Chapter 34 Caught You
“Eva, listen to me carefully. I know how na?ve you can be, but whatever I notice, I want to tell you. I think Stephen is in love with you.
Eva exhibited a wide-eyed expression of surprise and burst into laughter at Sara.
“You are impossible. You really think that the man for whom girls are ready to die just for his one look is interested in me. I mean, look at me, Sara. I am nowhere near him."
Sara rubbed her temple in frustration, but she didn’t want her friend to drop in some kind of trouble
“Why you? That I don’t know. How could I explain this to you? The way he looks at you is different, Eva."
“Looks! No, he never looks at me. In fact, he kept glaring at me to scare me off, that’s all. I think it exhausted you from this hectic trip. Whenever you reach home, just take some rest. It will definitely help you with this.
“OK, I got it. I am wrong, but I want you to be alert, ok.
And one more thing today, whatever store we explore and whatever dresses you tried and liked, too.
I saw a man; first he was following us in all those stores, so I took him as one of the security men around you.
But it surprised me when I saw a man following us in all those stores, so I assumed he was one of the security personnel around you.
“Why surprised? Is he a movie star?” Eva cut her off in between
“No stupid, remember I forgot my phone in one of the stores on the counter, so when I returned to that shop to collect my phone, I saw the same man buying all the stuff that you tried in that store. I am sure that I saw that man when we reached the airport yesterday, I think... I think he works for Stephen. See Eva. I know it’s hard to believe, but I think he was buying all that stuff on Stephen’s order. You know he is buying it for you.
The man, who is well built, has a weird hairstyle. You can do one thing: he was carrying a white bag with a dove printed in it that he packed with all the stuff. I saw that bag. Just search for that bag in Stephen’s room. I am sure you will find it there only.”
“Didn’t you notice that scary man too keenly?” Eva knew how observant Sara could be, and they all appreciated this talent of hers. Eva teased her to make the atmosphere light.
"Yes, actually I just got a tiny crush on him, so I was just checking him out, but when I saw how cold he was, I dropped the idea."
Eva just gasped in annoyance; she was sure that Sara was overreacting and overthinking about Stephen. Still, she doesn’t want to disappoint her, so she agreed with her, at least for that time
They made the flight announcement soon. Eva and her friends got emotional while bidding goodbye to each other. But Eva composed herself and told them she was returning to them soon. Rose got worried, looking at her excitement, as Michael would not take her soon.
They returned home after seeing off her friends at the airport. The moment Eva entered the house, it surprised her to see her dad already with his luggage. She rushed to him and started inquiring
“Are we leaving now, dad? I just packed my bags. Wait, dad, just give me some time. “
Michael gave a consistent smile at his na?ve daughter. He held her hand and made her settle on a couch. Eva was getting more confused before she started with her questions. Michael stated with his words
“Listen to me, dear; today there was a problem on the site, and I have to get there soon.”
“But we are going home. You promised me you were taking me home. I..”
“Eva, I have some work ethics and commitments, too. I cannot leave my work without informing them about my sudden change in plans. “
“Ok, I can understand. Don’t worry; carry on. I will start at home tomorrow, and I will stay with Sara until you return.”
“No, that’s not happening. I already told you I will not leave you alone there until I complete my work and inform my seniors about my decision. You are going to stay here only."
Eva’s eyes welled up with tears. Michael’s words broke her heart this time, as she was very excited to return home. But now her dad was again leaving her alone here in the south mansion.
Michael was heartbroken, looking at his upset, precious daughter, but he had no option because he was sure that Ilam would definitely try to hurt Eva once they informed him about the will.
Rose noticed the atmosphere, so she reached near Eva and held her hand.
“Eva, your dad is just going for some days; then he will take you for sure.”
Eva just gave a nod at Rose, but her tears started dampening her cheeks.
Stephen was looking at the scene with a distant gaze as he was just busy assuming how hard it will be for Eva to leave her father after the wedding, but he can easily find a solution for this problem too. After all, he doesn’t want to see his woman upset.
Michael knew his Princess was angry with him if he tried to convince her now and then she will burst into tears and he didn’t want to see that, so he quickly made an excuse for flight Timings
He bid goodbye to Rose and William. Stephen and Steve were going to drop him at the airport. At last, he hugged his daughter, who started sobbing in his embrace.
Michael blinked his eyes to stop his tears from falling
“I will take you soon, dear."
Eva just nodded. ”Take care, dad."
“Youdear."
. Soon Michael left for the airport, And Eva couldn’t hold her sobs any more. William held her close and Eva started sobbing in andrms too, whereas William kept patting on her head
Eva broke the hug and mumbled a small sorry
“It’s ok, dear; we can understand, but I really don’t know that we are so unhappy to stay here with us. Of course, we have given a potent reason for that, isn’t it?”
