Chapter 77 Soothing her
The next morning, Maverick stood in front of a building tucked deep inside a restricted, heavily guarded zone of Ivory City, a private residential haven reserved only for A-list celebrities and the ultra-elite.
Silent. Secluded. Private. Perfect.
Or at least… he prayed it would be perfect for her.
Vans formed a convoy behind him, engines humming like an army preparing for invasion.
From the first van, workers unloaded towers of décor chandeliers wrapped in gold foil, flowing silk curtains in soft hues, velvet sofas that cost more than cars, fairy lights coiled like glowing vines, plush carpets thick enough to swallow sound.
Another van arrived with flowers.
The workers couldn’t carry them fast enough.
Roses, tulips, lilies, rare orchids, bouquets taller than people like Maverick had bulldozed through every florist in Ivory City without blinking.
A third van backed up with the beep-beep of a truck carrying treasure: clothes, shoes, luxury bags branded boxes stacked to the roof, carriers loaded with silver and gold embroidery, enough to fill five walk-in closets.
“Move carefully,” Maverick said, voice low, controlled, but edged with command.
“I want everything finished before sunset.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Right away, sir!”
“Careful with that chandelier…!”
Maverick barely heard them.
He’d spent the whole night trying to figure out what Heaven liked.
He’d come to one conclusion:
If he didn’t know what would soothe her he would give her everything.
He stood hands in pockets, jaw tight, eyes tracking every worker, every crate, every detail. The residents walking by slowed down, staring.
People in this neighborhood were used to luxury.
They were not used to this.
Whispers began.
“What…who is all this for?”
“Which celebrity is moving in?”
“No, look…look closely…”
“Is that…wait..is that Maverick Richard?”
Someone finally recognized him as the son of the most influential military family in the entire country.
A woman walking her dog almost dropped her Dior bag.
Her phone was in her hand instantly.
The call connected.
Her phone was out in three seconds.
It rang once.
“Hey, babe what’s up?” Eva answered weakly, still groggy from the drugs and drink.
“You didn’t tell me you were moving to a private celebrity zone!” Jemima squealed.
“You don’t want to live at the Richard estate anymore? Girl! We are going to be neighbors”
Eva blinked. “What are you talking about?”
“Oh my God,” Jemima whispered dramatically.
“I’m watching your husband right now..Maverick is here causing a whole scene! I swear, every woman in this place is jealous. You’re so damn lucky.”
Eva straightened, breath catching. “Jemima… slow down. What is he doing?”
“You don’t know?” her friend laughed.
“I guess he’s surprising you, babes. With the amount of flowers he’s carrying into this place, you are about to faint! If my man ever…”
“Jemima.”
Eva’s voice was razor-thin.
“What. Address.”
“Well, he’ll tell you anyway,” Jemima continued teasingly.
“I don’t want to ruin the surprise. I just wanted you to know you’re one lucky bitch..”
Eva forced a laugh, the sound brittle and wrong.
“Right… lucky…”
The call ended.
Eva sat frozen.
A slow, sick dread crawled up her spine. Her fingers shook violently around the phone.
Apartment, flowers?
They weren’t for her.
“No… no, no…” she whispered, rising to her feet, panic clawing at her lungs.
Eva shot up from the bed, almost falling as she stumbled out of the room.
Her breathing was ragged, uneven, her hair sticking to her damp face. She staggered down the hallway and shoved a door open so hard it slammed against the wall.
Killian turned.
He was shirtless, seated before a massive curved hacker-grade screen lines of codes, maps, encrypted servers flashing across it.
“Killian…” Eva gasped. “Find out where Jemima lives.”
Killian blinked.
“Jemima? The actress? Why…”
“JUST FIND IT!!!” she screamed, nails biting into her lips again, tearing at them.
He didn’t question her again.
His fingers moved fast, trained pulling up everything about Jemima. Photos. Contracts. Scandals. Addresses.
“Avalon Estates,” Killian read aloud.
He frowned. “Eva… what’s this sudden…”
“Check the houses near hers,” she demanded frantically.
“Check all the owners… the neighbors… just check it!”
“Eva…what is going on?” Killian asked, genuinely alarmed now.
“CHECK!!!”
Her voice cracked, sharp as broken glass.
Killian inhaled slowly, then typed.
Property records.
Hidden documents.
Confidential owner lists.
Then one name appeared. Heaven Kalabora. Owner of a 200-million-dollar residence.
Killian froze, jaw tightening.
“Does Heaven own a house?” he asked, though his gut already knew the answer.
Eva shook her head slowly, eyes widening in horror as the truth sank in.
“Maverick bought her a house…” she whispered, voice breaking.
Her knees almost buckled.
“He’s… he’s going to openly be with her now? He’s giving her a home…away from the estate…away from me…”
Her breathing spiraled into panic. “Where does that leave me?” Her voice cracked, desperate, ruined.
“You said you would kill her. You said it, Killian. So why haven’t you done it? Or should I do it myself?!”
She moved toward the door, hair wild, eyes unstable.
Killian grabbed her wrist gently but firmly.
“Eva.”
She stopped…shaking violently.
“You want your husband, right?” he asked softly. Tears filled her eyes, spilling instantly. She nodded.
“Then be patient.” He cupped her face.
“You endure now… enjoy later. Acting irrationally now will ruin everything.” Her breathing stuttered.
Killian guided her to the table, picked up the pills she had been using earlier, and handed her a controlled dose with a glass. “Here. Just enough to calm you.” She swallowed it shakily. He pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly, grounding her.
“I need to go home,” she whispered, exhausted. “They’ll be worried…”
“I already texted them, young miss,” he murmured.
Her eyes fluttered, heavy.
Killian scooped her up…carried her gently to the sofa…and laid her down.
Only once she was asleep again did he turn back to the glowing screens.
His jaw clenched.
Then with a single press of his finger. Every hidden scandal Jemima had ever buried flooded onto the internet.
For daring to disturb Eva’s peace. Killian leaned back in his chair, eyes cold.
“No one upsets her,” he whispered to himself.
“No one