Eva sighed deeply, leaning against the edge of her bed after slipping into her soft, cotton pajamas. She rubbed her temples, trying to shake off the annoyance that still lingered from earlier. Just as she began to unwind, her phone buzzed in her hand.

Unknown Number.

She hesitated for a moment, her thumb hovering over the answer button. Against her better judgment, she picked up the call.

“Hello?” Eva answered, her voice guarded.

“Hello, baby,” a familiar voice cooed over the line.

Eva’s heart dropped, and anger immediately bubbled to the surface. “Shut up,” she spat, gripping the phone tightly.

“Oh, come on,” Josh's voice was drenched in smugness. “I had to get a new number since you blocked me everywhere.”

Eva’s blood boiled. “I have nothing to say to bastards like you!” she snapped and hung up before he could utter another word.

Frustrated, Eva stormed downstairs, her phone still clutched tightly in her hand. She needed something—anything—to cool her simmering anger. Ice cream. That would help.

As she made her way to the kitchen, she passed Andrew, who was on a call of his own, his voice low and focused. She barely noticed him, but Andrew’s sharp gaze followed her as she walked by, her body tense with irritation.

“Call you back,” Andrew said abruptly, ending his conversation. He tucked his phone into his pocket and silently followed Eva down the stairs, curious about her mood.

In the kitchen, Eva grabbed a tub of ice cream from the freezer and sat at the table. She sighed, scooping a bite into her mouth, feeling the cold sweetness calm her nerves slightly.

Andrew entered quietly, sitting across from her. “Can I have some?” he asked, his tone unusually soft.

Eva looked up, startled by his sudden appearance. Her heart stuttered as her mind flashed back to the memory of their kiss from the previous night. Her cheeks flushed as she fumbled with the spoon.

“Of course,” she managed, scooping some into a bowl and passing it to him.

As Andrew took the bowl from her, Eva’s mind wandered back to the kiss. She sighed inwardly. He was too drunk. He probably doesn’t even remember it. She stabbed her spoon into the ice cream. If he hadn’t been drinking, he would never have touched me.

Meanwhile, Andrew savored his first bite, though it wasn’t the ice cream he was thinking about—it was the lingering taste of her lips from the night before. He wanted more, much more.

The shrill ring of Eva’s phone shattered the moment, dragging both of them from their thoughts. Eva glanced at the screen, her face contorting in irritation as she declined the call.

Andrew arched an eyebrow. “Who’s calling?”

“No one important,” Eva muttered, her jaw tight. “Just someone I don’t want to deal with.”

Andrew nodded, but when the phone buzzed again almost instantly, he frowned. Eva groaned and stood from the table. “Excuse me a minute,” she said as she marched out of the kitchen.

She answered the phone with frustration clear in her voice. “What the hell do you want?”

Josh’s voice remained smug, even through the phone. “Don’t be like that, baby. I’ve missed you.”

“Josh, stop harassing me!” Eva snapped, her voice thick with disgust. “I hate you. Do you hear me? I fucking hate you!Just leave me alone.”

But Josh’s tone only grew more pitiful. “I can’t forget you, baby,” he whined, as though her hatred meant nothing to him.

Before Eva could respond, her phone was snatched out of her hand. She gasped, looking up to see Andrew standing next to her, his expression dark and dangerous. His jaw clenched, and his eyes burned with fury.

“Eva, baby, are you still there?” Josh’s voice oozed from the other end of the line, oblivious to the shift in control.

Andrew raised the phone to his ear, his voice low and menacing. “Hello.”

Josh paused on the other end, confused. “Who the hell are you?”

Andrew’s gaze flicked to Eva, possessiveness clear in his stance. “I’m her husband. And you are never to call my wife again.”

Then, with a sharp, final click, Andrew hung up the phone and tossed it onto the counter. Eva stood frozen, her heart pounding as Andrew’s words echoed in her mind: My wife.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, Josh sat in his apartment, staring at his phone in shock. Husband? He hadn’t even known Eva had gotten married. But the thought only fueled his twisted determination.

Eva’s rejection stung, but he wasn’t one to back down easily. No matter who she’s married to, I’ll get what I want, he thought darkly.

Just then, a woman slid into his lap, her arms draped around his neck. Celine. She pouted playfully, kissing the corner of his mouth. “Baby, let’s get married,” she whispered.

Josh grinned, his hand sliding possessively around her waist. “Of course,” he cooed back, nipping gently at her neck. “But let’s enjoy our wedding night first.”

Celine giggled, lost in the moment as Josh pulled her closer. But in the back of his mind, his thoughts remained on Eva. This marriage with Celine? Just a distraction, he mused, until I can make Eva mine again.

Back at the King mansion, Andrew’s intense gaze didn’t waver from Eva as she stood awkwardly by the counter. Her heart pounded from both the encounter with Josh and Andrew’s unexpected intervention.

“Andrew…” she started, unsure what to say.

Eva stood frozen under Andrew’s searing gaze, her heart hammering against her ribs. His dark eyes burned with barely restrained anger as he loomed over her, radiating an intensity that made her feel small.

“Andrew, I didn’t know it was him,” Eva stammered, her hands nervously twisting the fabric of her shirt. “I blocked his number. He must’ve called me from a new one.”

Andrew clenched his jaw, his fists twitching at his sides as if struggling to keep himself from exploding. “Then why didn’t you tell me?” His voice was low, but the anger simmering beneath was unmistakable.

Eva swallowed hard, her palms damp with sweat. “He called right before you came. I didn’t get the chance…” she whispered, trying to calm him.

Andrew let out a harsh breath, raking his fingers through his hair in frustration. “If he keeps bothering you, you tell me immediately,” he growled. His voice was laced with a promise of retribution, dark and unyielding. “I’ll take care of it.”

Eva nodded quickly. “I will.” But in the back of her mind, she wondered just what he meant by “taking care of it.”

Andrew stepped closer, his presence overwhelming in the small space between them. “If that bastard ever calls you again,” he said in a low, dangerous voice, “tell me immediately. I’ll make sure he regrets it.”

Eva’s breath hitched at the intensity in his voice. “You didn’t have to do that,” she whispered, though her heart fluttered at the way he had called her his wife.

Andrew’s dark eyes softened just a fraction as he leaned down, close enough for her to feel the warmth of his breath against her skin. “Yes, I did,” he murmured.

Eva looked up at him, her pulse racing. There was something in his gaze—something possessive, something dangerous, but also something protective that left her breathless.

For the first time, she wondered if maybe—just maybe—Andrew wasn’t the cold-hearted man she thought he was.

And maybe, just maybe, she wasn’t ready to walk away from him after all.