CHAPTER FIVE
772 Words
Eva smiled at Peter as she stood close to him, then turned to Avery and Brian with the same pleasant expression.
“Nice party, Peter Denas,” she said.
Peter smirked.
Avery looked surprised, while Brian remained visibly confused.
“Avery, Brian, meet Miss Jones,” Peter introduced.
“Just Eva… Eva Jones,” she corrected softly, and Peter’s smile widened.
“Eva, this is Avery, my daughter, and Brian—one of my stars… and my soon-to-be son-in-law,” Peter said, lowering his voice slightly at the last part.
Eva’s smile lingered.
“Nice to meet you, Miss Jones,” Avery said politely.
Eva let out a light chuckle.
“You can just call me Eva. Our parents were friends.”
Avery pressed her lips together.
“And it’s also nice to meet New York City’s most eligible bachelor… Mr. Brian Anderson,” Eva added, turning to him, her gaze lingering just a second too long. “Peter told me you’ll be his son-in-law.”
Brian froze for a second, clearly caught off guard.
Avery blushed.
“Congratulations,” Eva said, now facing Avery again.
“Well, Eva, you and Avery can get to know each other better. The party’s starting now—you all should enjoy yourselves,” Peter said before walking away, leaving the three of them alone.
“Our parents were friends? How come Dad never told me about you? Or why haven’t I met you before?” Avery asked, curiosity evident in her tone.
Eva’s expression softened slightly.
“Actually… my parents are dead.”
Avery’s eyes widened.
“I’m sorry about that,” she said quickly.
“It’s fine. It’s been a long time,” Eva replied calmly. “We never met because I’m not really a social person. I didn’t go out much.”
“Oh… I see. But Eva, you look a bit familiar. Have I seen you on TV before?” Avery asked.
Eva smiled faintly.
“Yeah… maybe.”
Brian tightened his grip on his glass.
“We should forget about it,” Eva continued. “And I think we’re going to be friends, Avery.”
She picked up her glass and gently clinked it with Avery’s.
They both smiled.
Brian kept staring at her.
Why is she pretending not to know me?
Or...
Did she really forget?
Avery sat at her desk later that night, fingers tapping rapidly against her laptop keyboard.
“Eva Jones…” she muttered, typing the name into the search bar.
Nothing.
Why is there nothing about her?
She kept searching until she finally found a single article.
“Eva Jones, the only heiress to the Jones Group, returns after two years of disappearance—with a son.”
Avery froze.
“She has a son... disappeared for two years... and there's almost nothing about her?"
Avery leaned back slowly.
"Who exactly are you, Eva Jones...?"
“Wow… she’s really suspicious. Why does she give me chills?” she murmured, rubbing her arms.
Peter sat in his study, staring at the document in front of him, but his mind drifted back to his conversation with Eva the day before.
“Eva,” he had called once they were alone.
“We are being professional now, Peter Denas. I’d appreciate ‘Miss Jones,’” she said coolly, crossing her legs.
Peter swallowed.
“You wanted to see me. Why… after two years?”
“Yes, I did, Mr. Denas. It’s about my father’s shares in this company.”
“What about it?”
“I believe we both know the story behind the Denas Group and the Jones Group.”
“Can you go straight to the point, Miss Jones?”
“I’m here to tell you to do the needful. You wouldn’t want me to meddle... would you? I stayed quiet for two years—it doesn’t mean I forgot.”
Peter stiffened.
“You know, I really admire how the Denas Group has blossomed over the past two years,” Eva continued with a smile. “Honestly, I’m impressed. Thank you, Peter… but you wouldn’t want to betray your friend, would you?”
She stood, picking up her bag.
“I won’t give you an ultimatum. I trust you’ll do the right thing.”
She paused at the door.
“And there’s a party at the Denas building tomorrow. Congratulations… may I attend?”
Peter looked up at her.
“I’ll be there,” she said, then walked out.
Back in the present, Peter tapped his fingers against his desk.
“Eva Jones… why did you come back... now?"
His fingers tightened slightly on the desk.
- Writer
