Eva's POV:
Arriving at the White Estate gate where Cruz lived, the taxi pulled to a stop in front of the entrance. My only brother, Cruz, married Maddison Brooklyn, a rich man's daughter. She was too pompous and proud, and she got along with my older sister, Elora.
Sighing, I walked up to the gate to meet the estate security man.
"Yes, who are you here to see?" the tough-looking security man in black asked me.
"Um, I am here to see my older brother, Cruz Brooks. He lives in the estate," I said, already exhausted. On a Saturday morning like this, I should have been at home resting. But here I stood in front of an estate gate.
"Call him," the security man replied, before ordering me to stand aside. I knew he wouldn't let me enter the estate without permission.
Pulling out my phone, I called my older brother, Cruz.
However, I froze when I saw a black Rolls Royce driving into the estate gate. The White Estate was known to house many wealthy billionaires in Dominic City. Gulping, I froze again when my gaze locked with Ethan Owen—the same man I had a one-night stand with a few hours ago.
*What was he doing here? Did he live inside this White Estate too?* I pondered and immediately looked away from Ethan, pretending I didn't know him. But his gaze bored into me, and I could feel the intensity of his stare.
Another security man pulled the magnificent white gate open, and Ethan's car drove in. Not just his car alone—I noticed the bodyguards in another black convoy following behind him. I sighed and released the breath I didn't know I was holding.
"Hello, Cruz, I am at the white estate gate now," I said to my brother on the call. He replied, "I will be there now."
The call ended, and I took out my white handkerchief from my bag and wiped the sweat off my forehead.
A few minutes later, my brother arrived in a red sports car and parked. The security man finally let me enter the gate.
"Eva, take a look at your face and neck. What the heck?" Cruz gasped, and I froze. I hadn't looked at myself in the mirror.
"What happened to me? What do you mean?" I asked my older brother, laughing nervously. I walked up to his car and peered at my reflection in the mirror.
I was shocked by the sight that beheld me. My cheek was painted red, and hickeys covered my neck.
"What?" I gasped, embarrassed by my own state.
"I didn't know I looked this bad. I am sorry," I said, and my brother shook his head, still laughing at my embarrassment.
"Eva, this is enough for Jacob Stone to break up with you. Who did you get laid with?" Cruz asked, his large blue eyes peering at mine. I lowered my head as my cheeks flushed.
"It's not important to talk about the man. It was a one-night stand," I said, my voice trembling as my older brother towered above me.
"A one-night stand, and he painted you this red? Do you happen to know him?"
"No… I… I mean, I don't know him," I replied, my voice quivering.
"Cruz, can you take me to your house and stop asking me questions?" I said, wanting to escape my brother's inquiry. He peered at me with a calculated gaze.
"Eva, why do I feel like you're lying to me and you know the man you spent the night with? Well, in case you aren't aware, Jacob cancelled the engagement, and he is demanding the sum of $10,000,000 as compensation for all the money he spent on you," Cruz stated as he moved to pull his car door open for me.
"What? $10,000,000? When did Jacob spend such a huge amount on me? The university cost only $800,000 per year—times four years, plus a few more expenses. Let's say a total of $4,000,000. When did Jacob ever spend up to $10,000,000 on me? Even the money he spent on me isn't up to $4,000,000," I said, my voice sharp. Cruz exhaled.
"Well, that's what Jacob is demanding as compensation for you cheating on him. As for Dad, he broke off the partnership and demands that Dad pays him $5,000,000 as his support fee. So that's a total of $15,000,000 that we have to pay Jacob now," Cruz said with a calm voice as I sat in his car.
"I will not pay that amount. We dated, and I don't owe Jacob anything. Where is it written that you have to pay compensation for a breakup? I didn't intend to cheat on him. Layla set me up, and I ought to have her arrested. How can Jacob not understand? Instead, he blocked me from contacting him," I ranted, wanting to visit Jacob and Layla, only I looked too flushed at the moment.
"Hmm," my brother exhaled and said, "That's why you should have kept your guard up. You already made the mistake, and Jacob caught you. But how about the man you slept with? Did he see Jacob and you? If he could afford a room at the Owen's luxury five-star hotel, then he must be a big shot," Cruz said, his gaze calculating.
"I don't want to talk about the man. He said I owe him for taking advantage of him," I replied, and my brother burst out laughing.
"The man took advantage of you, and he blames you for taking advantage of him? Well, I would say let him go. But if you happen to know him, you could have made him explain to Jacob that it was a setup," Cruz said, but I shook my head.
"Just take me home. I will confront Layla and Jacob later," I said, exhausted. My brother closed the car door, walked over to the driver's seat, got in, and fastened his seatbelt.
"About my wife," Cruz said, and I knew Maddison and I didn't get along.
"You have to put up with her tantrums and not argue with her," he reminded me, and I sighed.
"Why does Maddison have to control you? You didn't marry her for her money. If you hadn't helped in her father's company, Almond Tech wouldn't have grown to the height it is today," I said, knowing my brother worked for Maddison's father before he married her. But she controlled him to the point that she didn't allow their baby to take my brother's surname. Her baby is Chris Brooklyn, instead of Chris Brooks.
"It doesn't change anything, so long as we love each other," Cruz replied, but I didn't have the time to advise him. He was thirty years old and old enough to make his own decisions. I sat silently, watching the road as Cruz drove his red sports car down the White Estate road. He finally arrived at a white gate and parked.
