Eve's POV

    "Good morning"

        Good morning" I waved at the other staffs as I headed to my office only to meet Liam standing there, with his hands on his waist.

I froze; as I recalled yesterday.

    "Good Morning " He waved to my face smiling.

  "Good...good morning " I stammered and I headed to my seat.

  "I was expecting you" He said.

    "Why?" I asked him.

  "Just because. Damn! You have a lot of work to do" He said whacking the books on my table. 

   "I would be expecting you in my office then.." He said and moved away when he got to his door.He turned back and said.

    "I just don't know why I love to see you around me" With that, he left.

   "Tell me you like me instead and stop joking indirectly with my feelings" I mumbled as I switched on the computer and began to work.

    Suddenly my phone beeped, I picked it up only to find out that it was from a strange number.

    ~"Hello" I said into it, after picking it up.

 ~"Am I speaking to Mrs Eve? I'm Doctor Thomas  This number was registered as the guardian of a patient here"

 ~ "What patient?"

    ~"Mr Joe. Are you Eve Joe?"

  ~"Yeah... I... He is my father. Why is he my father at your hospital?" I stood up panicking.

  ~"He has been here for a while but all of sudden, you stopped footing his bills...why?"

 ~"His bills? I stopped? I don't know what you are talking about what about Mr Maya?" I asked them.

 ~"I don't know who that is either but your father is in a critical condition, we stopped attending to him immediately we didn't get any response from the guardian"

~"Please" I bursts into tears, " Do not leave my father"

 ~"I'm sorry Mrs Eve. There are a lot of charges you need to pay for at the moment... And I'm sorry to let you know that the longer you do not show up with the bills, the earlier your father might need a heart transplant" the doctor said.

    ~"What?" I exclaimed; "What hospital?" I asked and he told me the address.

    ~"I'ld be there soon.." I flinched, I didn't know what to start with or pick up first.

    Liam came out of his office at the right time.

    "Liam...can you..can you..." I stuttered, breathing very fast and panicking.

    "Calm down Eve. What is it?"

    "My father. He is in the hospital. He needs me; he needs money.. I..i need to go see my father." I trembling.

   "I'ld drive you there" He said..

    ***

 We got to the hospital; one and a half hour, it was suppose to be close to there hours drive but Liam sped.

    The receptionist led us to the doctor's office. 

    "I am Eve Joe; I received a call from here.." I began to introduce myself before he could even ask.

  "Yeah, I was the one that called you" He responded giving me a sheet.

    I scan through it in a jiffy, I spotted my father's name and the bill he was owing. 

    "Can...I... Can I see my father now?" I asked him.

  "I am sorry Miss Eve, you can't your father is not in a good shape now" The man replied.

    "Then commence the treatment!" Liam shouted..

  "We can't start anything; until you pay up the bills at least the initial ones first" The Doctor said and Liam groaned..

    I opened my purse quickly and shoved out my card;

"There is a bank, down the lane; nearby" The Doctor said.

    "Start already. She's gonna go withdraw some money" Liam told him.

   "Hmmm" The man only hummed.

    ****

"I don't know why it's not working" Eve panicked; struggling with her debit card.

    "What do you mean it's not working?" Liam asked her.

   "It's showing that there is no money in the card" I said.

  "What? My Dad always have excuse money in his card" Liam said.

    I tried it again; but it's the same thing.

    "Oh My God what will I do?" I startled.

    "Come, let's return to the hospital" Liam said; holding my hands.

    **

 "She couldn't withdraw some money" Liam told the Doctor as soon as we returned to the hospital.

"I said; no treatment can commence if they is no money. If you can't pay the current bills, pay for the former ones.... This man has been here since.." the doctor repeated but Liam interrupted him.

    "I'll foot the bills. I'ld pay for both the current and the former bills. Will you commence the treatment now?" Liam asked him.

    "Liam... You will foot the bills? " It's a whole lot of money. My salary can't even foot the bills.

 "Leave it for me" He said and faced the doctor.. "I'll pay through your bank account details. Now be fast about it" He told him.

   "I'll inform my colleagues and the treatment will commence now. meanwhile you still can,'t see the patient... please stay outside" He said then walked away in a jiffy.

  "Thank you Liam" I said to him while we waited at the reception" .

    "Don't mention" He said wiping my tears and I sniffed.

  "Your dad didn't keep his promise. I left my father unto his care" I told him.

