The next morning, warm sunlight streamed through a bedroom window.
Eve lied on her side with her hands under the pillow. Her chest rose and fell at a steady pace. She wore a tranquil expression on her face. It had been a while since she had a good sleep. Although her consciousness surfaced, she kept her eyes closed, enjoying more of this peaceful moment.
She turned to her other side and her peace shattered.
It broke into a million pieces and pricked through her skin like a thousand needles. Burning pain spread across her muscles. They throbbed, pulsing from the soreness. She felt it more in her legs. They stung like fire.
“Shi—” Eve gasped, panting for breath. Her brown eyes blinked under the morning light. Carefully, she positioned herself on her back and gazed up at the ceiling. A groan flowed out of her lips. “Ugh, this is what I get for exerting my body on that rink. I need to get more exercise.”
She would also need to if this modelling career would last 9 months. As the CEO’s ‘girlfriend’, eyes would be on here. They’d criticize and search for her faults. Although most of them wouldn’t be true,
She still didn’t want to give them a chance.
A plan formed in her mind as she played with her hair. There should be a social gathering soon. She would make allies there. Avery would probably help her with it. Cale and Luna too if they would be present.
She would survive through this.
Her phone vibrated from the night stand.
.
``Yan: Good morning, Ms. Evangeline.``
.
Eve’s heart did a double flip.
‘He actually did it!’ She thought and laughed. The positive energy provided a temporary getaway from the pain. Her shoulders shook from the ridiculousness of the situation. She could almost imagine the poker face on Ambryan’s face.
.
``Lin: Good morning, Mr. Hathaway. Have a good day! (^o^)/ ``
.
With that said, she pulled herself up in a sitting position. The throbbing intensified from each movement. Her legs walked groggily towards the bathroom. She mimicked a zombie, dragging her feet across the floor. Her arms barely moved on her sides.
This called for another aromatherapy bath session.
Andie busied herself with breakfast. They had guests for today. More than her mother and the twins, Jarrett had also decided to join them. They stayed in the living room while she made her way around the kitchen. Working at the bakery trained her body clock.
She became a morning person, always ready to be of service.
The ‘D&D Cookbook’ laid open on a small bookstand. The page showed a recipe for fried rice. Various ingredients littered on top of the kitchen island. Cold rice, eggs, oyster sauce, sesame oil, soy sauce, vegetables, garlic and butter. She had cooked the rice last night before going to bed.
It would be an Asian-inspired breakfast today.
Soon, the apartment filled with a savory aroma. Seasoned butter floated up their noses. It made several stomachs rumble in hunger. The sound of a sizzling pan further intensified their cravings. Their anticipation reached another level.
“Waaah, I’m hungry!” Eri whined, a tablet in her hands. She sat on the couch and pouted towards the kitchen. She could see white smoke. “Is it not time for breakfast?”
“Now, now.” Georgie chuckled beside her. “Andie is still not done. Don’t disturb her yet.”
Eri turned back to the tablet. Her cinnamon hair swayed on either side of her face. She pushed a button on the screen and it led her to a page with four lanes. Black rectangular blocks paused, ready to move at her command.
Her eyes began to focus.
Then, she tapped on one.
Piano notes flowed out of the living room. The melody started out slow, increasing speed over a span of time. Small fingers struggled to keep it moving. After it was over, the song repeated itself at a higher pace. The blocks turned into a blur before a pair of brown eyes.
Nonetheless, Eri kept it up.
On the floor, Ede sat across from her twin. She had her own tablet in her hands. Unlike her sister, she played a quieter game in the form of a puzzle. It would give her brown blocks in different shapes. All she had to do was make them fit inside a square. If she managed to make a row or a column, they would disappear.
The goal was to not run out of moves.
Jarrett occupied her right, watching as she solved the game. She would take her time and think unlink other children that would just drag the blocks blindly. It amused him. He could almost see her graduate with a PhD.
Not that was the only way to prove her intelligence.
“Wow, are we having a party?” Eve announced. She heard the music as she climbed down the stairs and made a right, entering the living room. Her eyebrows rose from the number of people. Georgie and the twins she was used to.
It seemed like there was an extra head for today.
“EVE!” The twins yelled. They put down the tablets, getting up from their seats. They ran and tackled their older sister in a hug. Their arms overlapped around her waist. They buried their faces on her sides.
“Hello, girls.” Eve giggled. She bent her legs to match their eye level, using one arm for each twin. Her head slipped between theirs as she closed her eyes. She embraced them tightly.
Their vanilla scent smelled like home.
