Chapter Fifty-Five
Evelyn’s POV
As we drove to the university, I found myself looking forward to the day despite the soreness. The thought of seeing Debbie and Jacob’s surprise kept my spirits high. When we arrived, Marco escorted me to my first lecture, his protective presence comforting.
After the lectures, I met up with Debbie and Jacob. Debbie was practically bouncing with excitement. “I can’t wait to show you the surprise!” she exclaimed, grabbing my hand and dragging me along.Material © of NôvelDrama.Org.
We reached a secluded part of the campus but nothing was there. “Surprise!” they both shouted.
“Huh? Surprise what? “I asked, looking confused as I couldn’t find anything there.
“Calm down Evelyn, the surprise is… I
Me and Jacob… Are a couple now!”She said as she jumped waving her hands up in the air like a child.
“I knew it! “I said and rushed to hug her.
“Calm down, Silly head” Jacob said to me smiling, he was shy too! Never seen him shy before.
Happiness was around the background, I also told her about me and Antonio and she was really happy for me. All of us were happy.
“Wait babes, I wanted to ask you something” Debbie said with a teasing look.
“What’s that? ” I asked curiously.
“I noticed you’ve been limping all day, did you fuck all through the night? “Debbie said shamelessly and I tried to cover her mouth.
I glanced over at Jacob who cleared his throat and smirked teasing leaving me all shy. “You guys should stop, you’re making me shy” I said, covering my face.
We gisted, got snacks and when it was almost five Jacob and the rest took me home while Debbie left for her house.
By the time Jacob drove me back home, it was nearing five. True to his word, Antonio was waiting for me. His eyes lit up when he saw me, and he pulled me into a deep kiss.
“Did you have a good day, girlfriend?” he asked, his hands caressing my back.
“I did, baby,” I replied, leaning into him.
“Good,” he said, his voice dropping. “Now, let’s go see Reina.”
He led me down to the cellar, where Reina was being held. She looked disheveled and scared, a far cry from the confident woman who had wronged me. Antonio’s grip on my hand tightened.
“This is what happens to anyone who tries to hurt you,” he said, his voice cold and menacing. Reina flinched at his words.
I squeezed his hand, feeling a mix of satisfaction and unease. While I didn’t relish seeing someone suffer, it was a stark reminder of the lengths Antonio would go to protect me.
I was surprised when Antonio took a knife from the stand in the cellar, dipping it in a burning candle nearby. Once it was hot enough, he placed it on Reina’s cheek, making her scream her lungs out, leaving a scar. I watched, feeling a twinge of pity, but she deserved everything coming from my man. It didn’t end there; Antonio used the knife to tear a part of her face, and she cried out loud.
“Now let’s see if anyone would want to fuck that pussy of yours,” he growled. “Let’s see how you’d entice me with this ugly looking face of yours. I won’t kill you because of your father’s loyalty to me, but I’d be releasing you right now. Make sure you stay away from me, my women, and even my men, or you’d die!” Antonio ordered two of his men to throw her out of the house and then walked away.
As I followed Antonio out, I made sure to blow her kisses, smirking at her. Now she was paying for everything she did to me.
Once in his room, I hugged him tightly. “Thanks, baby.”
The effect of the nickname was immediate; he pinned me to the wall and bit my neck lovingly, causing a loud, sexy moan to escape my lips. His hands roamed my body, teasingly squeezing my breasts and sliding down to cup my ass. “You’re tempting me, but I love it,” he murmured, his breath hot against my ear, sending shivers down my spine. He captured my lips in a brief, searing kiss before pulling away and pecking my forehead. Reluctantly, he picked up a file to start signing documents. I sighed contentedly, picking up my phone and starting to browse, my body still tingling from his touch.
Meanwhile, outside the gate, Reina was thrown out. An old-looking car was parked nearby, and no one noticed. Inside the car was Charles, watching everything. He saw when they threw Reina out and wondered what had happened and if I was still inside. After Reina struggled for a while, Charles approached and offered her a ride. He suggested taking her home to get treated, hoping to use the opportunity to find out what happened to her and what was going on inside the house. Reina, desperate and in pain, didn’t care that he was a stranger; she just hopped in.
_-_-_-_-
Charles drove Reina to his house, a modest suburban home shrouded by tall hedges. He had convinced her with a mix of promises and reassurances, playing on her vulnerabilities. Reina, exhausted and ashamed, felt she had no other choice. The prospect of facing a hospital’s scrutiny was unbearable. Her face, marred by fresh scars and bruises, made her cringe every time she caught her reflection.
“God! I look so ugly,” Reina screamed, her voice echoing in the bathroom as she stared at herself in the mirror.
“Calm down, miss. At least you didn’t die,” Charles responded, his voice tinged with irritation. He leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching her.
Reina glared at him but quickly averted her gaze. Despite her anger, she couldn’t afford to antagonize her benefactor. Her last bit of cash had gone to the thugs she hired to abduct Evelyn, and she had nothing left. The thought of asking her father for money was out of the question; she had already embroiled her family in trouble with Antonio.
“By the way… What happened to you?” Charles asked, his tone deceptively casual. He needed to draw out information about Antonio and Evelyn. He’d been trying to contact Evelyn for days, unaware that her phone had been lost during the abduction.
Reina hesitated, weighing her options. She didn’t want to reveal too much but knew she needed Charles’ help. Playing the victim was her best bet.
“Em… I was punished… That’s why I look like this,” Reina finally said, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and shame.
“For?” Charles probed, leaning forward.
“For trying to fight for what is mine,” she replied, her eyes flashing with resentment. She recounted how Evelyn had stolen Antonio away from her and how she had tried to reclaim her place by abducting Evelyn. She described Antonio’s brutal retaliation, her voice breaking as she relived the ordeal.
“I hate that witch, I wish I could kill her!” Reina exclaimed, her body shaking with rage.
“What if I can help?” Charles suggested, a sly smile playing on his lips. Reina looked at him, incredulous.
“You think I’m joking? You don’t know who Antonio is? Antonio could kill because of that Evelyn. I almost died because of her,” Reina blurted out, her voice rising in panic.
“Let me tell you a story,” Charles said, moving to sit beside her on the bed. He spoke of his past with Evelyn, revealing that she was his ex-girlfriend. He explained how he had orchestrated her employment with Antonio to gather incriminating information. Reina listened, her mouth agape in astonishment.
“Oh my God… This is a solid thing to use against her, but… there is no proof!” Reina exclaimed, her mind racing.
“I wasn’t mad when I said I could help… Of course there’s proof,” Charles replied with a smug grin. He walked over to a small wooden table and retrieved a stack of papers. Handing them to Reina, he watched as she scanned the documents, her eyes widening with each passing second.
“These are… incredible. We could destroy them both with this,” Reina whispered, a wicked smile spreading across her face.
“But don’t give it to the police, please,” she begged, her voice pleading. Charles nodded, but his mind was already racing with plans of his own.
“We’ll use it to our advantage first,” Charles explained. “We’ll threaten Evelyn with it, force her to continue her plan and come back to me. If she doesn’t, you’ll take a picture of it and send it to Antonio. That way, Antonio will want you back and send Evelyn away. She’ll have no choice but to come back to me.”
Reina and Charles smirked, the shared understanding of their mutual benefit bringing them closer. Charles felt a thrill of excitement at the thought of reclaiming control, while Reina savored the prospect of revenge. They had formed an unholy alliance, driven by their shared hatred and ambition.