Chapter 10 Scum Husband
Eva looked him in the eye, not backing down.
There was a time when those words would have made her give in. She might have pushed down her pride and gone back to being the perfect, obedient wife.
But that was before.
That was before she saw him with Reena, who used to be her closest friend but had become her biggest rival. Before Leonard gave her hope. Before her father promised to support her. Before Adrian returned and turned her world upside down.
Eva was done being afraid.
She was done being small.
"Let go of me," she said quietly.
Derek's grip tightened. "Excuse me?"
"I said," Eva replied, her voice firm. "Let. Go."
Something in her eyes must have startled him. He let go of her.
Eva stepped back, creating space between them.
"I'm not your property, Derek. I never was." She lifted her chin. "I want a divorce. And nothing you say or do is going to change that."
Derek's expression changed, surprise giving way to fury.
"You think you can just leave?" He laughed harshly. "After everything I've done for you? After everything I've sacrificed?"
"What exactly have you sacrificed?" Eva shot back. "My family's money? My father's company? Your mistress's time?"
"Watch your mouth."
"Or what?" Eva stepped forward, feeling a courage she hadn't known before. "What are you going to do, Derek? Hit me? Threaten me? Go ahead. Give me more reasons for the divorce."
Derek's face turned red with rage.
For a terrifying moment, Eva thought he might actually strike her.
But then his face changed. The anger was gone, and he looked cold and thoughtful.
"You think you're so clever," he said softly. "You think you can just waltz into a lawyer's office and make me disappear? You have no idea who you're dealing with."
"Enlighten me."
Derek leaned in close, his breath hot against her ear.
"I know things, Eva. Things about your family. Things about you. Things that would destroy everything your precious father has built."
A cold dread crept over her. Her chest tightened, and her heartbeat thudded so loud she could hear it rushing in her ears.
She was suddenly aware of the rawness in her throat, the sweat prickling along the back of her neck, the sting behind her eyes.
The air felt thick, making it hard to breathe. Eva's mind raced, memories rushing in until she couldn't tell what was happening now and what was in the past: whispered secrets in dark hallways, her father's hand gripping old photos, the smell of alcohol, the sound of a locked door late at night.
What could he possibly know?
Her thoughts spun out of control as cold panic spread through her.
Eva tried to recall every tightly locked secret, every moment she might have been careless.
Had he overheard something when her parents visited last winter—things her father insisted must never come out?
Or was he talking about her own mistakes?
For a moment, she pictured headlines, scandals, and quiet rumors. She couldn't shake the feeling that he was hinting at something even more dangerous than she wanted to admit.
Eva's heart skipped a beat.
"You're bluffing."
"Am I?" Derek pulled back, his smirk returning. "You can try me. File for divorce and see what happens."
He turned and walked toward the door, pausing at the threshold.
"Oh, and one more thing." He glanced over his shoulder. "I'd be careful if I were you. You never know who might be watching."
He slammed the door behind him.
Eva stood frozen, her body shaking as dread filled her stomach.
I know things.
Things about your family.
Things about you.
What did he mean?
What could he possibly know?
Her mind raced through every secret she had kept and every weakness she had tried to hide.
And then it hit her.
It hit her all at once.
The truth hit her hard, leaving her breathless and hurting.
Derek didn't know about the affair.
He knew about that night.
He knew about Adrian.
And if he knew that Lily and Ethan weren't his biological children…
Eva felt a chill run through her. Her fingers relaxed, and sweat broke out on her forehead.
Oh God.
What had she gotten herself into?
Eva didn't sleep that night.
She lay in the guest room, refusing to return to the master bedroom, staring at the ceiling while her mind raced through every possible outcome.
If Derek knew about Adrian…
If he could prove that Lily wasn't his biological child…
He would have real power over her, enough to ruin her chances of keeping her kids, hurt her reputation, and maybe even make her family turn against her.
The thought made Eva's stomach twist and her hands shake. Panic grew as she imagined Derek in court, telling everyone about her mistakes and secrets.
If he took her children from her, she knew she would fall apart. The thought of losing Lily and Ethan felt like someone tearing pieces out of her soul.
Being their mother was the one part of herself she had always been sure of. It's the thing that kept her steady through every storm.
Without them, her world would feel empty, all her dreams gone, and every promise she made to herself broken.
Who would she be if she couldn’t tuck them in at night, if she couldn’t watch them grow, or hear them call her 'Mom'?
The future felt empty and silent.
No one knows that Derek is not their father.
A cold, heavy fear pressed on her chest, making it hard to breathe.
She couldn't stop thinking that her parents might look at her with disappointment and shame, and that everyone she loved might leave her.
She felt trapped, memories and regrets spinning in her mind, leaving her desperate for any sense of safety.
Eva pressed her palms to her eyes, feeling hot tears burn beneath her eyelids.
She had tried so hard to forget that night, to pretend it never happened, to hide the truth so well that even she sometimes forgot about it.
But walls could crumble. And secrets can come to the surface.
Her phone buzzed on the nightstand.
Eva grabbed it, her heart leaping into her throat.
Unknown number.
She hesitated, then answered.
"Hello?"
"Eva." Adrian's voice was low and urgent. "Are you alright?"
Relief flooded through her, then followed immediately by suspicion.
"Adrian? How did you get this number?"