EVE: The Apple Of Their Eyes | ✔

Chapter 1

(DISCLAIMER: The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy and authenticity, but disclaims any liability for errors or omissions. The views expressed in this work are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of anyone else.)

~

Long ago, a woman served the household with honesty and love. She, a beautiful young lady with red hair and captivating blue eyes, won the hearts of everyone with her kindness and humor, making friends with all.

While cherished by the household masters, their son harbored deeper feelings for her. Despite his expressions of interest, she rejected him, feeling she had nothing to be proud of and was just a humble servant. In truth, she viewed him as a master to serve faithfully, not as a romantic interest.

However, one night, the young master crossed a line, intruding into her bed and taking advantage of her.

In the aftermath of that night, the young woman faced a profound inner turmoil. The trust she had in the household was shattered, and the once warm atmosphere turned cold. The incident cast a dark shadow over her, leaving her grappling with feelings of betrayal and violation.

Despite the pain, she chose to keep the incident hidden, carrying the burden silently.

As months passed, the maidservant's fate took a tumultuous turn. She discovered she was pregnant but chose to keep it a secret from her young master. Unfortunately, the news spread, tarnishing her reputation as an unmarried woman. Surprisingly, the young master, thrilled by the revelation, pursued her with newfound commitment, leading to a romantic entanglement.

However, the joy was short-lived as the young master's parents disapproved of their son marrying a mere servant. To salvage their reputation, they arranged for him to marry a woman of higher social standing. The maidservant, heartbroken but silent, awaited her lover's explanation.

When she witnessed her lover with his affluent fiancée, she felt undeserving and realized her place on the sidelines. Understanding his silence, she made the painful decision to leave the household to avoid further conflict.

Days later, the young master, curious about her absence, discovered her departure, leaving him to grapple with the consequences of his choices and the void left by the absence of the woman he had once pursued and loved.

The young master's relentless search for the maidservant proved futile, and as time marched on, the woman who bore his child fell ill. The emotional strain of her pregnancy, burdened by heartbreak and the knowledge of her child's father being with another woman, took a toll on her well-being. The years passed, leaving her weakened by the weight of unspoken sorrows and unfulfilled hopes.

Despite his young age, the boy displayed remarkable maturity and responsibility, learning to navigate life independently and care for his ailing mother. She consistently emphasized that, in her absence, he should seek refuge with his father. However, the boy harbored deep resentment toward his father upon discovering that he had chosen to marry another woman instead of being with his mother. This hatred fueled his reluctance to acknowledge his father's existence.

As the boy matured, he noticed his mother always treasuring a photograph of his father. Over time, he came to realize that his father was no ordinary man but a wealthy business tycoon, living a life of affluence with a wife and another son by his side. The stark contrast between his own modest upbringing and his father's opulent world added another layer of complexity to his feelings.

Fueled by a new wave of anger, the boy, living in the slums, felt like a tiny ant gazing up at the grand display of his father's seemingly perfect family atop the city's tallest building. Despite his challenging circumstances, he resisted tears of jealousy until his mother's illness reached a critical point.

Setting aside his pride, the boy, consumed by worry, approached his father for help. However, instead of the support he desperately sought, he was met with his father's disdain and disgust. The rejection cut deep, and he fought back tears as his father callously turned his back on him.

"Please! Help my mother!" the boy shouted once more, only to be kicked back by a little boy who seemed to be two years younger than him - his half-brother who looked at him with hate.

"Stay away from him! That is MY father, you dirty, smelly beggar!" the boy yelled, pointing at the man who just stared at him emotionlessly.

"Dean! Stop it!" a little girl shouted a little further away. She ran, looking like she was worried about her own brother getting kicked.

The little girl picked up the ten-year-old boy, who is bigger than her since she is still six years old.

"You don't push people away! Go to your daddy! Now!" the little girl courageously demanded as the boy hmphed in protest, crossing his arms and yet followed her order.

She dusted off the beggar boy's already dirty shorts, which he only watched in amazement at how a rich girl like her would take pity on someone like him.

As his father and other brother drove off, the little girl sighed and smiled at him.

"Are you okay?" she asked and was about to wipe off his face with her handkerchief when he swatted her hand away in instinct, fearing she would hurt him.

"I-I'm sorry... I don't want to hurt you. It's just that you've been crying ever since you saw Mr. Castellan," she said, frowning, looking down as if guilty of a sin.

He was confused by her kindness, and she seemed odd to him.

"I... I'm Damian," he hesitantly introduced himself when the girl giggled, grabbing his dirtied hand.

"I'm Kaitlyn! It's K-A-I-T-L-Y-N," she spelled gleefully.

"Ah," he uttered in disbelief. It was the first time someone other than his mother smiled at him happily.

"I heard you wanted Mr. Castellan to help your mother. Is she sick?" she suddenly innocently asked out of curiosity.

He looked away and removed her hands from him. "It's none of your business," he bitterly responded.

All of a sudden, little Kaitlyn removed her golden locket necklace and handed it to him.

"This might help. Um, someone might want to buy that necklace. You can use it to help your mom," she responsibly suggested.

Without noticing, his tears fell from his eyes. He clenched the necklace that was in his hand and sobbed.

"It's okay, I won't tell anyone about this. You should go. Papa might come pick me up in a bit," Kaitlyn told him and gently pushed the boy, urging him to go.

Damian started walking away from the kind girl and climbed up the school fence where he got in. The little girl waved at him as he got further away.

When the little boy got home, he was met by her mother lying on the floor. He immediately ran towards his mother thinking she just fainted from overworking only to feel her cold skin against his hands.

His body trembled at the realization when he tried to wake her mother up but she didn't even budge.

Panicked and desperate, the little boy continued to shake his mother, calling out to her with increasing desperation. Tears welled up in his eyes as he realized the harsh truth. His mother, who had faced so much and sacrificed for him, was now lifeless on the floor.

In that heart-wrenching moment, he felt a profound sense of loss and isolation. The weight of responsibility and the absence of family support pressed down on him. With trembling hands, he reached for his mother's lifeless form, unsure of what to do next.