The next day, Alexander had to leave on an urgent work trip to Sydney that he had been postponing for a while. It would take him long since he would have to visit their flagship hotel in Singapore as well.
Unaware of his trip, Eva steered clear of Alexander and Alyssa, and concentrated on her job instead. The feel of his lips was branded on hers and played havoc with her senses every minute, making it impossible to concentrate on anything. She knew it was a mistake on her part because she was too drunk to see sense, but how could Alexander lose control? After all, he was in his senses! Didn’t he remember he was engaged to Beatrix and would marry her soon? Why did he betray his fiancee? Eva felt used, humiliated and cheap and couldn’t face herself for the next few days. Guilt, shame, hopelessness, disappointment filled her mind and she couldn’t confide even in her best friend, Alyssa.
Although close, Sienna was busy with her life as Lucas Donnelly met with an accident and was admitted to Bellevue under her care. With him still unconscious, Sienna was too restless to notice her friend’s reticent behavior.
A fortnight had passed since that passionate encounter with Alexander, yet Eva couldn’t erase it from her mind. She dragged her feet up the stairs towards her apartment, but to her horror, she found Roman waiting for Sienna at their doorstep. Sienna had been successfully avoiding him for so long, but it seemed as if he hadn’t given up harassing her. “Where’s Sienna? Don’t you two work at the same hospital?” barked Roman angrily the moment she climbed the last step.
“We have different departments and duty timings. She gets off late today. Why don’t you come later?” said Eva, exasperated at his tone. She unlocked her door and was about to go in and shut it on his face when he strode inside her apartment, uninvited.
“I would prefer waiting for her here.” Eva scowled at the stubborn man, who deposited himself on her sofa, determined to wait.
“How long will you wait? Why don’t you come back tomorrow?” she suggested, massaging her temples. The man was giving her a headache already. She wondered how Sienna tolerated him.
“That’s out of the question. I’m not going anywhere. She can’t live here for long. If she doesn’t comply, I’ll talk to your landlord and get you two evicted from this place. Get that into your friend’s head.” Eva’s jaws dropped with fear at hearing his threat. She knew he never gave out meaningless threats. He meant every word he said.
Before she could answer, the doorbell buzzed and Eva knew it would be her friend. Dreading the impending trouble, she opened the door and saw a tired Sienna at the doorstep. She gestured towards the living room sofa, and Sienna was instantly alarmed. She knew what Eva meant. Roman was waiting inside for her. If he hadn’t seen her, she would have gone back to the hospital, but now that option wasn’t possible. Roman got up angrily, all the time glaring at her.
“Is this the time you usually return home?” he demanded. Eva walked away to her room to give them some privacy. She closed the door and sat inside, her body on high alert. If the need arose, she might have to save her friend from Roman. She could hear them arguing outside in the living room and sighed, feeling worried about her friend. Suddenly Roman raised his voice and yelled out a threat to Sienna and Eva couldn’t help but feel alarmed.
“I’ll come down and take you away if the need arises. You will not stay in this apartment anymore,” he told her sternly, storming out angrily while Sienna stood stunned by his statement. Why was he hurrying this? She wasn’t ready for marriage yet. Eva came out of her room with a scared expression on her face.
“What will you do, Sien?” she asked her.
“I won’t go with him at all,” said Sienna stubbornly, but she knew Roman was more stubborn and he meant it when he said that he would carry her if she didn’t obey him.
“He threatened to talk to our landlord and evict us if you don’t go with him,” said Eva. All the fight left Sienna’s body, hearing Eva’s scared admission. She couldn’t afford to cause problems for Eva. She knew that Roman never gave out baseless threats. He would do exactly what he had said.
“I have no choice in that case,” said Sienna with a sigh.
“Are you saying that you’d move in with him?” asked a surprised Eva.
“What else can I do in two days?” asked Sienna.
