Chapter 147 147

Chapter 147 147
EVA

One of them suddenly lunged forward, his shoulder hitting mine as he shoved his camera in my face. I stumbled back, my bad leg nearly giving out, and I would have fallen if Nico didn't grab my arm in time.

"That's enough!" He yelled and stopped, his body between me and the cameras. "You touch her again, and I'll use force. I don't have a lawyer to threaten you with, so don't test me."

The paparazzi immediately went quiet, the flashes reducing to a few accidental clicks. A few of them took a step back, their cameras lowering slightly. The man who shoved me looked like he wanted to say something, but he held his tongue.

One of them patted the man's shoulder then called out, "Did Mr. DeLuca put you up to this? Threatening people to protect his assistant?"

Nico almost rolled his eyes. "You got a problem with that?"

The man hesitated. "Just wondering if the girlfriend is the assistant. You seem overly protective of just an assistant."

"I'm going to smash your head with my knee." 

The man immediately went silent and took more than a couple steps back. Nico then grabbed my arm and guided me to the car. He opened the door, and I climbed in, my hands shaking. He shut the door and got behind the wheel, pulling away from the curb without a word.

I took a very long breath and exhaled, placing my hand flat on my heavily pounding chest. 

What's a man's sex life got to do with them?

What's their business with me?! What happened to fucking privacy?!!

What even baffles me more is that do these paparazzi really think that someone, ever, would answer their ridiculous condescending questions?

Did they expect me to say oh yes, sorry I forgot to tell you, I'm sleeping with my and apparently we're a thing. But don't worry  we'll keep you posted with every intimate picture of us and any private moment, any and all.

When we finally pulled up to Chloe's building, I took a deep breath and alighted. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure, ma'am.”

I grabbed the bags and dragged them out. “You should join us, Chloe would totally like that.”

He looked at me and then shook his head skeptically. “Thank you Ms Bishop but I don't want to impose.”

I nodded, it would be awkward anyway. “Okay…then, you can lap the house or take a rest or a nap.”

I rushed upstairs and pushed the door open.

"They didn't let me breathe in peace. I can't even walk out of a mall without being ambushed." I muttered under my breath as I went in.

Nico didn't respond. He just nodded and opened my door.

I climbed out and walked up to Chloe's apartment, my leg still sore but holding up. I knocked twice, and Chloe opened the door with a grin.

"Finally! Mira's been driving me crazy."

I walked in and dropped my bag on the coffee table along with tons of gift boxes around and on it. "The paparazzi cornered me at the mall. I almost got knocked over."

Chloe raised an eyebrow seeing me. She slowly stood up and walked over. "That's the responsibility of a billionaire's girlfriend. You're welcome."She gestured towards the TV. A video of the stunt was already on the internet.

I groaned and flopped onto the couch. "Don't be a fly now.”

Mira suddenly came out of the kitchen holding a small white cake. With white and pink frosting and candles already lit. 

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you—" She started to sing. 

Oh my goodness, what is she doing?

I laughed in embarrassment as she continued singing and finally set the cake in front of me on the coffee table

I leaned forward and closed my eyes, making the most needed wish I could think of, and also the most absurd, then I blew out the candles in one breath. "Thank you.I hope it tastes as good as it looks."

She handed me a knife with an eye roll. "I made it myself.”

Chloe nodded. “We know babe, that's where the idea of it tasting terrible. It's probably terrible.

“It's the thought that counts isn't it? I mean you say that all the time."

“Please don't quote me. If it's terrible, it's terrible, thought has absolutely nothing to do with it. Just so you I haven't eaten anything, so this better be worth the hunger.”

Mira sneered. “What are the waffles I saw you with this morning? Movie Discs?”

“It's food when I say it is.”

I ignored both of them and cut into the cake, the frosting smearing under the knife. 

Oou! There were red velvet dots inside. Now I'm wondering if she made it or bought it, but Chloe probably convinced her to make it, convincing her in such cases of her leaving before my birthday, thoughtful gifts are big deals.

Trust me, I know Chloe and I know she hundred percent did that.

I served three slices. Chloe grabbed hers before I could even set down the plate, shoving a forkful into her mouth. “I'll be the judge of it.”

She chewed on the cake then paused. "Oh. That's actually good."

Mira scoffed, grabbing her own plate. "I'd like to see you but  your tongue sometime." She turned to me as she ate her cake. “Go on, open your gifts.”

I rolled my eyes but reached for the bag first box on the table. Inside was a leather journal, embossed with my initials. There was even another smaller version but with what I assumed is Lily's. "This is cute." With digital footprint stopping me from having a digital diary, I now have what to write all my evil thoughts on without my data being sold or some AI or organization listening to my voice records and reading all the death threats.

I picked up another box, and in that one was a tumbler, also a mini version of it for Lily. It's so thoughtful of her to even think about someone else on my birthday. Lily would throw a party if I brought her these.

Who doesn't like gifts?

In another were scarves, big and small. Shoes, and a best mom in the world necklace, she made sure to throw in some chocolate and any sweets that exist.

Chloe handed me her gift next. “I don't want to feel left out, so here.”

I took the small box wrapped in silver paper. I opened it and found a gold necklace with a tiny star pendant. "I was going to give you my box of coupons, but they're too precious. I'm getting to seven hundred now so it's like, giving you a treasure box."

I rolled my eyes. “Geez, keep your box of forty cents papers."

Two years now, she brought to existence the coupon gathering hobby. Chloe shops a lot, like a whole lot, so after a store attendant at a mall told her about a sale she missed that could've taken over sixty percent off the price of the things she had bought that day, Chloe turned into a sales and coupon maniac. Trust me it's not about the money, she's just a crazed maniac that enjoys ripping people off and since there's a legal way to do it, why not take advantage of it.