29.Why is he acting all romantic?
Eva rubbed her temples, still replaying the morning chaos in her head.
No hospital, work instead, and now what on earth am I supposed to wear?
She stood in front of her wardrobe, biting her lip,hands on her hips, completely unimpressed by the rows of jeans and scrubs, scanning between her usual tops and the pastel colour dresses and the pink skirts.
Just as she groaned into her hands, the door swung open without warning.
“Neil!” she exclaimed, spinning around. “You ever heard of knocking?”
He ignored the accusation completely, walking in with that same cool, calculated air, holding two designer shopping bags in one hand. “Relax. I brought peace offerings.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Peace offerings or bribes?”
“Both,” he said dryly, dropping the bags on her bed.
Eva blinked. “What’s this?”
“Something to wear,” he said simply, tugging at his shirt cuffs like this was a perfectly normal morning.
She stared. “You bought clothes? For me?”
“Yes,” he admitted. “Cynthia helped me pick them the other day when I was taking her to the Morris estate to meet Callum.”
Her brows rose. “Cynthia? As in your sister-in-law Cynthia?”
Neil nodded, tone casual. “The same one.”
And that’s when it clicked. The lady in the passenger seat. The sleek hair, the soft laugh, the classy dress. Eva’s stomach dropped and rose at the same time.
“Oh.” She blinked again, realization flooding her expression. “Oh my God—so that was her.”
Neil’s brow quirked, amused. “You mean the one that you were jealous of?”
“The woman in your car!” Eva blurted, clutching the dress bag like it was a lifeline. “I—I thought—” and at that point she wanted The mother earth to swallow her out of embarrassment.
He folded his arms, lips curving into a slow, knowing smirk. “You thought what, Mrs. Morris?”
Eva’s mouth opened, then shut. Her cheeks flamed. “Nothing.”
“Nothing?” he prodded, clearly enjoying this. “Because it sounded like something.”
She huffed, looking anywhere but at him. “You could’ve at least mentioned you were playing chauffeur for your sister-in-law.”
Neil took a step closer, his voice low and teasing. “You were jealous admit it.”
Eva’s head snapped up. “What? No. Absolutely not.”
He tilted his head, smile widening. “You sure? You just confessed to investigating my passenger list like an FBI agent.”
“I wasn’t investigating!” she argued, crossing her arms. “I was… observing!”
“Observing,” he repeated with a quiet laugh. “Right. While glaring at traffic lights.”
Her eyes narrowed. “You saw that?”
“Oh, I saw everything,” he said smoothly, eyes glinting with mischief. “You even pouted when the signal turned green.”
“I don’t pout!”
“You do.”
“I don’t!”
“Adorable,” he murmured under his breath, just loud enough for her to hear.
“Neil!” she protested, swatting his arm.
“Yes, Mrs. Morris?” he drawled, coming incredibly close now. His tone was teasing, but his proximity wasn’t. Eva instinctively took a step back—only to bump into the wardrobe behind her.
He didn’t stop. His arms came up on either side of her, caging her in effortlessly. She looked small against him, her heartbeat thundering in her ears.
“W-what are you doing?” she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.
He leaned closer, his breath warm against her temple. “Just clearing something up,” he said quietly. “I have no one in my life to be interested in. Apart from my job, I don’t have time for all this.”
Her lips parted slightly, eyes darting up to meet his. “Why are you telling me this?”
He exhaled, almost as if the words had slipped out before he could stop them. “I don’t know why I’m even saying it,” he admitted softly. “Maybe because I want to be honest with you.”
Her breath hitched when he added, “I have no special interest in anyone… or anything. Though…” His voice dropped a notch, his gaze steady on hers. “Maybe now, I do.”
Eva’s heart practically stopped. She didn’t dare move, didn’t dare speak — her mind trying to catch up to what just happened.
Neil’s lips curved into the faintest smirk as he pulled back, straightening his cuffs again like nothing had happened.
“Get ready faster, Eva” he said over his shoulder, walking out of the room.
She stood frozen, still pressed against the wardrobe, her pulse racing.
What just happened?
The drive was silent — well, Neil-silent. Which meant a calm playlist, his fingers occasionally tapping on the steering wheel, and Eva stealing glances at him every five seconds, still processing everything that morning.
When they finally pulled up outside Morris Corporate, Eva blinked in surprise. The glass tower stretched above them like something straight out of a movie — sleek, intimidating, and very… Morris styled.
She turned to him. “Why are we here?”
He simply smirked. “Work.”