“Talk to him. Don’t let him order you around. A marriage is a two-way affair. Your opinions and feelings count too,” said Eva with a frown. She hated the way Roman always dumped his decisions upon her friend. Nothing was hidden from her. She knew he was the reason Sienna escaped her own home. Since Sienna’s mom had died twenty years ago, she was lonely after her father’s death. Roman arrived unannounced at her house every time and forced her to accompany him to corporate parties and dates with him. He forced her to take leave from work and dance to his music. Unable to take in his high-handedness, Sienna moved to Eva’s house. Roman had left her in peace, apart from a few occasional visits until now.
“It’s no point talking to him. He doesn’t listen to a word I say,” said Sienna with exasperation. She was tired of being treated as a kid. Roman was too rigid and took his promise to her dad so seriously that it made her feel claustrophobic in his presence.
“Still tell him you’d move in with him after marriage, not now,” said Eva.
“He’ll get us evicted, Eva,” she pointed out helplessly.
“Let him. We’ll get another apartment,” said Eva.
“Thanks. I’ll tell him I’m not moving in with him,” said Sienna, looking relieved.
“That’s the spirit. Let’s eat. I’ve made spaghetti and meatballs in the morning. We’ll warm it up. I was so glad that Roman didn’t insist on staying back for dinner,” said Eva, bustling to the kitchen.
“Yeah, that would have been a punishment. Anyway, I’ll just freshen up in a minute,” said Sienna.
“Sure, we have a lot to catch up on. I’ve heard that the hottest man on earth, Lucas Donnelly, has been admitted to our hospital. I’d been dying to catch a glimpse of him all day. Did you get to see him?” asked Eva excitedly.
Sienna rolled her eyes at her. Hottest man indeed! What would she do if she knew the truth? “Believe me, he’s not that hot. He’s a dictator, just like Roman is!” Sienna informed her.
“How do you know that?” asked a surprised Eva.
“I’m his nurse. How else?” said Sienna, walking to her room, leaving an astounded Eva gaping at her.
“Tell me everything, girl. I’m dying of curiosity,” she yelled after her.
“Nothing to tell. He ordered me around the whole day,” yelled back Sienna.
The next day, the two friends were in for the biggest shock of their lives. Just as Roman had threatened, the landlord stuck an eviction notice on their main door. Eva hadn’t returned yet, and Sienna saw it stuck to the door. Retrieving it, she went into the apartment and sat down on the sofa to read it. Thankfully, they had 24 hours to vacate. So she sent a message to Eva about the latest update.
After making dinner, Sienna was about to pack when Eva and Alyssa walked into their apartment. Eva had updated Alyssa, and she was furious. “This is so unfair. Roman is a dictator or what? How do you tolerate the man?” she exclaimed.
“What choice do I have? He has access to all my dad’s shares in the company,” said Sienna.
“I can ask Alex to introduce you to an excellent lawyer. He can help you retrieve your dad’s share,” said Alyssa.
“Later. First, let’s vacate this apartment by tomorrow,” said Sienna.
“Why don’t the two of you move in with me?” asked Alyssa.
“I can’t. I’m moving into a patient’s house tomorrow to take care of him for the next three months at least,” informed Sienna. Eva chuckled knowingly, while Alyssa’s mouth hung open at the information.
“Is the patient an old grandpa or a hot hunk?” asked Alyssa. Eve giggled.
“He’s the hottest hunk on earth. He’s none other than Lucas Donnelly, who features in every girl’s sinful dream,” said Eva.
Sienna rolled her eyes at their description. “Not mine,” she scoffed.
“What are you saying? Please pinch me. Am I hearing this right?” squealed Alyssa.
“You heard it right. We’ll all go to see Sienna every day,” chanted Eva.
“No way! No one will come to my workplace. I’ll meet you somewhere else. And I’m going there on work. He’s bedridden, okay?” Sienna glared at them, but they giggled and joked more.
“You can also roll on his bed with him,” suggested Alyssa. Sienna threw a cushion at each of them.
Suddenly, the doorbell rang, and they stared at one another with apprehension. Surely it would be Roman or their landlord! Alyssa went to the door to open it and, to Eva’s horror, it was none other than Alexander standing there with a grim look on his face.