“No, it’s not that. Please don’t say that. I am sorry for behaving like this; it’s just that I miss my home a lot.
Wiliam chuckled. ‘’ I know that, dear. I was just teasing you now. It’s already late, so just go to your room and take a rest.”
Eva wished the smith couple goodnight and left for her room
Rose inquired, “in all this, Michael didn’t get the time to talk to her about that.“
“Yeah, I know, but he will be back in fifteen days, and then he will definitely discuss it with her. I told the lawyer to wait for some days."
“Till then we have to increase security around her."
“Don’t worry about that, as Stephen will do it perfectly. After all, she is going to be his wife, so he will do his best to protect her."
“What? Do you mean Michael agreed?”
“Yes, he did, and not only did he discuss it with Stephen too, you missed his reaction. He was on cloud nine. Today I never saw my son so happy."
Rose jumped to William. She squealed like a child. William chuckled at her reaction
“You even didn’t get so happy that time when you got to know about our marriage."
Rose smacked on his arms and couldn’t stop gleaming. William took her overexcited wife in a warm hug.
At the airport when Michael was leaving for his flight...
"Stephen, you still have some additional time to charm her, and I am confident that you will win her affection shortly.”.
Steve gaped at both of them in confusion, whereas Stephen gave a smile at him and started in his confident tone
“I will, and I assure you that you don’t have to worry about her safety, as she is my responsibility now. No matter whatever decision she puts up with, I will never compromise on her safety.”
Michael gave a smile at both the brothers and left as they made his flight announcement
On the way back home, Stephen conveyed about Michael’s approval for his and Eva’s marriage. Steve was delighted to know this news
On the other hand, Eva was still upset by the turn of events in her life. She wasn’t able to sleep, so she settled on the balcony, looking at the sky.
A sudden car sound disturbed her peace. She looked around and found a red car arriving at the mansion.
It doesn’t surprise Eva, as she thought some visitor had arrived to meet the Smith couple, but the moment the man stepped down from the car, her eyes widened to notice his personality, as he was looking like the same man whom Sara described. weird hairstyle, a well-built physique.
Eva noticed he entered inside the She didn’t waste time and rushed near her room door.
If Sara is right, then this unknown man will directly reach for Stephen’s room, so Eva peeped from her door.
Soon as she heard footsteps, her heartbeat increased.
In nervousness, she was just praying to God that it should be nothing like what Sara assumed
The next moment, it dismissed her prayers when she spotted the man carrying a white bag with a dove printed on it, as Sara described. The man entered Stephen’s room. After almost five minutes, he again entered the lobby and soon left the first floor.
Eva heard his car sound mean he left the mansion; now Eva was terrified.
‘ No, it’s not true. Sara cannot be right at least this time, so what if he is carrying the white bag and he is working for Stephen? It doesn’t prove that he is buying my stuff. Why would he? I have to check...
Eva first noticed the time she calculated Stephen would take some more time to return from the airport. So she checked in his room. She already has an idea that he never used to lock his room, as no one even dared to enter his room.
Eva reached near his room door in ginger steps, then she slowly opened the door. She entered the door and checked out the surroundings of his room. She recalled her first visit to this room when she lost the way to the kitchen.
She was more than sure that Stephen has no feelings for a stupid girl like her. But to confirm this, she has to clear her mind from Sara‘s stupid presumption.
Eva wasted little time and entered the closet door. It shocked her to see Stephen’s big closet. It was so huge and well arranged. She cursed the brain for praising his closet in this situation.
How could she find the white bag if she was sure that this closet must be locked? But soon, her eyes landed on the same white bag placed on one cabinet.
Eva rushed towards the bag and opened it with shivering hands and a throbbing heartbeat.
She took out the first piece, and her breathing got uneven as it was looking at the same purple top that she wished for and tried too, but it was too costly, so she dropped it.
After checking the same piece, Eva took out all the stuff from the bag, and her heartbeat started running a marathon, as Sara was right.
The clothes lying before her were the same as those she had tried on in the mall.
Eva slumped on the floor, sobbing badly. Even the thought that Stephen was in love with her made her apprehensive.
And now, in this crucial time, her dad also leaves her here for some more days. She should not have agreed to her dad, but now what could be done? In all this grieving, Eva forgot the time.
She sat in a state of shock, but some sound interrupted her trance when she heard a door opening. Suddenly, she realized she was still sitting inside Stephen's room, hidden in his closet among the clothes.
It destined Eva for failure; she resembled a deer caught in the glare of headlights.