Before she could ask anything else, the valet opened her door, and suddenly she was walking beside him into the grand marble lobby. Employees greeted Neil with crisp nods and nervous smiles — some even whispering as they passed.
“Good morning, Dr. Morris.”
“Sir, the meeting’s in fifteen.”
Her brows furrowed. Meeting?.
They took the private elevator to the top floor. The doors slid open to reveal Callum and Cynthia already waiting near the boardroom, along with Mr. Morris himself — tall, poised, the kind of man who still commanded attention even in silence.
Eva’s eyes widened. The whole family is here?
Neil slipped his hand casually around her waist, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. “Hi y'all” he said smoothly, voice rich with pride.
Eva blinked up at him, completely thrown off by the calm confidence in his tone. Flexing much?
Cynthia bit back a smile. Callum gave a knowing look. Even Mr. Morris’ usually stoic face softened for half a second before returning to its usual stone-like expression.
Before the meeting began, Neil turned to Eva. “We have a few minutes. Come with me.”
He led her down the hall, stopping in front of a tall glass door that read in bold, silver letters — Neil Morris, CEO.
Eva stopped short. “CEO?” she echoed, eyes wide.
He looked over his shoulder, amused by her stunned expression. “Surprised?”
“You didn’t tell me you’re the CEO of… this?” she said, gesturing at the massive company logo across the hallway wall.
“I didn’t think it was important,because in few minutes I won't be.” he replied simply, holding the door open for her.
Eva slowly turned in a circle, taking it all in. “what the hell is happening here.,” she murmured.
He leaned against his desk, arms crossed, watching her. “You will know the answers.”
She rolled her eyes “And… what am I doing here?”
He took a step toward her, the light from the window catching the sharp lines of his jaw. “A few things to settle. Family matters. Company decisions.” Then, softer — “And I wanted you here.”
“Me?” she asked, confused.
“Yes. My wife deserves to see the world she just walked into.”
Her cheeks flushed at the way he said it — casual, confident, but with an undertone of something far deeper.
"Fake wife, Dr.morris." she corrected him.
Just then, a knock interrupted them. “Sir, everyone’s waiting in the boardroom,” a voice called from outside.
Inside the boardroom, the air felt heavy — polished wood, sharp suits, and silent judgment.
Neil stood at the head of the table, sleeves rolled neatly to his forearms, voice calm but commanding. Everyone’s attention was fixed on him. Even Mr. Morris sat back in quiet observation, his sharp gaze betraying neither approval nor objection.
Eva sat beside Cynthia, feeling tiny in the massive room. He’s so different here, she thought. The man who teased her this morning now looked like someone carved out of authority — cold, confident, precise.
Neil continued, “As you all know, the Morris family currently holds sixty percent of this company’s shares.”
He gestured slightly toward his father and Callum. “The remaining forty percent belongs to our board partners.” He nodded toward the three members seated across the table, their expressions unreadable.
Eva could see the flicker of unease ripple through them as he continued.
“There’s a clause,” Neil said, voice dropping lower, deliberate. “Whoever holds seventy-five percent of total shares gains the right to revise company regulations, contracts, and management decisions.”
He paused, letting the words hang.
Eva could practically hear the tension hum across the table.
“So,” he said, sliding a folder forward, “as of this morning, I’ve officially purchased fifteen percent additional shares.”
One of the board members leaned forward sharply. “You—what?”
Neil’s lips curved slightly, a calm, confident smirk. “Which means,” he went on, “I now hold seventy-five percent. Effective immediately, the company decisions fall under my discretion.”
Murmurs erupted. Cynthia looked stunned. Callum raised an eyebrow, though a proud smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
Eva’s jaw nearly dropped. He just took control of the entire company.
Neil’s gaze swept across the table. “This isn’t about dominance,” he said, tone steady but unyielding. “It’s about protection. For this company. For this family. We’ve had enough internal chaos, and I won’t let anyone else manipulate the system again.”
For a second, his eyes flicked to Callum — a silent message Eva didn’t fully understand.
Neil paused, letting that sink in. The tension was almost electric. Then, he exhaled lightly and straightened.
“And with that power,” he said, “I’m making my first decision.”
Everyone leaned forward.
Neil looked straight ahead. “Effective immediately, Callum Morris will resume his rightful position as Chief Executive Officer of Morris Corporate.”
The room froze.
Callum blinked, stunned. “Neil—what?”
Neil turned to him with the faintest smile. “You built this company. You deserve to lead it.”
Cynthia’s hand flew to her mouth, eyes glistening.
Callum stood, still processing. “You bought controlling shares just to give it back to me?”
