Chapter 2

• EVE’S POV
• I grabbed her wrist, my nails digging into her skin. “Why would you do this to me? Haven’t you done enough?!”
• Natasha had her eyebrows raised in anger at first, and was about to push me away, but then she softened all of a sudden. And began speaking calmly, showing off a delicate and pitiful expression.
• “Sister, I know I was wrong. If you want to beat and scold someone, then do it to me, don’t blame Joel… I beg of you”,
• A perfect act.
• I froze, and in the next second, I watched as Natasha suddenly fall to the ground. That pose.. was as if I had pushed her.
• “Eve!!”, a loud voice rang out from behind me.
• I turned sharply, and my blood turned to ice.
• Joel.
• My eyes widened in disbelief. I hadn’t even seen him coming. He stood there, his expression cold, his fists clenched.
• He brushed past me without a second glance and rushed to Natasha’s side.
• “Are you okay?” His voice was soft, concerned—so unlike the way he spoke to me.
• Natasha clung to him, her body pressed against his as she sniffled dramatically.
• “Joel… I didn’t mean to upset Eve,” she whimpered. “I was just trying to explain, but she got angry and pushed me…”
• “That’s enough. I’ll settle everything! I will explain everything to Eve” Joel patted Natasha’s shoulders, as he guilded her into the car before turning to face me.
• I felt like I had been punched in the gut.
• My mind was completely blank as I watched Joel walk towards me. I watched as his lips movef, but I barely registered his words.
• He spoke of our childhood, of his struggle with his feelings, of how Natasha had confessed to him, of his anger when he found out what she had done, of his guilt when he discovered I was pregnant. He even spoke of how he had accepted Natasha’s apology
• Then, finally, he spoke the words that shattered me completely.
• “Eve, I’m sorry. I can’t marry you. Not because of that night or the child, but because… I can’t let Natasha down, and I don’t want to keep deceiving myself and my feelings.”
• My world crumbled.
• I was practically drowning inside of me. What exactly was going on?.
• These few months, he had been taking Natasha with him overseas. And after getting along together day and night, it was hard for him to let go?.
• Even though he had admitted that he was the one who had an affair with me that night just for the sake of covering up my pain. In his heart, he had already chosen Natasha.
• He was just being pitiful. All this while, I had been a victim of mere pity.
• After knowing that I was pregnant, he could not bear it any longer and immediately went to the my family to explain everything to my parents, the Edwards .
• And now he thought it right to reveal the truth to me?.
• “You knew all along that it was Natasha who drugged me to ruin my innocence? And for the sake of protecting her, you told me that it was you that night?” I spoke after I had finally recovered my voice, my words cold and calm as if my soul has left my body.
• “Eve, Natasha did not do it on purpose, she’s still young, and impulsive….”
• “Then what about me?” I raised my head to look at Joel, my face full of despair. “Did you ever think of me? Even for a little bit?”.
• Joel said nothing, and after a long while, he reached out to touch me.
• “The sun is too bright here, let’s go home first…”.
• “Don’t touch me. Don’t even dare”, I pushed away his hands
• I staggered back, laughter bubbling from my lips, though there was nothing funny about it.
• My whole life had been a joke.
• In order to live in the same city as Joel, I had put all her strength in my studies so I could get into the Bangkok University.
• In order to please Joel, I had given my dream of acting.
• In order to match his upbringing and family background, I had abandoned my adoptive parents to return to the Edwards family, clumsily trying to please those so-called distinguished figures..
• And in the end, what did I get?. All I received in return was one sentence.
• “I can’t let Natasha down.”
• Natasha Edwards, had stolen not only my identity, and my biological parents, but now…she had even stolen away my childhood sweetheart!
• Natasha was still young, so her mistakes could be forgiven?
• Then—who would take responsibility for my life?
• I..i don’t even know who the man from that night was!.
• Heartbroken I covered my face will my palms, my body shaking fiercely as I began taking steps away. I was already in the depths of despair. Tears blurred my vision as I turned and stepped onto the road.
• Joel watched me walk towards the road unthinkingly, as if in a trance. He threw away the key he was grasping between his fingers, and was about to chase after me, but was held back by Natasha, who held onto his sleeve from behind.
• “Joel, where are you going?. Just let her be. She needs some time alone”.
• And in the instant, Joel was hesitating until a loud noise rang out.
• I had been thrown into the air by an upcoming vehicle, landing heavily on the ground.
• “Help—help—A pregnant woman was hit–!!”, some stranger’s voice rang out.
• In the glaring light, I saw shaking silhouettes and the two faces that made me nauseous.
• The cramping pain that came from my belly was making me to lose consciousness bit by bit. I only blinked my eyes once, and a fresh blood on her forehead flowed into her eyes….
• The world fell into darkness…and I fell with it.