When she opened them, she met a pair of sky blue eyes. They glowed with mischief at her. Thunder clouds emerged on top of her head. They resounded in a low frequency that only she could hear.
‘This wasn’t going to end well,’ Eve dreaded quietly.
Jarrett blinked once and broke a smile. “I heard you’re up for promotion.”
A deadpan expression misted over her face. She released the twins and stood. Letting out a sigh, she pinched the bridge of her nose. “That’s not—It’s not how it sounds like.”
“Yeah?” He challenged, his lips stretching into a wide grin. “You’re not gonna be a lady boss?”
Eve had no words. She’d rather not deal with his teasing for today. Her body and her mind didn’t have the energy for it. Instead of a retort, she shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest, saying,
“I’m not gonna answer that.”
Georgie chuckled from the couch. She angled her body sideways and placed an arm over the backrest. Her gaze landed on one of the twins. “Eri, dear. Why don’t you tell Eve about your wish?”
At that, Eve shifted her attention. Frown lines creased between her brows. “Wish?”
“It’s nothing!” Eri protested with wide eyes. Blood rushed into her cheek, even tinting her ears pink. The red shade subdued the mole under her right eye. It became less noticeable. “It was just a joke! I have nothing to say.”
Eve knelt on one knee, narrowing her gaze. She studied her sister’s face. Small lips trembled before her. She exhaled sharply and used a gentle voice. “Now, what do you mean by that? Eri, you know you can tell me anything, right?”
“I do!”
“Then, tell me.”
Silence engulfed the room. Only the sound of cooking kept the house from being completely muted.
“I just…” Eri stammered. She bit her bottom lip and dropped her eyes to the floor. “I just want to learn the piano…”
“Oh,” Eve reacted. Her eyes blinked once at this new information. Well, it was summer. There should be classes available for this. It wouldn’t interrupt their schoolwork either. A scheduled hobby sounded like a good idea for their free time.
“But it’s okay!” Eri interrupted her thoughts. She raised her hands and shook her head repeatedly. “I know we don’t have a lot of money! That’s why I’m playing a game instead!”
Eve’s jaw dropped. She could hardly believe her ears. ‘That was what my sister worried about?’
“I think there’s a music school a few blocks away,” Andie said, announcing her presence. She held a spatula in one hand and leaned against the archway of the living room. “It just reopened too. There should be some slots left for classes.”
“Andie, no!” Eri shouted. She ran up to the cook and pushed her away, trying to shove her back in the kitchen. She didn’t want Eve to be pressured into agreeing. “You’re in charge of breakfast. Just tell us if breakfast is ready.”
“But I can’t move!” Andie complained, half collapsing towards the floor. She bent back almost touching the little girl’s head with her back. Her free hand clutched her chest. “It had been struck by the lightning of paralysis.”
Eri gritted her teeth. She changed direction with her hands and pushed upwards. “Stop being weird! People are getting hungry!”
Eve breathed out a laugh. She walked over and grabbed her sister by the waist, pulling her away from her best friend. “Eri, if you want to study piano then, study piano.”
Eri snapped up her eyes. “But it costs money!”
“You’re 10 years old,” Eve pointed out, emphasizing the girl’s age. She even flicked her sister’s forehead. “Don’t worry about money at such a young age.”
“Does this mean we’ll see you even less?” Ede interrupted from behind. She joined the other two and hugged Eve from the side. “Like more overtime?”
“No.” Eve shook her head and chuckled. Since when did her sisters grow up? They shouldn’t be worrying like this. Another reason why she stayed at her job was for them to enjoy their youth. If they wanted to do something, she’d make sure to give her best at making them come true.
Pulling them in front of her, she smiled with tenderness in her eyes. No words could describe how much she loved them. “Even if both of you want to go, I’ll make it happen.”
Eri was the first to react. “Really?”
“Really.”
Ede squinted her eyes. “Really, really?”
‘Such suspicious girls!’ Eve complained to herself. ‘I want my cute sisters back!’
Nonetheless, she bumped each of their noses with a finger and said, “Really, really x 3000.”
The twins squealed, catching her off guard. “You’re the best, Eve!”
They tackled her with another hug until the three of them fell to the floor. Merry laughter floated up to the ceiling. Georgie and Jarrett stepped out of the living room. They watched the wholesome scene with Andie. They stayed quiet and let the siblings enjoy their time.
Eve merely giggled and pinched her sisters’ cheeks.
They cried out in pain.
It made her laugh even more.
“I know I am.”
ns 15.158.61.48da2
