Chapter 401

S31 144. Difficult Position

Eva sat listlessly on the floor of her living room. Her swollen eyes no longer contained sadness. However, her nose still flared. The roar of her breath was too difficult to quench.

“My boutique…. My hope…. My dream….”

She stroked the only frame that was still intact. There was a photo of her cutting the ribbon there-the moment at the inauguration of her new boutique.

The curve of her lips was so wide in that picture. Meanwhile, her current face was dim. There was not the slightest light in her eyes.

“Why could this happen to me?” she wailed, biting her lip. If her tears hadn’t run out, her face would have been wet again.

“What should I do now? Everything is gone. My boutique is gone.”

No matter how many times Eva repeated those words, her mind was not yet satisfied. She seemed to hope that a miracle would come to give her an answer.

In silence, Eva shifted her sad gaze. Other pictures were scattered around her. One of them contained Ava’s face.

Under the cracked glass, Eva was seen holding a bouquet of flowers. She was flanked by Ava and Mrs. Connor. It was the best day of her life, the only moment where she could be proud of herself and win a landslide victory over Ava-a moment she thought would never happen again.

“You evil bastard! She must be happy to see me slumped like this. She must be proud of defeating me.”

Unexpectedly, Eva threw the frame in her hand at that picture. The

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glass shards added, but Eva didn’t care about the mess. She no longer had the enthusiasm to organize her house or her life until suddenly, the bell rang.

“Who dares to come here?” she groaned before getting up from the

floor.

Instead of welcoming the guest, Eva sat on the sofa. Hugging her bent knees, she studied the door.

Once again, the bell rang. However, Eva remained unmoved. Her gaze grew dimmer. As the door opened, her breath rumbled violently. Her hand moved quickly to grab the nearest frame and threw it.

“How dare you come here? Wasn’t my warning clear enough? I don’t want to see you again. You are the bad luck of my life!”

“Eva? This is your mother, Darling. Can I come in?”

The voice came from the gap in the door which had not yet opened completely. Eva gasped when she heard it.

“Mom?”

Slowly, the door opened wider. Seeing the woman sitting in a wheelchair, Eva’s breath hitched. Her lungs felt hot.

“What are you doing here, Mom?”

Bryan pushed the wheelchair through the door. He stopped when Mrs. Connor could not go further.

“Of course to check your condition. I’ve heard everything. You must be very upset and need a hug.”

Eva’s chin twitched. As best she could, she endured it. “Don’t you not love me anymore?”

Mrs. Connor shook her head quickly. “I always love you, Eva. You are my daughter.”

“But you blamed me!”

“No matter how big a mistake a daughter makes, a mother will still consider her a child and feel the burden. I can’t possibly leave you

alone, Eva, and neither will Ava.”

Hearing that name, Eva’s expression became full of wrinkles again. So that’s why you came here? To defend Ava?”

“Listen, Darling. She’s sorry about what happened to your boutique. But she didn’t dare come to see you because you told her not to. So, she left this to you.”

Mrs. Connor showed what had been covered by her hand.

“What’s that?” Eva’s tone was displeased.

“Take a look. You’ll find out.”

Even though she was doubtful, Eva still approached her mother. The sound of broken glass crushing under her shoes added to the

tension. As soon as she saw what her mother was offering her, she frowned. “A saving book?”

“Ava’s. She intends to give you all her savings so you can rebuild your boutique.”

Unexpectedly, Eva started laughing. Her voice was thin and full of

disdain.

“Did she know how much capital was needed to build a boutique? I used Daddy’s entire inheritance to build it. Her savings are simply not worth it. Even buying shelves wouldn’t be enough.”

“If I may give a suggestion, try looking at the amount first. I applied to work with the Harper family because of that,” Bryan said lightly. His eyes occasionally glanced at Ava’s savings book.

Eva’s eyebrows furrowed in disbelief. Curious, she checked it. Seeing

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the numbers listed there, she widened her eyes.

“Ava has this much money? Hasn’t she had difficulty paying your treatment for the last few months?”

“Your sister worked with the Moore family for some time before switching to the Harper family. With her simple lifestyle, it’s natural that she has a lot of savings.”

Eva gaped without a word. Her heart grew heavier, weighed down by multiple feelings of envy. Her pride was hurt. She didn’t expect Ava’s help in such a difficult time. That meant she lost badly.

“Even though this is quite a large amount, it is still not enough to build a boutique. My collections are quality.”

“Ava said that should be enough, as long as you immediately process your boutique fire insurance claim.”

Eva was stunned. Her head was pushed back. “What insurance? I never use insurance.”

“Ava registered it for you. I also just found out earlier. She said that the boutique was your father’s legacy. So, she secretly protected it. Ava never wanted to see you down, Eva. She actually wanted you successful. All this time, she worked hard to pay for the insurance.”

Eva’s tongue was numb. No matter how many times she swallowed, her throat felt dry. “She could have made that up. Where’s the proof?”

Bryan opened the backpack he was carrying. After taking out a folder, he handed it to Eva.

“This is the policy book. Please study it. Ava has actually reported today’s incident to the insurance company. However, they still need a statement from you. You own the boutique.”

Eva couldn’t say anything anymore. A strange feeling tickled her heart. Even though her face seemed stiff, her eyes began to fill with

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tears. Her hands trembled slightly when she received the folder.

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“Now,” Mrs. Connor cleared her throat, “do you need some time alone. or do you want me to accompany you? I have time until tonight. But if you want me to sleep here, I don’t mind either. If necessary, I will stay here again, with you.”

Eva spontaneously glanced at Bryan. “If you accompany me, will he be here too?”

“Yes, Mr. Harper and Ava want your mother to be cared for properly. So, I will follow her wherever she lives.”

“Even though you’re a man?” Eva furrowed one eyebrow.

“Precisely because I’m a man and can defend myself. Mr. Harper offered me a salary increase if I was willing to become a nurse and bodyguard.”

Eva sighed in resignation. “Mom, just go back to their house. I just want to be alone.”

“Are you sure? Then what about this mess? You promise you’ll be fine?”

Eva put her hand on her hip and bowed her head. After two breaths,

she nodded. “Yes.”

“Can I hug you before leaving? I won’t be able to sleep if I don’t do it.”

With mixed feelings, Eva moved closer to her mother. The warmth felt different when her mother patted her back.

After Bryan and Mrs. Connor left, Eva stared pensively at the two books she had just received. Her feeling was hard to describe. She had never felt disturbed and touched at the same time.

“Why does Ava always put me in difficult positions?” she muttered before looking down and pinching the bridge of her nose. Her self-

respect and prestige were at stake.

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