His Ruthless Desire (Completed)✓

Chapter 7

Eva

Eva fastened the pearl bracelet around her wrist and took a last look at her image in the mirror. She was satisfied with her reflection. She put a lot of thought into her outfit for today. It's not like she was often invited to a royal celebration in her lifetime. She had chosen a pale blue chiffon off-shoulder gown for the occasion. It was a coincidence that the color of her dress matched the color of her eyes. She paired it up with a seven-stranded pearl choker around her neck and tied her hair in a loose bun, leaving a few strands of golden curls hanging around her face. With a watch on one wrist and a pearl bracelet on the other, her look was completed with a blue and silver eyeshadow and nude lip color.

The gown clung to her body like a second skin, showing off her curves. She wondered if it was a little bold. "Never mind. I am not an Arab, so I am not bound to obey their rules of covering up," she thought as she looked at the bare skin of her shoulders. Mrs. Sikander Al Jahaan had invited her to this party with such love and insistence that she couldn't decline.

Aalam was very glad by the development. He insisted she fully used that occasion and tried to lure Taimur into the trap. But Eva wasn't sure her charms would work on the Royal. It was as if he was immune to feminine charm. She heard from Ayesha about the rumor that he was gay. And she was sure that it was not just a rumor. No man in his right senses could stay without a woman for long.

She was wearing her silver stiletto when she heard her cell phone ring. She answered the call; it was the driver Mrs. Sikander had sent to pick her up. She picked up her silver clutch studded with pearls and hurried out of her apartment. It was a long drive towards their mansion, and when they reached there, she couldn't help but admire the beauty of it. The Mansion term was an insult to the grandeur of the monument. It was a palace. The driver dropped her in front of the entrance to the mansion, and two good-looking men greeted her as she entered the mansion. One of the men escorted her towards the ballroom.

She was descending the ballroom stairs when she couldn't help but notice every eye was fixed on her, some with admiration, some with lust, and some with envy. Her eyes were scanning the hall for the man she was here for in the first place. She found him standing in the middle of the ballroom. He was accompanied by two men resembling him, "They must be his brothers," Eva thought. Taimur stared at her with a clenched jaw. Their gazes remained locked as she descended the rest of the stairs. She could recognize rage in them, but there was one more emotion she couldn't read. "What was it? Was it lust or abhorrence?" Eva wondered.

Mrs. Sikander greeted her with her two daughters and two daughters-in-law at the foot of the stairs. They met her with such affection that she couldn't believe she was meeting them for the first time. Both sisters were stealing glances at their eldest brother, who was busy conversing with his brothers. Eva sensed that something was wrong; they were in a misunderstanding regarding her and Taimur. She suddenly blushed at the thought of her being involved with their brother.

"We have been dying to meet you since Ummi told us about you. Now we know why our brother has been so busy in his office that he hasn't even visited us once since he returned from his business tour," Mariyam's younger sister teased her.

"I think you all are mistaken. It is not like this. There is nothing between your brother and me." She tried to clarify their misunderstanding, but they were determined not to believe her.

"Oh my God, what a wonderful surprise, Eva. I didn't know you were invited. Otherwise, we could have come together," Ayesha came suddenly from behind and hugged her. She was so glad upon her arrival because now she could escape the sisters' teasing.

She and Ayesha were deeply engrossed in the conversation when Ahmed approached them. Ayesha winked at Eva, making her blush.

Ahmed greeted her and inquired about her health and job. She could sense that he was attracted to her. Eva suddenly had a plan; what if she began working on Ahmed, as he was close to Taimur and would know his secret for sure? He was much more amiable than Taimur ever could be. She smiled at him and engaged him in a conversation without realizing she had been the focus of attention of a pair of jade green eyes.