Chapter 4

[Eva Brooks]

Arriving at the White Estate gate where Cruz lived, the taxi pulled to a stop in front of the gate. My only brother, Cruz Brooks, got married to Maddison Brooklyn, a rich man’s daughter, and she was too pompous and proud. 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’m 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 was, standing in front of an estate gate.

“Call him,” the security man replied, before he ordered me to stand aside, and I wouldn’t be allowed entry into the estate gate.

Pulling out my phone, I called my older brother, Cruz.

However, I was stunned to see a black Rolls-Royce driving towards the estate gate, as the White Estate was known to house many wealthy billionaires in Dominic City.

I was shocked when my gaze locked with Ethan Owen, the same man I’d had a one-night stand with a few hours ago.

'What was he doing here? Did he live inside this White Estate too?'

I quickly looked away, pretending I didn’t know Ethan. But his gaze bored into me, and I could feel its intensity.

Another security man pulled the magnificent gate open, and Ethan’s car drove in—not just his car alone. I noticed bodyguards in another black convoy following behind him. I released the breath I hadn’t known I was holding.

“Hello, Cruz, I’m at the estate gate now,” I said to my older brother on the call, and he replied, “I’ll be there now.”

The call ended, and I took out my white handkerchief from my bag and wiped off the sweat from my forehead.

A few minutes later, my brother arrived in a red sports car, parked, and 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 was stunned, as I hadn’t looked at myself in the mirror.

“What happened to myself? 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 before me: my cheek was red, and hickeys covered my neck.

“What?” I gasped, embarrassed by my own state.

“I didn’t know I looked this bad. I’m sorry,” I said, and my brother shook his head, still laughing at my embarrassed state.

“Eva, this is enough for Jacob Stone to break up with you. Who did you get laid with?” Cruz asked, his eyes peering at me. I lowered my head as my cheeks flushed.

“It’s not important to talk about the man. It’s a one-night stand,” I said, my voice trembling as my older brother towered above me.

“One-night stand. And he painted you this red. Do you happen to know him?”

“No . . . I . . . I mean, I don’t know the man,” I replied, my voice quivering.

“Cruz, can you take me to your house and stop asking me questions?” I snapped, wanting to escape my brother’s inquiry, and 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 had a night with? Well, in case you aren’t aware, Jacob cancelled the engagement, and he is demanding the sum of ten million as compensation for all the money he spent on you,” Cruz said, as he moved over to pull his car door open for me.

“What? Ten million? When did Jacob spend that much on me? The university cost only eight hundred thousand for a year, and he paid for four years, and a few more expenses. That’s a total of four million. When did he ever spend up to ten million on me? Even the money he spent on me wasn’t up to four million,” I said, my voice sharp, and 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 demanded that Dad pay him five million as his support f*e. So that’s a total of fifteen million that we have to pay Jacob now,” Cruz said in a calm voice, as I sat in his car.

“I will not pay that amount. We dated for five years, and I don’t owe Jacob anything. Where is it written that you have to pay for a breakup as compensation? 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, but I looked too flushed at the moment.

“Mmm,” my brother exhaled and said, “It’s why you should have kept your guard up. You already made the mistake, and Jacob caught you. But what about the man you slept with? Did he see Jacob and you? If he can afford a room at the Owen’s luxury five-star hotel, then he must be a big shot,” Cruz said, his gaze calculative.

“I don’t want to talk about the man. He said that I owe him for taking advantage of him,” I replied, and my brother burst out laughing.

“The man took advantage of you, and he blamed you for taking advantage of him. Well, I say you 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 replied, exhausted, and my brother closed the car door.

Walking over to the driver’s seat, Cruz got in and fastened his seat belt.

“About my wife,” he said, and I knew that 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 will Maddison be the one controlling 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 that my brother worked for Maddison’s father before he married Maddison. But she controlled him to the point that she didn’t allow their baby to take his surname. Her baby is Chris Brooklyn, instead of Chris Brooks.

“It doesn’t change anything. As 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 along the White Estate road. He finally arrived at a white gate and parked.