Saved By My Charming Billionaire

Chapter 4: Wander

Eva recoiled from the force of the slap. The stinging pain was only a reminder of her reality. 

"How dare you lay your filthy hands on my daughter, you b*tch!?"

Katherine yelled furiously. 

"I didn't hurt her. I didn't even touch her". Eva said, still rubbing her face, and trying to make the stinging pain subside.

"You pushed me!"

Stephanie yelled, faking tears.

"It's okay dear. Please, just try to go inside. I'm going to deal with her".

Katherine said, reassuring Stephanie, and she headed onside, leaping on her way in.

When she had entered inside, Katherine turned to face Eva.

"Have you seen what you did!?"

She yelled furiously. 

"I…I'm sorry. I didn't do it. I didn't hurt her". Eva continued to plead.

"Take a look at the time you're coming back. Where the hell are you coming from? It's funny you think I'm just going to let you into my house just like that!"

"But… this is my house too. I…"

Eva tried to say, but Katherine cut her off by placing a resounding slap on her face again.

"Now, you listen to me you b*tch! Don't you dare talk back at me when I'm speaking to you! Got it!?"

"Y…yes".

Eva muttered, admist teary eyes.

"You already disgraced me today. Your husband-to-be was here to see you, and you just fled! I had to apologise to him continously"

"I'm sorry".

Eva apologised.

"Don't make things difficult as they already are. This is your fate. You're going to marry him, and that's it!"

"I'm going to look for a way to repay your debts. I'm not going to marry an old fool!"

Eva said.

"I said, don't talk back at me!"

Katherine yelled, and attempted to slap her again.

"I…I'm sorry".

"Now, go in there and clean up the mess! You must be done before dawn!"

"Okay".

Eva said silently, and entered inside the house.

Doing house chores and cleaning wasn't something new to her. Infact, she was already used to it. Her Stepmother and Stepsiter had made her a slave in her own house.

As Eva proceeded to the kitchen, she felt uncomfortable, as the whole house reeked of alcohol.

It was at that moment that she realized that her father laid on the couch in the living room, drunk to stupor.

She acted like it was nothing, and entered the kitchen. Her father's drunken state was no news to her.

The kitchen was really a mess. Pots and pans were scattered everywhere. Insects flew helter-skelter around the dirty plates… It was a really horrific and irritating sight.

Eva sighed as she surveyed the chaotic scene before her. It wasn't just the physical mess that bothered her; it was the emotional turmoil that accompanied it. Each dirty dish and scattered utensil seemed to represent another burden weighing down on her already heavy shoulders.

As she worked, her mind couldn't help but wander back to the events that had unfolded earlier that evening. The confrontation with Katherine, the accusations hurled at her, the pain of being slapped repeatedly – it all felt like a cruel nightmare from which she couldn't awaken.She couldn't understand why her stepmother harbored such resentment towards her. What had she done to deserve such cruelty? Was it simply because she existed?

And then there was the matter of her impending marriage – a fate that had been thrust upon her without her consent. Eva couldn't fathom spending the rest of her life bound to a man she barely knew, let alone loved. But in this household, her desires and dreams held little significance.

In the midst of these troubling thoughts, Eva's mind wandered off to Nathan. She wondered if she'd see him again.

She saw herself admiring him like she had known him for a long time. 

'Why am I thinking about him? I shouldn't be thinking about him. He helped me, but why am I attracted to him? Stop it, Eva! He could be married! He probably had a wife waiting for him at home. But, I didn't see a ring on his finger…'

"Gosh! What's wrong with me!?"

Eva yelled, and this attracted Katherine's attention.

It was dawn already, and Eva hadn't slept yet.

"What are you doing yelling, huh!? Are you done with the dishes!?"

Katherine yelled angrily, coming into the kitchen.

"Y..yes. I'm done".

She responded timidly.

"Well then, what are you waiting for? Take out the trash!" 

"I'm sorry mom…"

"I'm not your mom you idiot! Don't call me that". Katherine spat.

"I'm sorry". Eva apologised, bowing her head to the ground.

"Whatever. I don't need your sorry anyway. Make sure the house is cleaned up while I'm gone, and I don't want to hear complains from Stephanie. Got it?"

"Yes. Loud and clear". Eva said.

Katherine made her way out and drove off in a haste.

"Well, well well…"

Stephanie said, walking in on Eva, and this irked her.

"What do we have here?"

"Not today Steph. I'm not ready for all these".

"Whatever". Stephanie said, blowing a bubblegum in her face.

"I'm going to see my boyfriend anyway. You know… his name starts with an L and ends with an M. I'm sure that's familiar, right?"

Stephanie said, laughing sarcastically. 

Eva just stood there, without uttering a word.

"Pathetic". Stephanie scoffed, and shoved Eva off on her way out, which almost made her fall.

Eva heaved a sigh, before heading to the back to take the trash out.

There were three heavy bags of trash, and she carried them one after the other. 

She took off her gloves and dusted her palms after taking the trash out.

Then, she attempted to head back inside, but a horn blared in her direction. 

The windows of the flashy car were tinted, and she couldn't really see who was calling out to her.

The car stopped beside her, and a young man came down from it. 

Eva recognised who he was immediately. 

"Nathan!? What are you doing here?"