    "I'm sorry about that" Liam said.. "I'm gonna kill that man by the time I get home" He mouthed yet I heard him.

 "Or it could be my fault, I didn't bother to check up on my father. I wanted to but I was occupied with Job and all what I thought by the time I visit him, I'll be financially stable and he'll be happy to see me but..but reversed it is" I rushed my words and tears kept on flowing down my cheeks.

    "Any of this is not your fault Eve" He said.

  "The doctor said that the last time the bills was settled was last week; I signed the marriage contract last week. Is that why your changed towards me?" I asked him.

    "I....." Liam muttered and sighed heavily.." Eve I am sorry" He said again.

    "Why are you apologising?"

 "My father intentionally made you go through this pain"

   "And...and there is no money in the card he gave to me" 

   "He deducted everything"

    "What??"

   "I knew father was up to something, he won't wanna loose in a game of two" he pulling me to his arms.

    "So he decided not to fulfil any of his promises immediately I signed the marriage contract? "

"Yeah, knowing full well that you have no other choice but to continue to live with him. I saw this coming...now it's too late before I could tell you. I am sorry Eve" He said again.

    I'm duped... a fresh tears started to roll down my eyes.

    ********

    ****

   ***

    "He is awake" I told Liam.

 Ever since the doctor had permitted us to go into the ward; after the surgery was done... I have been staring at my father..and he just opened his eyes.

    "Eve" My Dad tried to speak and I held his hand.

 "You can't sit yet sir" Liam said to him  when he tried to sit upright.

   "Eve, how is your husband?" My father asked.

  "Don't call him my husband" I frowned.

 "Mr Maya.." He wanted to say but I interrupted him.

    "This is Mr Maya's son; Liam" I introduced.

  "Do you feel okay?" Liam asked him and he nodded.

 "I'ld excuse you and your father now" Liam said and left the ward.

 "Dad" I fondle with his finger as I began to weep again secretly.

 "I have not seen Mr Maya around, and how have you been?" He asked me.

    I wiped my face and forced a smile..

   "I am fine Dad, as you can see" I lied; "Mr Maya..he told son to come here with me. Mr Maya has really been a good man"

   "I told you, you won't regret getting married to him" My Dad said touching my cheeks.

  "Are you really Okay Dad?"

    "Of course.. I just need a little rest. I have been here for a very long time and they have been taking good care of...the doctor said he is not gonna release anytime soon" My father said.

  "Why?" I questioned.

 " Mr Maya told him not until I have full recovered"

  "Oh so Mr Maya did that yet he won't foot your bills anymore" I mumbled.

  "What did you say?" He didn't hear me.

 "Nothing. Then how come the Doctor doesn't know who Mr Maya is?"

   "He never come here himself, he always sends someone"

    "Oh!" How cruel Mr Maya is.

 I sniffed, so that I would not cry again..

 "Mr Maya is such a good man. He gave me a job and I am doing fine at his place" I lied again, so that he will feel better.. it's really nice to see my father smiling.

    **

    After spending some time in the ward with Dad, I came out to meet Liam whom I left waiting outside.

  "Will you be able to go home ? Or should I wait here with you?" Liam asked me.

    "My father wants me to leave, he thinks I'm doing fine just because I told him that I have a job. I also lied to him so that it would trigger his ailment.."

 "Will you stay with him?"

    "I wish. I'll come back tomorrow to see him as early as possible"

    "I'll come with you" He said.

    I stopped walking and looked at him.

    "I'm really thankful for today Liam, I owe you alot"

    "You owe me nothing Eve" He said..

    "Right! Your father put me in this position" I retorted.

    "I am glad he never had you in his bed"

    **

    Liam drove into the gate; "I thought you just wanted to drop me off" 

    "No, I need to see my damn father" He said as he got of the car before me.

    "Liam, how have you been?" He asked. Liam smiled at him as went inside quickily.

    "Liam"  We met Helen and Mark  in the living room. They mentioned his name at the same time.

    "Is father at home?"

    "He didn't even go to work, he has been sleeping... He woke up only few minutes ago" Mark reported.

   "Oh good!" Liam remarked and moved to his father's room.

    "What are you doing Liam?" I walked faster to catch up with him.. 

    Mr Maya came out of his before Liam even got there.

    "Oh Liam. You are back to father's house" Mr Maya said.

