Eva spent the rest of her afternoon finalizing the work Andrew requested. With each passing minute, she found herself growing more attached to the nickname she’d heard at lunch—the Iceberg. Somehow, it suited Andrew perfectly. Cold, distant, and impossible to predict.

She knocked on his office door and heard his familiar cold command. “Come in.”

Stepping inside, Eva calmly reported, “The CEO of Lavish Couture wants to discuss a partnership.”

Andrew leaned back in his chair, deep in thought, considering the merits of the offer. After a moment, he glanced at Edward, who was standing nearby. “Do you think they can be trusted?”

Edward gave a firm nod. “They’ve built a solid reputation since they launched. Excellent reviews and consistent growth. They could be a good partner.”

Andrew made his decision. “Schedule the meeting. We’ll see what they bring to the table.”

He turned his gaze to Eva. “Meet me in the garage when you’re done,” he instructed, his tone curt as ever.

Eva nodded and left his office, her heart inexplicably uneasy. As she made the call to set the appointment, a nagging feeling took root in her chest—an ominous sense that something wasn’t quite right. She shrugged it off, but it stayed with her as she made her way to the company’s underground garage.

Just as she arrived, she ran into Kai, who grinned the moment he saw her. “Eva! Let me give you a ride home.”

Eva shook her head politely. “No, thank you. I’m good.”

Kai leaned against a nearby car, his smile playful. “Come on, it’s just a ride. I insist.”

Before Eva could refuse again, Kai dashed off to get his car. She groaned internally, not wanting to cause any trouble.

Just then, Andrew’s car pulled up beside her. He rolled down the window, his cold eyes scanning her with thinly veiled annoyance. “Get in,” he ordered.

Without a second thought, Eva bolted into the passenger seat, closing the door just as Kai’s car pulled up where she had stood moments before. She let out a small sigh of relief. “Let’s go,” she whispered, not wanting Kai to see her leave with Andrew.

Andrew drove off, his face emotionless, but the tension in the air was thick. Kai, still waiting in the garage, frowned as he scanned the empty space. “Did she already leave?” he muttered, feeling a pang of disappointment.

Before he could dwell on it too long, a familiar voice called out to him. “Kai! Wait!”

Madeline Quinn—a long-time admirer of his—was flagging him down with a sad look on her face. She stepped closer, biting her lip nervously. “Can you take me home, please?”

Kai rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed but too polite to refuse. “Fine. Get in.”

Madeline climbed into the car, trying to suppress the tears threatening to spill. She didn’t understand why Kai was always so indifferent toward her. But Kai, oblivious to her emotions, just started driving in silence.

Meanwhile, the car ride with Andrew was just as silent—but far from peaceful. Eva could feel the weight of Andrew’s gaze, even though he kept his eyes on the road. The tension simmered until Andrew finally broke the silence with an icy command.

“Stay away from him.”

Eva blinked in confusion. “What? Who?”

“Kai,” Andrew snapped, gripping the steering wheel tighter. “Stay away from him.”

Eva shook her head in disbelief. “There’s nothing between me and Kai. He’s just a friend.”

Andrew’s hands clenched, and without warning, he slammed on the brakes, bringing the car to a jarring halt. He turned to her, his eyes cold and unforgiving as he grabbed her wrist. “You’re still Mrs. Eva King. Remember that. Act like it.”

Pain shot through Eva’s wrist, and tears welled in her eyes. “Andrew, you’re hurting me,” she whispered, trying to pull her hand away.

At that moment, Eva’s phone rang. She fumbled with her free hand to answer it. “Hello, Dad,” she said softly, her voice shaky.

Andrew, still holding her wrist, heard Leonard’s voice through the receiver and reluctantly let go. Eva absently rubbed her wrist, noticing the red marks his fingers had left behind.

“Are you okay?” Leonard asked, his tone filled with concern.

Eva forced a smile into her voice. “I just caught a little cold, that’s all. Don’t worry.”

After exchanging a few more words, they said their goodbyes, and Eva hung up.

The rest of the drive was suffocatingly silent. When they finally reached the mansion, Eva wasted no time. She threw the car door open and rushed inside, her heart pounding as she ran to her room. Once safely inside, she collapsed on her bed, the tears she had held back all day spilling over.

“What have I done? What kind of monster did I marry?” she thought bitterly. The weight of her decisions pressed down on her, and she clutched her pillow tightly. “Just three more months. Then I’ll leave him.”

In the garage, Andrew slammed his car door shut, cursing himself for his behavior. “What the hell is wrong with me?” he muttered, frustrated and embarrassed.

At the Foster mansion, the evening was far more lively. Irene and Mia were playing an impromptu game of tag, their laughter echoing through the hallways. Matthew, Mia’s father, paced anxiously nearby. “You’re going to get hurt!” he called out, but his warnings went ignored.

Camilla watched the scene from the sidelines, her expression dark. Everyone seemed happy—except for her. Her thoughts were consumed with bitterness toward her missing daughter, Jessica. She deserves to be miserable out there, Camilla thought spitefully.

As the game continued, Evander arrived at the mansion. With a playful grin, he swooped in and caught Mia in his arms just as she was about to tag Irene. Mia gasped, blushing furiously.

“Ev… Evan,” she stammered, wriggling in his grip. “The game is over.”

Evander smirked, holding her for a second longer than necessary before finally setting her down. Mia’s face was still red as she glanced away awkwardly.

Matthew noticed the interaction from a distance, his sharp gaze observing every detail. He arched an eyebrow but said nothing for the moment. “Let’s have dinner,” he suggested smoothly. “Evander, you might as well stay since you’re already here.”

The meal was surprisingly enjoyable, filled with easy conversation and laughter. But as the night wore on and everyone began to wind down, Irene found herself unable to sleep.

Feeling thirsty, she tiptoed out of Mia’s room and made her way downstairs to the kitchen. As she entered, she froze—someone was there.

Before she could scream, a hand covered her mouth. “Not a sound,” a deep voice whispered into her ear. “Got it?”

Irene nodded, heart pounding. As soon as the hand lifted from her mouth, she opened it to scream—but before the sound could escape, the stranger’s lips crashed onto hers in a brief but stunning kiss.

Irene stood frozen in place, completely stunned. When she finally opened her eyes, the stranger was gone.

Her mind reeled. What just happened? she thought, touching her lips in disbelief. That was my first kiss!

Shaking herself from her daze, she scowled. “I’ll tell Uncle tomorrow,” she whispered fiercely, already plotting her next move as she hurried back to Mia’s room.

But deep down, Irene knew this was just the beginning of a much larger game—and whoever that stranger was, they had already changed everything.