Chapter 6

Eva burned with a fever all night.

Leo stumbled into the villa just before dawn, still reeking of alcohol from the Red Rose Club. The moment he stepped inside, he sensed something was wrong. The air was too still, too quiet.

Then he saw Eva. She had collapsed on the bed, her cheeks flushed red and her skin burning to the touch.

In an instant, the haze of alcohol vanished. He swept her into his arms and rushed her to their private hospital.

"Get a doctor. Dr. Wilson—now! If anything happens to her, I swear, I'll bury every one of you with her." His voice was ice-cold, laced with barely contained fury.

When Eva opened her eyes again, the sharp scent of antiseptic stung her nose. She stirred, barely able to move, her limbs heavy and her mind hazy.

A nurse noticed her stirring and gasped with relief. "Mrs. Sereno, thank God! You've had a high fever for over 24 hours.

"Mr. Sereno's been here the whole time. He just stepped out. There was an emergency call from the syndicate he had to take."

Eva raised a hand weakly and murmured, "You don't… need to tell him I'm awake."

The nurse hesitated, then nodded and quietly slipped out of the room. Silence fell over the room.

From down the hallway, Eva could hear Leo's voice, low and measured as he spoke on the phone.

His tone was calm and composed, yet beneath it, she caught the unmistakable edge of restrained excitement. "Good news? It's confirmed? Alright. I'll be there soon."

He hung up, and his footsteps echoed farther and farther away.

Eva forced herself upright, her body still weak and unsteady. She reached for the coat and draped it over her hospital gown before slowly making her way toward the door.

Her footsteps were nearly silent as she moved down the stairs, trailing the familiar figure ahead.

Just as she reached the lower level of the hospital, she saw it. Leo was carefully guiding Cleo out of the obstetrics department.

Cleo looked radiant, with a soft glow in her eyes and a smile curving on her lips. Her hand rested lightly on Leo's arm, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Cleo spotted her first. "Mrs. Sereno?" she said, eyes wide with faux surprise. "Wow. What a coincidence! You're here too?"

Leo looked up, and their eyes met. His entire body went stiff, as if she had caught him in the middle of a crime.

In a flash, he dropped Cleo's hand.

He said quickly, "Eva, I just... I was downstairs picking up medication and ran into Cleo. She told me she was pregnant. I didn't want her to get hurt, so I offered an arm. That's all."

His excuse came out rushed, his voice tight with barely hidden panic.

Eva's gaze dropped to Cleo's stomach.

She inhaled slowly, then looked up again. "Ms. Guzman, when did you conceive? And where's the child's father? Didn't he come with you?"

Cleo smiled sweetly, her voice soft. "I just found out. I'm barely a month along. My husband couldn't make it here today, but he already bought me a few properties and transferred 100 million dollars into my account. He even said he's setting off fireworks in Marrowind tonight to celebrate our little miracle."

Leo's expression darkened, inch by inch.

Eva didn't even blink. Her face was devoid of emotion. "Is that so?"

Cleo tilted her head, the corners of her mouth curling in subtle provocation. "Mrs. Sereno, why don't you join us for dinner? I'll introduce you to my husband."

"No need. Eva doesn't have time for that kind of nonsense," Leo cut in sharply, his reply a beat too quick.

He turned to Eva, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. His voice dropped to a tender coax. "Darling, you're still recovering. You shouldn't be walking around like this. That woman is just a brand ambassador. You don't have to listen to a word she says."

Cleo's smile faltered. She looked down, her eyes turning red at the rims, like a scorned lover on the verge of tears. "I got carried away… Of course I'm not worthy of sharing a meal with Mrs. Sereno."

She then turned and walked off in a huff.

Leo hesitated for a beat, caught between instinct and impulse. He took half a step after Cleo, but when he saw Eva's unreadable expression, he stopped.

That night, back at the villa, Leo was visibly restless.

After tucking Eva into bed, he mumbled something about business and locked himself in the study.

Eva sat quietly in the bedroom. Then, her phone lit up.

It was a message from Cleo.

The screen showed a photo of a pregnancy scan. Then, came a string of cruel, deliberate taunts.

"Eva, I know you've already figured it out. The baby is Leo's. Don't be stupid. You think he loves you? Then what am I?"

"Do you know how obsessed he is with me? Every year on your birthday and on your anniversary, after you fall asleep, he comes to me. Every time, we go through an entire box of condoms. I can't even walk the next day."

"He's taken me in his Maybach, in his penthouse office, and even in your bed—he's taken me in 72 different positions. How many have you tried?"

Eva's fingers trembled slightly as she scrolled through the messages. Her chest tightened with emotions she couldn't name.

She took a deep breath and slowly locked the screen.

Just then, Leo slipped behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. His familiar scent enveloped her.

Like always, his voice was low and indulgent. "What are you looking at, darling?"

His chin rested in the crook of her shoulder, but all he saw was her phone's blank screen.

Eva didn't answer. She just stared silently out the window, into the night, where city lights blurred behind the glass.