    "What did you do Eve's father?" Liam confronted him.

    "What do you mean?" Mr Maya pretended not to understand 

 "You are wicked, and you know it!" Liam remarked.

    "Wicked how?"

    "Liam, what happened to Eve's father?"

"He is ill and this man here promised to take good care of him, that's one of the reasons why Eve agreed to be with him. But as soon as Audrey signed the marriage contract, he stopped footing the hospital bills"  Liam rushed his words..

    "What...?" Helen and Mark uttered at the same time.

    "So why are you making a fuss about it?" Mr Maya laughed, he didn't even show any sign of remose.

    "You are cruel and what did you do to her bank account?" Liam asked his father, he won't even calm down or let me talk.

    "My bank account?"

    "Father!" He screamed.

  "Oh My God Liam. I have missed you so much" Mr Maya said; "Now Listen, Eve is my wife. She has a job now, I mean she is working in my company, so she should be able to settle her problems and even Carter for her family. It's still an indirect help coming from me" 

    I couldn't believe my ears

    I stamped my feet against the floor as I ran upstair and Helen ran behind me to comfort me but I told that I wanted to be alone at that moment.

I knew I was already stucked in this marriage; I just wanna let go of everything and be single and free but no, I don't wanna go back to that poor background. I have had enough since he is not keeping his promising; the only thing that can help me going his the job and I haven't earned much; talk more of leaving the marriage... Once I'm good to go; I'll fly out of the country if it's possible.

 Or I might even need a better means of breaking the marriage contract I had with him because I know for sure that he won't just sign a devoice paper which can't be easy for me to get; I also know that he might treat me worst if I talk back at him. But somehow I was glad deep down that he didn't have his way on me and I hope that he is not gonna find out soon.

  I could still hear Liam even from my room, he was still yell at his father. Right! His father is at fault but I don't know why he keeps standing up for me...making he and his father quarrel whenever he is around. I think I'm a big burden upon this family and upon myself.

  "Are you okay now Eve?" Helen knocked on my door.

"Come in" I murmured, she did.

    "Are you Okay?" She asked me again.

 "He literally showed me an exact example of 'You can't eat your cake and have you'" I told her.

 "But you should be glad that he never had s*x with you in return" She said and I nodded slowly; "Liam just left, he said he'll come back to pick you up tomorrow morning" Helen said.

  "He followed me to the hospital. we are going backto check up on my father again. Thanks to Liam, he footed the bills" I explained to Helen.. and she was so surprised."I don't know what I would have done" I added.

    "I'm sorry about what's happening to you Eve. Trust me, you'll break over it very soon" She said, pulling me closer to give me a hug and I tried to put on a smile.

  "So Liam generously footed the bills. Is that all?" She asked me.

    "What do you mean?"

    "Uhm, nothing" Helen said, smiling at me.

Liam is so generous and..and..probably when my Dad has fully recovered, he'll occupy my mind again.. For now; I'm very much worried about my father that I'm now regretting why I didn't stay back with him at the hospital.

    *****

    ***

 The next morning, I informed Helen that I was already leaving for the hospital because Liam just called me on the phone and that he was waiting outside the gate. I actually told him not to come into the house because I knew that he was definitely gonna cause trouble with his father.

    Speaking of his father, Mr. Maya... I met him in the living room when I climbed down the stairs.

       "How is your father?" Mr. Maya smiled as he spoke to me. It's obviously a very wicked smile.

    I didn't want to speak with him, instead, I looked at him with hatred and disgust.

  "C'mon Eve, Why did I then give you a job if you don't wanna cater for your family by yourself. I still kept my promise after all" He came closer to me and put his hands on my shoulder which I slowly took them off and spoke coldly;

    "Mr. Maya, I'm in no mood for jokes... I'm visiting my father today" I told him. 

  "Oh yeah, you need to do that quickly, get back to your usual self then we can have some time for ourselves tonight" He said grinning his teeth and I felt like smacking him right on the face.

    I just had to control myself; I didn't say anything. I only bow my head a little.

    "I'll take my leave" I told him then went out of the house.

 "Hey Eve, I heard about what happened to your father" Andrew said...opening the car door.

  "I won't be taking the car. Which means that you won't be driving me" I said to him as I passed by him and headed to the gate which Robert opened for me. 

    *

    "I brought some fruits and beverages for your father" Liam said.

