way her father was responding to her mother, she didn't think it was a menial matter.

" Why is she calling you? " Penelope asked.

Her father turned to Evelyn instead, " the food is delicious, no? "

Evelyn wasn't sure of a reply to give him, so she nodded.

" Ronaldo! " This time, her mother furiously yelled, hitting the table with her hand. Both Evelyn and her father shook. Ronaldo's eyes met with Penelope's raging eyes, but he's was mild and careless.

Evelyn increased the pace at which she ate, all she wanted was to disappear from the scene in order to avoid the tension her mother was causing.

Her father sniffed as he released something that would shock everyone.

" I'm selling the company. "

Evelyn remembered the sign of disbelief and lostness in her mother's voice.

" What? "

" you heard me right, I'm selling it. "

" You're not serious Ronaldo, this is a joke. "

He passed Evelyn a reassuring look, to place her in a calm position amidst the increasing tension.

" You want to turn me into a joker too? "

" Ronaldo__

" This is not a debate or a discussion, this is merely a notification. "

Evelyn had never heard her father sound so serious.

" What are you talking about? "

" Arrangements have already been made, I'm meeting up with the said party Tomorrow to finalize the last agreements. "

" The is absurd and out of nowhere, " her mother sounded frantic, " Ronaldo, we worked hard and long to get brute into the position that it currently is, and now you talk to selling the company? you can't be serious. "

" Peanuts.... do you need more food?

" No, " Evelyn softly answered.

" Then go upstairs. " her father strictly instructed.

Evelyn got to her feet, she carefully drew back in her chair, positioning it rightly under the table and prepped to exit the dinner table

" who in the world advised you to take such a drastic step?

just as her mother asked, Ronaldo's phone rang again, it was the same woman as the first

" was she the one who told you to do this?

" Pass me the salt. "

" Ronaldo! " her mother yelled, " will you please answer me, you're taking a foolish step.

" You will not pass the salt?

" And you didn't even inform me!

That was when her father lost it, he viciously threw his fork on the floor and ranted

" just as you didn't inform me that you slept with my brother years ago and delivered me his child!! "

********

Evelyn froze at the center of the staircase. Her right hand clenched tightly the iron bars. Evelyn could still vividly feel the goosebumps that covered her entire skin.

" Tell me Penelope, do Ramone also know this? that he has another daughter? did you you tell him? I don't think so! "

Penelope's sad eyes travelled from it's original spot and met with Evelyn's.

" All these years, you deceived me, you lied to me. Now you ask me why you weren't informed? you__

Ronaldo came to a stop when he followed Penelope's gaze and also met with Evelyn's.

Ronaldo instantly rose, " Peanuts__

Before he could conclude his statement, Evelyn dashed away. She remembered rushing into her room and banging the door shot behind her.

Even with a closed door, Evelyn still could hear sounds of yelling rising from downstairs. She slowly walked to her bed and sat on it.

Evelyn could remember her head being instantly heavy, she remembered her heart dropping. What she heard her father uttered rang nonstop in her head in a speedy manner.

Evelyn didn't believe it, she wasn't her father's child? there was no way that was possible. She didn't even have an opening to cry because she was drowned in shock and denial.

in the midst of her intense pondering, she heard the loudest sound yet, a gunshot.

Evelyn was startled, her heart instantly rang in a heavy manner. Filled with sudden concern and more confusion, she rose from her bed and with a sharp tiptoeing, she headed for her door.

As she quietly opened it, she peeked from the little space she made. The new scene she was exposed to, sent her whole existence shambling, it was her father laying on the floor in an enormous pool of blood.

Evelyn's heart tore in pieces with a grande split. Her jaw dropped as it appeared that her whole world came to an abrupt pause.

And before she got an opening to react, her mother frantically pushed herself through the little space and banged the door.

" Evelyn, quick! " She groped her by the arm and hurriedly picked her guitar and diary and threw them inside her hands. She pulled her further inside the room heading to the window.

hot tears were pouring down Evelyn's eyes now, she looked at her mother's face, and she was also in tears.

Her mother took the curtains and began tying it around her waist.

" Jump down and run away as far as you can, don't look back. " Penelope whispered in haste.

" Papa__

" Papa is going to be fine, we'll be alright. "

" That's a lie! " she yelled, " I saw him on the ground, he needs help. "

Penelope picked Evelyn from the ground and placed her outside the window.

" Do as you're told for once, go to the police station. "

" Mom... Is dad gonna be okay? " Evelyn cried out.

" He is... " Her mother sniffed, " I love you. "

The last view she had of her mother was her peering down from the window at her as she journeyed down to the ground. That image was interrupted and put to an end, when a masked individual shot her mother from the back, creating a hole on her forehead and sending her mother to the ground.

Evelyn felt the shock of her entire existence, her eyes followed the body of her mother as it made harsh impact with the ground. Blood had splattered across her face, and some got Into her mouth.

Her gaze went back up and met the individual pointing a gun at her. Evelyn's body and bones trembled, her lips shook terribly as she held in a great amount of release.

Something happened, a second face appeared and glared down at her too. There was a short moment of Stares as the second individual pulled away the first one.

Evelyn was at the floor already, she laced her mother a freakish look. The image would be forever imprinted on her memory plane as it was the last imagine of her mother.

the gory scene caused her to stand still, void of actions or a decision. Then, Evelyn saw the gory look in her mother's eyes, and it was like she heard an eerie whisper.

" Go, run! "

Evelyn took to her heels and disappeared into the night.