(Eva's POV)
"Hello, sir. This is Eva Brooks calling," I said swiftly, my heart pounding faster in my chest. Why am I like this because of a simple call? I pondered as there was silence on the line, before Ethan's deep voice reverberated in my eardrum.
"I am aware. Have you made up your mind to work for me? I gave you my personal contact card, so I know you're the one calling," he replied, his deep voice making my thighs clench together. I gasped, "Oh! Well, I thought about your offer, and I accept to work as your secretary. Are you sure you will pay me two million per month?"
"Yeah. Or have you changed your price?" he asked smoothly.
"No. I accept. It's fine. I just want to be sure that you will pay me that amount," I replied, and he sighed.
"I will keep to my terms of the deal. You should keep to yours. I expect to see you in my company by Monday. Note, not the hotel," he stated, and I gulped hard, looking at the company's address.
"I will be there, boss," I said, and he laughed.
"Fine. I am your boss. You should address me as boss," he agreed, and I smiled with relief.
"Alright. Take care, sir," I replied, to which he muttered, "You too."
The call finally came to an end, and I felt my heart throbbing faster, like I had just won a lottery.
"Yes!" I squealed, before another intense knocking rumbled on my door.
Rushing to check who was at the door again, I hoped it wasn't Noah. When I pulled the door open, I met my brother, Cruz, standing there, carrying his son in his arms. The chubby little boy was awake. Even though I wanted to carry him, I recalled that Maddison forbade us from touching her son. She accused my parents and me of inflicting her son with 'poverty syndrome,' so we abstained from touching the little boy.
"Hey, I heard you scream, and that's why I hurried over," Cruz said with a smile, and I laughed.
"I'm sorry for alerting the whole house. I got a new job," I said, blushing as I peered at my older brother's face.
"Where did you get the job?" he asked, his eyes watching me curiously as he frowned.
"Eva, don't take Maddison's words to heart. I won't allow her to sack you. Moreover, we need your expertise at the tech company," he said, knowing I was very intelligent. Even though he worked as an assistant, my brother knew I was more intellectual than him and Elora.
"Well, I know. But I have to find another job. I don't want to cause any problems for you and your lovely wife. That's why I accepted to work for another company—as a secretary, though," I explained, and my brother's frown deepened.
"Secretaries doesn't earn much. How much were you offered, and at what company? Before you can find a company that will pay you up to 50,000 for a secretary role is hard," Cruz said, his voice filled with disappointment as he played with his son in his arms.
"I know. Actually, I'm not going to earn 50,000. My boss offered to pay me two million," I replied, and Cruz gasped.
"What the hell? You're lying to me, Eva. This is not a time to joke," he said, his voice full of disbelief, and I laughed heartily.
"I'm not lying. I'm going to work for Ethan Owen," I said, and my brother gasped again.
"What? Which Ethan Owen are you talking about? Do you mean Dominic City's top richest CEO is your new boss? Where did you meet him?" Cruz questioned me, but I couldn't respond.
"Wait a minute—is Ethan the man you slept with?" Cruz asked, trying to piece the puzzle together, as I saw Noah walk out of his room and peer at us. His sister entered the corridor to carry her son, glaring at me. But hearing Cruz's questions, she was stunned for a moment too.
"No, Ethan is not the man I slept with," I quickly denied, but my cheeks flushed.
"Don't lie to me, Eva. If Mr. Owen isn't the man you met, then how did you get a job as his secretary?" Cruz questioned curiously, and I fumbled to find words to explain.
"Well, I was leaving the Owen's Hotel, and I heard they were in need of a new secretary for the big boss. I accepted the application card to work for the boss, and he said I should show up at work on Monday," I lied, and my brother's jaw dropped.
"I don't believe that. Do you mean you have Ethan's contact with you? Let me see it!" Cruz insisted, but I didn't want to give it to him.
"You cannot call him. What matters is that I got the job, and I will be going to work by Monday," I said, and my brother appeared doubtful.
"Eva, if you're lying to me just because Maddison said you shouldn't come to work at Almond Group, you don't have to lie to me using Ethan Owen. Do you know that getting a partnership deal with Owen's Tech company is very difficult, and one partnership can change your life forever?" Cruz said, his tone serious, and I nodded with a smile.
"I know. Don't worry, when I secure the job by Monday, I will let you know," I replied, and he looked at me doubtfully for a moment and sighed.
"Alright. I will be looking forward to seeing where you will go to work. In fact, I will be the one to take you to work to see the company myself," Cruz declared, and I laughed.
"Alright. By Monday," I agreed. But Maddison quickly questioned, "Babe, don't tell me you believe Eva. She's just lying to make it look like she got a job at Owen's Group. Ethan's fiancée, Freya Dallas, is my best friend. Let me call her to ask if Owen Group is hiring a new secretary."
The color drained from my face as I heard Maddison mention Ethan's fiancée. Wait a minute—so Ethan was engaged, and he shamelessly slept with me. Oh no! I felt uneasy, knowing I had slept with another woman's fiancé. Yet, he was shamelessly asking me to be his woman.
My fascination with Ethan faded as I watched Maddison pull out her phone from her pocket and dial a contact. A feminine voice responded happily, "Hello, Maddi?"
"Hi, Freya. I want to ask you a quick question," Maddison said, her tone urgent as her eyes locked with mine coldly.
"Yes, what is it?" Freya asked nervously, not knowing what Maddison wanted to ask.
"It's about your fiancé, Ethan Owen," Maddison said, and my legs trembled as I became weak, a wave of guilt washing over me. Before I could lose my balance, Cruz caught me, despite carrying his son on one arm.
"Are you alright?" he whispered into my ear, and I nodded and moved away from him. I was perspiring. Beads of sweat marred my forehead as I heard Maddison ask aloud, ensuring to put her phone on loudspeaker.
"Freya, is Owen's Group hiring any secretary? My husband's sister, who shamelessly broke off with her ex, mentioned that your fiancé is hiring a new secretary," Maddison asked, a sinister smirk curling up her lips.
Freya replied, "I don't know if Ethan is hiring a new secretary. He doesn't let me work for him, so I don't know. But if she is hired to work there, good luck to her. I heard that Ethan doesn't fail to fire his secretary every month end. Since we were engaged, I think he has fired no less than fifty secretaries."
"What?" Maddison gasped, and even I looked stunned.
