CHAPTER 11: APOLOGIES

"You want revenge, don’t you?" he said quietly, a bite in his tone. "But if you can’t even look Katherine in the eye without trembling, maybe you’re not ready."

Eva looked up, fury flashing behind her tears.

Eva was speechless. She didn’t want to admit that facing Katherine earlier had ignited fear in her. It was embarrassing to say. The way her face appeared in her mind that night gave her goosebumps.

But Dante didn’t know what he was talking about. He had no idea what she’d lost that night. Things that money can’t buy. Even if she told him, he wouldn’t understand.

"Get out," she said, her tone low as she lowered her gaze to the floor.

Dante stiffened, realizing he might have said too much.

"Eva, I—"

"Get out of my face!!" She bellowed.

Dante rubbed his face in frustration before he stormed out of the hospital room in long strides.

**

At Nathan’s and Katherine’s home,

It was natural to say that they were happy as their driver dropped them off at their front door.

Nathan bent and took Katherine in his arms, lifting her off the ground, heading towards their room.

She giggled all the way until they arrived.

"You looked so beautiful today, darling," Nathan complimented as he cupped her face and gave her a kiss.

"Better than Eva looked at your wedding two years ago?" She asked and he stiffened.

"Why do you have to bring her up all the time? You know you’re gorgeous and you’ll always be my woman," he replied, placing a kiss on her forehead.

Katherine’s smile faltered. That wasn’t the answer to her question. She didn’t even know why she asked such a question in the first place.

Eva was long dead. She died a year ago. Her family had been looking for her for the longest time. At first, she’d been worried that they would find her body in the river, but since there was nothing, it only meant that it had been eaten by some crocodiles or sank to the depth of the river.

"I didn’t think that Dante De Rossi would come," said Nathan, taking off his suit jacket. His voice brought her out of her thoughts. "But would his presence count when we didn’t even get to have a proper conversation?"

Katherine smiled, walking towards him, then wrapped her arms around him, rubbing her face on his white shirt.

"You can always schedule another meeting with him some other time," she purred.

That was the first time Katherine was seeing Dante and she couldn’t deny he was a handsome man with a perfectly built body that would get girls swooning over him.

However, there was a rumor he was into men. He hadn’t come out in public to officially say anything yet but his silence made her think the rumors were true. She wasn’t into men that weren’t into women. It was disappointing.

Before she knew it, Nathan pulled her in front of him, smiling all cheeks. "I’m glad we’re finally married. No more Eva in our lives. Marrying her was a mistake and I hope she never comes back from any city she disappeared to."

Katherine forced a smile that looked natural. Nathan had arrived home that night that Eva had found them kissing only to find her wedding ring sitting on the vanity table, her wardrobe almost cleared out, and had concluded she didn’t tell her family anything before she left the city, never to return again.

"I’m glad too," Katherine replied before Nathan captured her lips into a fierce kiss.

Katherine had always been the woman he loved. And he didn’t even know why he married Eva in the first place. She’d been a waste of time.

However, he still couldn’t believe she’d left him without even saying goodbye. His mind went back to how she’d instantly demanded divorce when he’d given her a choice. It haunted him to think she didn’t even bat an eyelash when she chose to divorce him.

Nathan brushed her off his mind as she led Katherine towards the bed, without breaking the kiss.

**

A few more days passed with Eva staying at the hospital. She was finally able to take few steps by herself and most of her scars were healed.

"When will you see your parents again?" Ryan asked. They were in the rehab room. "It’s getting difficult to keep this secret from them."

Eva was silent for a moment. It was also difficult for her to keep the fact that she was alive away from her parents. But if her parents, especially her mother saw her in this condition, the woman would freak out.

"I still need to get better before appearing in front of them. You know my mother, Ryan," she said, her hands wrapped tightly around his as she continued her steps.

The doctor in charge had already left but Eva decided to stay longer to practice more steps. It felt like she was learning to walk for the first time again.

"And about the contract Dante gave you. Have you thought about it?" He asked.

Eva sighed. She hadn’t told Ryan about their fight the other day. But she didn’t feel like she needed to.

After critical thinking, Eva decided that Dante was important if she really wanted to find the murderer of her real parents and her sister whom she got separated from at the orphanage.

Before she could respond, someone walked in.

Dante’s eyes darkened at the way Ryan’s hands were curled around Eva’s. She looked so comfortable with it.

"Eva, I would like to speak to you," he said, his eyes darting to Ryan. "In private this time."

Eva shared a look with Ryan and they immediately understood each other. He helped her to her wheelchair before Dante pushed her out of the rehab room.

"What do you want to say this time around? Did you forget another word you were supposed to say to me?" She questioned.

"Yes actually," he replied. "I’ve come to apologize."