    "Oh My God, Liam. Thank you so much"

    "It's nothing... It's part of the little I can help. So what did my father say?"

    "Nothing, no sign of remorse" I shook my head.

    Liam sighed and said "It's Okay" then he started to drive.  We didn't really say anything throughout the journey to the hospital, although I was sort of watching him through the corner of my eyes.

    ***

    " Eve dear, you refused to go to work today just because of me. I told you I'm good...can't you see it" My Dad struggled to sit upright when we came in.

    I smiled and quickly helped him up as I gave him a gentle hug. 

    "You are indeed hale and healthy. You just need to fully recover" I said.

  "Eve was so worried that you might need a heart transpiration. We are so glad you are fine now"  Liam added and I shot him a stare, how did he know that was what I was worried about?

 "That's right, you both can go back to your workplace. Eve, happy your husband happy, and don't forget to reach out to me and send me money"  My Dad said, I chucked anyways... "I will" I assured him.

    "Here" Liam dropped the basket of fruits on the bedside table.

"Father, Liam bought....I... I mean... Mr. Maya and his son, Liam got you this" I lied because I figured out that Dad is always excited at the mention of Mr. Maya. He really thinks he is the good man he claimed to be when he came asking for my hand in marriage.

    Liam looked at me because of the lie I just told again, so I stylishly blinked my eyes at him, so that he would act along too.

    And he did, he also smiled...

"Uhmm..my father is very busy at the office, so he can't come down here to see you. That's why he sent both of us. I'm very sure that he would be glad to know how well you are doing now" Liam told my Dad, who kept smiling widely.

 Just then, the doctor came in, with some nurses and some medical pieces of stuff... And he told Liam and me to leave the ward while he attend to my father.

    So instead of waiting at the reception or taking seats outside the ward, we began to pace slowly from the ward wall to the opposite wall. When I'm at the ward wall, he'll be at the opposite wall and vice versa... not until we bumped into each other. We were supposed to say 'sorry' but we giggled instead. Maybe I'm just too happy and he noticed it.

   We stopped pacing around as we faced each other properly.

    "I'm glad, you are so happy" Liam said.

  "And thanks to you too. I don't ever want to imagine what would have happened to my father assuming you didn't come through for me" I told him.

    "Uhm... My father is not human...I mean a human being with no human feelings. You can't be with him forever" He said and I didn't know when I nodded.

"Okay so what will you do?" He syllabized the words.

   "Nothing" I answered.

"No Eve, you are gonna do something. Or are you planning to abscond? "  He got it right.

    "Huh...Errr" I blinked nervously. I shouldn't deny it, didn't he promise to keep all of my secrets?

    "Yes" I responded coldly; not looking at his face but I didn't get any word from him..so I glared at his face.

  "Errrm... It's... It is the best thing for you...and your father" He stuttered and I nodded coldly; "  But..but there are people who don't want you to just suddenly disappear especially after they have gotten used to you. I just wanna let you know that there are some people who like you and they do not want you to just leave like that most especially without saying goodbye... Imagine if...if I come to the office every day and I didn't see you around" Liam rushed his words and I noticed that he was trying really hard not to stutter again

 My heart beat faster, I hope he was tryna insinuate something and I hope it was what I want from him; nevertheless, I summoned up the courage to continue staring into his eyes and asked him; "Do you like me?"

    "Sure" He replied almost immediately. That response sounds normal and general.

I asked further;  "I... I mean not that kind of like; Like... Like Like..." He was looking at me like he didn't understand what I meant and I was also avoiding making use of the word 'Love'. I also didn't want to be the first to open up about my feelings for him. 

   So I just said... " No, don't worry, Just Forget it" I told him nervously.

    "Yeah, I like you" He repeated.

    "Yeah I get" I replied coldly. 

    "That like like...Like, the one you are talking about" He said smiling.

    "Uhn?" My eyes almost bulged out of the socket and my heart almost jumped out also...

"What...what..are you saying?" I stammered.

  "I don't know if I'm just realizing it or I have been the one trying not to believe that I do... that I like you regarding the...the kind of...uhm.. plight you found yourself into"He said stammering.

    I understood what he was talking about. 

    The stepmother and stepson stuff. 

  The truth is, I was also trying to kill my feelings for him right from the time I started liking him even the day I knew I might like him... It's absurd yet the feeling wasn't ready to die especially when he kissed me...

    ******

    ****