Chapter 39: Homeless Evangeline

"Evangeline?" Ambryan frowned. Her face began to pale. His mother would raise hell if she found out that his date became sick. She might even find a way to link it to him—even if as a joke.

Eve stepped away from him. His hand dropped from her back. Despite the cool air from outside, sweat streamed down the sides of her face. She found it difficult to breathe. The oxygen slowed down her brain activity.

She needed time.

She needed space.

Taking a deep breath, Eve vowed that she would figure this out. There had to be a solution buried in her mind. She just had to bypass the panic and get it. Her eyes shut close as she rubbed her temple, feigning dizziness. It would buy her some seconds to stall.

Then, it hit her.

A streak of light beamed through her dim mind. It showed her the way out. The flower buds blossomed under the spring season. If she wasn't mistaken, she had an emergency hotline for this situation.

Now, it was a matter of how she'd be able to use it.

"I—I—Can I use the bathroom before we leave?" Eve stuttered, looking up at Ambryan. She suppressed her excitement. Otherwise, he'd find her suspicious. "I don't think I can hold it for long."

She crossed her legs for emphasis. Her knees bent low and squeezed her thighs together. They trembled slightly from the position. A dull ache began to form in her muscles. The strain from roller skating was taking effect.

A groan rumbled in her throat.

This would be a hundred times worse in the morning.

"Alright." Ambryan nodded. They had been out for hours. Night time was about to fall. It would be unusual if she didn't need to go. She wasn't a workaholic like him. His bladder became used to long hours without reprieve.

Not that others found it as a good thing.

"Thank you!" Eve exclaimed in relief. Her legs sprinted back inside as she spoke over her shoulder. "I'll be back soon."

The front doors closed behind her and Ambryan turned back around. He assessed the surroundings. Since the Skating Rink had a secluded spot, most of the area was surrounded by old buildings. Most of them for residency. His eyes scanned the windows and checked if any of them were open.

Once the coast was clear, he snapped his fingers.

The same bodyguard emerged beside him.

"Wen, how is it?" Ambryan asked without sparing a glance. His senses focused on any unusual activity—like the four reporters that hid behind a dumpster. It was barely visible from the front entrance but he noticed a camera lens peek on top of it.

Wen, a woman with full blonde fringes, placed a hand over her heart and bowed her head. Her teal eyes were hidden behind a pair of sunglasses. Her hair was tied in a low ponytail. She wore the standard uniform for any bodyguard, an all black suit. Because of her angular features, most people mistook her as a male.

Which she found as an advantage.

"Three out of the four reporters followed us since Stitz Bristo," she reported diligently, still in a bowed position, "None of them were able to go inside. Thomas and Hudson were able to apprehend them despite their disguises. They're under first warning until they violate the contract of 50-meter distance again."

Ambryan squinted at the dumpster. The camera lens disappeared from sight. "How many photos have they taken?"

"Many. We believe that your position with Ms. Evangeline just now would be the highlight of your date in the news tomorrow."

"Hm," he grunted. He faced the skating rink once more and glanced at his watch. It seemed that someone was taking her time. He used it as a chance to relay one more instruction. "Also, make sure any photo from the mall was deleted."

"Pardon, Mr. Hathaway?" Wen snapped her head up. Her boss stared straight ahead of him. He tucked his hands back in his pant pockets and narrowed his gaze.

"You heard me. All photos from when we left the mall must be erased."

Wen raised her eyebrows but composed herself quickly. She realized what her boss meant. The young woman had dragged him out of the establishment. Although she personally enjoyed the display, it was something that could tarnish his image.

He didn't want the incident to be leaked out.

"Understood," Wen replied with a nod. Stepping back, she passed a message through her bluetooth earpiece.

Ambryan let her be and peeked through the glass doors. No sign of red hair came from the other side.

What could she possibly be doing?

…

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…

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Inside the women's bathroom, Eve stepped out of the cubicle. Mother Nature had called her as soon as she stepped inside. She took a quick break and headed for the sinks. Her mind raced as she washed her hands for 20 seconds, making sure to clean out any bacteria.