Neil’s smirk softened. “Someone had to fix what went wrong, big brother.”
A thick silence lingered — respect, disbelief, and quiet admiration all tangled together.
Eva sat there, unable to look away. The man who had spent the whole day teasing her now stood like a hero, calm and composed, eyes glinting with loyalty and purpose.
“Meeting adjourned,” Neil said finally, tapping the folder closed.
He walked out without waiting for applause.
Everyone stared after him.
Cynthia turned to Eva, whispering through a small, proud smile, “Now you see why he’s the heart of this family.”
Eva looked through the glass wall, watching him stride down the corridor —the man, Who exactly did she marry?
Eva hurried her steps, trying to match Neil’s long, confident stride as they exited the boardroom. Her mind was a storm of questions — what just happened, why he did that, and how he managed to keep it all from her.
“Neil!” she called softly, but before he could respond, Cynthia and Callum intercepted them near the glass lobby.
“Finally,” Cynthia said, a smile spreading across her face as she handed over a couple of beautifully wrapped bags. “We never had the chance to gift something to our newlyweds, so…”
Eva blinked, flustered. “Oh—Cynthia, there was really no need—”
Callum chuckled, sliding an arm around his wife’s shoulder. “You see what happens when you let her near a store? She went a bit crazy.”
Cynthia rolled her eyes at him. “You call it thoughtful crazy?”
Neil smirked, amused by their banter, then turned toward Eva. “Shall we leave, Mrs. Morris? The hospital is waiting for us.”
Eva shot him a look that clearly said We’re not done with this conversation, but nodded politely to the others.
“Thank you, Cynthia. And Callum… congratulations again,” she said, a small smile touching her lips.
“Drive safe, lovebirds,” Cynthia called out, earning another playful glare from Eva and a quiet chuckle from Neil.
"You are smiling a lot these days.Aren't you?"eva curiosity followed the question.
"Is something wrong with that?"taking bags from her hand.
The hum of the city faded as they drove, the soft rhythm of rain against the windshield filling the silence. Eva had been quiet for a while, staring out the window, lost in thought.
Finally, she turned to him. “I have questions.”
Neil’s lips curved faintly. “Shoot.”
Her tone sharpened. “So the reason for this marriage… I don’t get it.?”
Neil exhaled slowly, eyes still on the road. “Because Callum was in jail for something he never did.”
That pulled her attention. “Wait, what?”
He nodded. “To bring him back… we had to play it all right. And there were a few rules in the old clause my grandfather made — rules that said only a man who can handle a family can handle a company. Marriage was one of them.”
Eva blinked, trying to process. “So basically… your entire empire runs on a family test?”
Neil’s mouth twitched. “Something like that.”
She folded her arms, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Wow. So congratulations, Dr. Morris — you didn’t just marry me, you got yourself a business promotion and moral certificate all at once.”
Neil glanced at her sideways, a ghost of a smirk playing on his lips. “You make it sound like I didn’t get a good deal.”
Her brows shot up. “You pulled a great move there.”
"Thanks."
Eva rolled her eyes, laughing despite herself. “A man who can’t handle a family…” She stopped midway, her laughter fading. It was true though. The rule, the clause — the very reason for their marriage — it all made a twisted kind of sense now.
Neil looked at her, his expression unreadable. “Shall we prove it then?”he muttered
Her head snapped toward him. “What?”
He didn’t even blink. “Nothing.”
She turned fully toward him now, her tone half-pleading, half-sarcastic. “Can we just take the rest of the day off, please, Dr. Morris? Go home, sleep, eat, do anything other than more work?”
He let out a soft chuckle. “sounds tempting. But we really need to go to the hospital now.”
"You are totally a machine!"
He smirked. “We can take the day off… but on one condition.”
Eva turned toward him instantly. “Whatever it is, that’s a yes for me,” she exclaimed, exhaustion and relief mixing in her tone. After yesterday and today’s chaos, she just needed a break.
“So you gave your word, Mrs. Morris. We’ll see what that favor is,” he said, his voice low, teasing.
Then he looked at her — really looked — the sunlight glinting off that sleek black dress that hugged her just right. She was muttering something under her breath, rolling her eyes, completely unaware of the effect she was having on him.
And all he could think was how dangerously easy it had become to get distracted around her.
His jaw flexed as he forced his gaze back to the road. “Seatbelt, Mrs. Morris,” he murmured. “Before I change my mind.”
Eva blinked, half amused, half curious. “Change your mind about what?”
He didn’t answer — just gave that maddening, knowing smirk — and pressed down on the accelerator.