His Redemption

Chapter Eleven

Eva's pov

Rain tapped steadily against the small basement window, a soft, endless rhythm that filled the silence.

Eva's eyes fluttered open. She slowly pushed herself up from the thin mattress, her body was still heavy with exhaustion. The room was cold as always and it carried that familiar dampness.

She reached for her glasses, putting it on. She then rose to her feet and strode to the bathroom to take a shower and get ready for the day.

After showering she dressed up in a pair of faded black jeans and white sweater which were hand me downs from Sarah.

Her parents never bought her clothes not even when she was little. She always wore her sisters old clothes. Celeste always treated Eva like an outcast but pampered and cared for her other two daughters. Eva sometimes felt as if she didn't belong in this family.

Before she could leave her eyes traveled to the coat lying on the chair. Her mind instantly drifted to Killian.

I need to return it to him, she told herself and slipped out of the basement.

Her steps were light as she made her way to the kitchen. She didn't want to wake anyone up, especially Celeste. She was afraid to face her.

She moved automatically, fetching the eggs, milk and bacon from the refrigerator and then she filled some water into the kettle and turned it on.

Her hands worked with quiet efficiency, beating the eggs and throwing them into the pan.

The smell of bacon and eggs slowly filled the space, warm and soft against the cold morning.

Her quiet moment was ruined when Celeste's voice cut through the air.

"What time did you return home yesterday?"

Eva's eyes widened. The air suddenly turned frigid around her. She tensed her shoulders.

Celeste stood in the doorway, her hair disheveled, her expression already irritated despite the early hour.

Eva was afraid that Celeste might beat her for not returning home early but maybe if she explained to her what happened last night she'd understand.

Eva slowly turned around not meeting her mother's heated gaze. She quickly reached for a pen and notebook in her school backpack.

The pen trembled slightly in her grip as she wrote.

Celeste exhaled, crossing her arms as she watched Eva. Her patience was thinning.

Eva's breathing grew uneven, but she forced herself to keep going.

He tried to hurt me, she wrote.

Evangeline swallowed and added the last part.

Someone helped me.

Then, almost as an afterthought she wrote about the job she got at the grocery store.

Eva turned handing the notebook to Celeste.

Silence stretched as celeste began to read it, her eyes scanning the page once… then again.

She scoffed lightly and Eva froze.

Was she still going to beat me up? Eva thought.

“Well, that’s good news.”

Evangeline blinked, her brows knitted.

Was she happy that a thug tried to hurt me? Eva thought.

“At least now you won’t be completely useless,” Celeste muttered. “And I won’t have to waste money on you anymore.”

Eva's heart clenched at her mother's words. Her eyes burned with tears but she didn't let them fall. Her fingers tightened around the notebook as she slipped it back into her bag.

Celeste turned away soon after, already losing interest.

“Make sure you don’t burn the food,” she added before disappearing down the hall.

______________________________________________________

The rain had softened to a light drizzle by the time Eva reached the school gates.

Students crowded the entrance, voices overlapping, laughter ringing through the grey morning. She kept her head down as she walked past them, her bag clutched tightly to her chest.

She wanted to do some research so she made her way to the library. She wanted to use the computer and find out more about Killian.

The library was wrapped in a deep, almost sacred quietness, broken only by the soft rustle of turning pages and the distant creak of wooden shelves.

Eva slipped into one of the chairs near the computers, her movements were careful, almost hesitant, as if she didn’t quite belong there.

She logged in slowly, her fingers hovering over the keyboard for a moment before she began to type.

Killian Blackwood.

The name alone made something in her chest tighten.

The screen loaded and her eyes widened as her gaze scanned the screen quickly, trying to take it all in.

There were a bunch of articles and photographs of him. Killian wasn't an ordinary man, he was a billionaire. He owned hotels. Restaurants. Entire chains that stretched across the city. Even a hospital.

Her fingers moved again, clicking on another article.

A year ago Killian had given a large donation to an organization.

Her brows drew together slightly.

Confusion flickered across her face.

A man like that saved someone like her?

It didn’t make sense.

She leaned closer to the screen, completely absorbed, her guard slipping without her realizing someone was behind her.

“Well, look at this,” someone spoke behind her.

Evangeline froze then slowly, she turned.

Bianca stood there, her arms crossed, a smirk already forming on her lips. Amanda, Bianca's friend lingered beside her, eyes gleamed with interest.

Bianca tilted her head slightly, glancing at the screen before looking back at Evangeline.

“Since when do you care about men like him?” she mocked.

Amanda let out a small laugh. “She’s probably stalking him."

Eva shook her head quickly, panic rising as her fingers moved toward the keyboard, as if she could erase it—erase the moment, erase their attention.

But Bianca stepped closer. Her presence was suffocating Eva.

“Oh please,” she scoffed. “Don’t act innocent.”

Her gaze dragged over Evangeline slowly, deliberately.

“You actually think you’d stand a chance with someone like Killian Blackwood?”

Bianca’s smile sharpened.

“He’s powerful, rich and way attractive for someone like you."

Amanda leaned down and whispered into Eva's ear. "And you're pathetic."

“And let’s not forget—you can’t even speak," Bianca said, her voice lowered just enough to cut deeper

Evangeline’s breath hitched.

“So what exactly do you think he’d want with someone like you?” Bianca added softly.

Evangeline’s vision blurred.

Her throat tightened painfully, though no sound would ever come.

Her fingers curled into fists at her sides as the weight of their words pressed down on her chest.

Tears slipped free before she could stop them.

Bianca rolled her eyes. “Oh great, she’s crying now.”

Amanda snorted. “How dramatic.”

Evangeline pushed back from the chair suddenly, her movements were rushed and unsteady. She run out of the library not looking back.

The hallway blurred as she moved, her vision clouded with tears, her breathing uneven and silent.

She didn’t stop, she wanted to get as far away from them as possible.

As she run she didn't look where she was going and suddenly she collided into something solid.

The impact made her stumble back.

“Hey—”

A familiar voice spoke.

A strong pair of arms reached out and stradied her before she could lose her balance.

“Eva?” Soren brows pulled together as he looked at her. “Why are you crying?

Did someone hurt you?" He asked. "Was it Matthew?"

Eva quickly shook her head and signed.

Something had gotten into my eyes and I rubbed it.

Soren didn’t look convinced.

“Are you sure?” he asked gently.

She nodded again, wiping the tears away with the back of her hand.

Soren's expression softened slightly.

“I haven’t seen you in a while,” he said. “How have you been?”

Soren smiled a little, rubbing the back of his neck.

She gave him a small smile that didn't reach her eyes. I'm fine, she signed.

“I’ve been meaning to talk to you actually

I met someone,” he continued, a small smile forming—one she had never seen directed at her.

“I… I want you to meet her. She’s my girlfriend.”