(Eva's POV)
"I am being honest with you, Maddison. Ethan doesn't like his secretary coming late to work or fumbling at business meetings. You know that Owen's Group has many businesses, so he is very busy. Also, he hates when his secretary gawks at him. His rules are much like I heard, but it's good for me. He hasn't cheated since we started dating. It was our families who set up our engagement. So I consider myself lucky to have a man like him," Freya said happily, and I nearly coughed out my lungs hearing that Ethan hadn't cheated on Freya. Wasn't he the same man who plastered me with hickeys all over my body? Well, I thought I was the one who rushed to meet him, so maybe he might not have cheated on Freya truly.
"Hmm. That sounds nice. But my husband's sister is a hooker. She broke up with her ex-boyfriend to sleep with a rich man for money. So I will advise you to keep your man in check, before she snatches him," Maddison said, her voice stern as she glared at me.
Freya laughed it off. "Forget about how beautiful your Sisters-in-law is or if she is a hooker or not. Ethan will not cheat on me with her. She's wasting her time. Moreover, Ethan and I will be getting married next month. So why bother about the secretary who will soon get fired for failing at her job?" Freya said, and I felt sad in my heart to hear that Ethan was in a serious relationship with her, and yet he was offering me a high-paying job and also asking me to be his woman.
"Alright. I just decided to give you a heads up. You know you're my best friend, and I want the best for you," Maddison said, and Freya laughed.
"I know, Maddi. Once my wedding invitation comes out, you will be my number one guest. Also, Ethan's sister, Angelina, is hosting a birthday party at Owen's Hotel next weekend. Has she invited you?" Freya asked, her voice bubbling with excitement, and Maddison smiled, "Of course. I saw Angelina two days ago at the tech gathering. She is a genius. I will be there at her party."
"Sure. Take care, Maddi, and don't bother worrying about your husband's sister. She is not a problem at all," Freya stated, her tone confident, and Maddison smirked at me.
"Alright, girlfriend. Take care," Maddie replied and put her phone back in her pocket.
"Do you hear that, slut? Ethan is in a serious relationship with my best friend, so if you are going to work for him, be ready to lose your job. He won't spare you a glance at all in his office. Coupled with your scandal at his hotel and your breakup with your fiancé, I am sure Ethan will fire you upon arrival." Maddison smirked, and I couldn't find words to refute her claims. I was still shaken by the fact that Ethan had a fiancée and yet he agreed and slept with me. His words rang in my mind: "If I hadn't slept with you, who knows what the drug would have done to damage your body. So you owe me compensation."
"Eva, Eva!" Cruz called my name after his wife had carried their chubby son and walked away.
"Eva, are you alright?" Cruz asked me softly, and I nodded and wiped off the tears that had slipped down my cheeks. I didn't know I was crying. I didn't even cry when Jacob Stone, my boyfriend of five years, broke up with me. But here I was, crying to hear that Ethan was already in a relationship. Maybe I felt guilty that I had been with another woman's fiancé. I didn't envision myself as a woman who would sleep with another person's fiancé. It was all Layla's fault for making me break up with Jacob. If I had known that Layla was jealous of me, I wouldn't have attended her twenty-fourth birthday party at Owen's five-star hotel. Now, I lost my chastity and also my fiancé caught me red-handed with another man.
Even after using the back of my palm to wipe off my tears, more tears flowed down my cheeks, and I couldn't stop the guilt I was feeling.
"Eva, don't let Maddison's words get to you. If you are truly employed by Ethan Owen, I think it's best that you focus on your job there and not try to lust after him or break his rules, alright?" Cruz gave me hope as he saw my sad look.
"It's fine. Thank you," I replied, but the sound of police sirens arriving at his home caught my attention.
"What's going on?" I asked, looking up at my brother's face, and his brows furrowed.
"Let me find out," he replied, and I was nervous about why the police had arrived at his house. Were they here to arrest me? I paced about the corridor but couldn't sate my curiosity. I walked out of the house to see Jacob Stone standing there in a black shirt, trousers and shoes. His expression was frosty as he arrived with the two police officers.
"Officer, that's the woman who cheated on me and made away with my money," Jacob said, his voice firm, and I gasped, "What? Which money? Officer, this is all a misunderstanding."
"Madam, you have every right to remain silent and follow us to the police station for questioning. Anything you say or do shall be used against you in the court of law. Now, come with us," the policeman in black uniform ordered me.
Cruz tried to speak to Jacob, as he knew him. They were once university friends.
"Jacob, you cannot have my sister arrested. Please, Eva didn't mean to cheat on you. You are taking this too far," Cruz tried to speak up for me as the policemen handcuffed me like I was a criminal.
Jacob turned to face my older brother, his expression cold. "Cruz, you don't expect me to let your sister go just like that. She cheated on me after everything I did for her. I need my compensation, unless she will rot in jail. She never let me touch her, and yet she slept with another man. Forgetting that she is mine!" Jacob looked furious as the policemen led me into the black car, and I was taken away.
"Jacob, you're making a mistake. You should arrest Layla. She set Eva up. You cannot do this to my sister!" Cruz cried, chasing after us, and I saw his wife standing there on the porch, recording us.
"That's not my business. Your sister will compensate me for wasting my time with her," Jacob insisted, while the police car drove out of the house.
I heard Maddison screaming, "Babe, don't waste your time on Eva. Let her pay the price for her crime."
The rest of her words cut off as the police car drove off and headed for the police station. I sat with unease, wondering if this was how I would rot in jail.