(A/N: Break the germ cycle. Eve washes her hands. Eve stops the spread of germs. Be like Eve. Beat the virus! Stay safe and healthy, everyone.)

Eve wiped her hands with tissue and finished drying them under a heater. She took out her phone and dialed a familiar number. Her fingers tapped against her thigh as paced around the room. Her heart sped faster by the second.

'What if they also don't know what to do?' she panicked in her mind.

"Eve?!" Avery exclaimed, interrupting her train of thoughts. "Oh, my! I'm so glad you called! How is the date going? Everything good? Is my son behaving? He's not a party pooper, is he?"

"Uh, Mrs. Hathaway…" Eve cleared her throat. Instead of answering, she decided to go straight to the point. She checked under the cubicles for signs of life. All of them turned out to be empty. "I ran into a problem."

"Oh, no. What is it?" Avery's tone of voice changed into a serious one. Eve could almost imagine her face as if the woman stood in front of her.

"Well, since I didn't bring a car, your son will be driving me home."

"That sounds like good progress."

"I guess you can say that but…" Eve trailed off, halting in her steps. She shook her head and explained, "Evangeline doesn't have a resident address. I can't lead him to my own apartment. Is there any place I could use temporarily?"

The line went as Avery took in the information. Meanwhile, Eve felt slightly relieved. She wasn't alone in the situation anymore. Her back leaned on a wall. Her head tilted up. The ceiling lights blinded her temporarily.

"Hold on a sec. Let me call Cale."

Eve opened her mouth to reply when she heard a phone ring. Her eyebrows knitted together. She pulled the phone away from her ear to check the source of the sound. It became softer compared to a second ago. Her eyes widened as she stared at her phone.

She pressed it back on her ear—just in time to hear another voice.

"Avery, darling!" Cale greeted through the receiver.

"Cale!" Avery yelled. She spoke in a rush, sensing the urgency of the situation. "Lotus Modelling Agency offers apartments to their models, right?"

"Yes, they do. It also depends on how high earning a model is. The higher, the better the perks," Cale replied. Just like his personality, his manner of speech oozed with bubbly energy. Faint music flowed out from his side of the line. Eve wondered which symphony it was.

She remained quiet for the duration of the call.

"Does Evangeline have one?"

Cale clicked his tongue. "Technically, she does except she's new. All rookies share residency and become roommates. Since she has a double identity, I told the agency that she already has her own place to stay. Otherwise, she might get caught."

"Aw, damn," Avery cursed. She sighed in frustration. "Is there no way for the agency to give her a solo apartment?"

"No can do, darling. That would be unfair to the other models."

Eve pressed her lips together. She saw the logic behind Cale's words. The luxury treatment came from achievements, sparking competitive spirits. One high brand deal wouldn't be enough for that. Others may even deem it as beginner's luck. It would take a while to prove herself.

Something she had no plans on doing.

"What if she has a sponsor?" Avery suddenly suggested. Investments were important in any business. If she could support Evangeline's career, the agency could easily explain the situation.

"Why can't you just give her an apartment?" Cale pointed out.

"It would be suspicious how she got the money for it," Avery clarified. Her pitch rose higher as she continued, "NOW, if it was a sponsorship given to her agency… that would be more believable."

"Wouldn't Yan find it suspicious if it was you?"

She snorted at the question. "Of course, it would be anonymous."

"Well, it could work," Cale gave in. He became quiet, considering the idea. Eve heard him exhale sharply. "Why are we discussing this right now? I'm in the middle of a party."

She was about to make her presence known when Avery beat her to it. She had to commend the madam's resilience. The latter was more alert than her. Hopefully, she would be the same someday—combined with her boss' quick thinking.

"Simple. Evangeline needs an apartment right now because Yan is about to take her home."

"Tell me you're kidding," Cale scoffed in disbelief. He groaned at the mess, realizing how critical the time was. "How am I supposed to materia—wait! I think there's a vacancy in one of the complexes. I can call and check it out. Be back in a few."