Chapter 11 Call and White Roses
"That's not important right now. Tell me, are you alright?"
Eva sat up, her brow furrowing. "I'm fine. Why are you calling?"
He didn't answer right away.
"I... I have something to tell you. My people have been monitoring Derek's communications. And they found out something."
Adrian waited a moment before he spoke. "Your husband, Derek, made a call tonight to someone we've been tracking for months."
Eva's stomach dropped. "Who?"
"A woman named Vivian Chen. She's a private investigator, and she's really good at what she does. She keeps things secret. People say she never leaves any evidence." Adrian's words made Eva's blood run cold.
He continued, "She finds things other private investigators miss, and her clients always get answers, even when the secrets are hard to uncover. People hire her when they want to find out dirt about someone."
"Dirt on what? on who?"
He was silent for a little longer this time.
"On you, Eva. Derek, he's investigating you."
Eva felt the room start to spin.
"I think he suspects you. He's looking for something on you," Adrian said. "Something he can use against you if you file for a divorce. From the questions he asked Vivian, it sounds like he thinks you cheated, or maybe that you've kept something big from him. And from the way he was searching, I think he already has an idea of the truth."
Eva's voice came out as a whisper. "The truth about what?"
"About Lily and Ethan." Adrian's tone was grim. "About who their real father is."
Eva's hands shook so badly she nearly dropped the phone.
"What do I do?" she breathed.
"Nothing yet. Just stay calm and don't confront him." Adrian's voice softened. "Just act as if you know nothing. I'm handling it."
"You're handling it... How?"
"That lady, Vivian, she works for money. And I have more money than Derek could ever imagine." A hint of dark satisfaction crept into his voice. "By tomorrow morning, she'll be working for me instead."
He paused, sounding a little unsure. "Of course, people like Vivian don't always play by the rules. She might agree, but I've heard she chooses her clients as carefully as she keeps her secrets. Whatever she does, I'll be ready."
Eva blinked. "You're going to bribe her?"
"No, it's not a bribe. I'm going to hire Vivian. To work for us. That's different." He paused. I'll make sure the things she was finding out for Derek never reach him. And if he tries to find out anything else, it will be stopped by my people."
She didn't know whether to feel relieved or scared.
"I don't know if I should be terrified of you or thank you. Why are you doing this? Why are you helping me now?" she asked quietly.
There was a silent pause.
Then, in a voice so quiet she could hardly hear him:
"Because you're..." 'mine.' Adrian's voice caught, just for a second. She could almost hear the breath he held back. "The mother of my children." He hesitated, as if there was more he wanted to say.
A note of regret threaded through his next words. "There is no need for a thank you. And no need to be afraid."
Silence hovered for a moment. "I know you have your doubts, Eva, but trust me." A tremor of longing passed through his voice, quiet but fierce. "I'll protect what's mine."
I'm not yours.
"Thank you..." Eva whispered.
"Eva, I told you there is no need to thank me. Just keep yourself safe, that's all I ask of you. Now go and sleep. Don't think too much. Good night, Eva."
"Good night, Adrian."
The call ended.
Eva sat in the dark, clutching her phone to her chest while Adrian's words echoed in her mind.
I protect what's mine.
But she is just his children's mother. She didn't belong to him.
She didn't belong to anyone.
Tears filled her eyes.
But when she lay back down and stared at the ceiling, she couldn't ignore the warmth spreading in her chest. Relief mixed with fear, moving under her skin—a quick feeling of thanks for Adrian's protection, mixed with guilt for letting someone else fight her battles.
Part of her hated needing help at all.
Another part, smaller but stubborn, worried about what this new allegiance might cost her.
She felt almost grateful and yet slightly trapped, caught between wanting to trust Adrian and not knowing if she could.
For the first time in seven years, someone was standing by her and fighting for her.
And maybe, just maybe, that was exactly what she needed.
Morning sunlight filtered through the curtains as Eva slowly opened her eyes.
For a brief, peaceful moment, she forgot everything—the betrayal, the threats, and the chaos in her life. She was just a woman waking up in a quiet room, birds singing outside, and a new day ahead.
Then reality came crashing back.
Eva sat up and rubbed her temples. Her head ached from lack of sleep, and her body was sore from tossing and turning all night. She'd slept maybe two hours, three at most.
But she didn't have time to feel tired.
She had to get ready to fight.
Eva took a quick shower, put on jeans and a blouse, and went downstairs. The house was quiet, almost too quiet. Derek's shoes were gone from the entryway, so he must have already left.
Good.
The less she saw him, the better.
She found Lily in the kitchen, sitting at the table and swinging her legs as she chatted with the housekeeper. Mrs. Chen was a kind woman in her sixties who had worked for Eva's family for decades. She was busy making breakfast.
"Mommy!" Lily's face lit up. "Mrs. Chen made pancakes!"
Eva smiled, bending down to kiss her daughter's forehead. "Wow, you're eating pancakes? How lucky are you?"
"Very lucky!"
"Did you thank Aunty Chen then?"
"No, I'll do it now. Thank you, Aunty Chen."
"You're welcome, my child."
"Good girl." Eva patted her daughter's head.
Lily smiled sweetly and held up a forkful of pancake dripping with syrup. "Mommy, Want some?"
"No, sweetheart, maybe later. You eat, and finish everything on the plate."
"Okay, Mommy."
Eva straightened, turning to Mrs. Chen. "Thank you for watching her this morning."
"Of course, ma'am. That's my duty." Mrs. Chen's eyes were warm and understanding.
Mrs. Chen had worked with the family long enough to notice when something was wrong, and she was always careful not to ask questions.
"Ma'am, there's coffee ready for you. And..." She paused. "A delivery arrived earlier."
Eva frowned. "A delivery?"
Mrs. Chen nodded toward the living room. "I put it on the table. I wasn't sure what to do with it."
Curious, Eva walked into the living room and stopped suddenly.
A beautiful bouquet of white roses was kept on the coffee table. There must be at least a hundred flowers neatly arranged in a beautiful crystal vase.
The flowers looked perfect, as if the sender had carefully selected each flower; their delicate petals were soft, and their scent filled the whole room.
Eva hesitated, uncertain.
Who sent it?