Chapter 4 Enemies Were Bound To Meet

On hearing the voice, Eve was stunned for a few seconds. The burly man's hand stopped mid-air.

"I should believe that you're not trying to harass this lady. Otherwise, I'll be forced to get the authorities," that voice continued. It was none other than Cole.

Eve gulped and slowly turned around, her gaze landing on the young man with a gentle smile on his face.

The last expression she'd seen on Cole's face was an evil smile as he and Mia revealed all their plans to her before leaving her to her misery.

Seeing him now, Eve was forced to recall that memory.

"It is not what you are thinking, Sir." Taking in Cole's appearance, the attendant's bitter expression transformed into a friendly smile. "You see, this lady here is a scam. She entered this store not with the intention of buying anything, but to waste our time and make a scene. That is why we are dealing with her."

"How much is the painting?" Cole smiled, slipping both hands into his pockets.

"Ahh, are you trying to save her, Sir?" The attendant looked flabbergasted. "Please don't. I am used to their types every day. They come to these kinds of places where the rich hang out, so they can gather attention and at the end of the day, snag a rich man home."

Eve's expression fell at the lady's horrible words.

"You make things up so easily, are you sure you don't have that kind of intention in your mind? After all, who is the loudest among us? Isn't yelling an act of gathering attention?"

"Y–You..." The lady pointed a finger at Eve. "You see what I'm talking about, Sir? Bums like her have foul mouths, they don't know the proper way to talk to people. She doesn't deserve an ounce of your kindness," she said to Cole.

"Then that means you're also bum as you keep spilling out horrible and disrespectful words. Can't you feel your mouth smelling?"

More than anything now, Eve wanted to leave this place, firstly because the lady was wasting her time, and secondly, because she didn't like this sudden encounter with Cole.

Although Cole looked gentle and caring on the outside, Eve had learned in her past life that he harbored so much hatred for her in his heart. He and Mia had always been looking for the right opportunity to bring her down.

"Eve, don't mind her. You should understand that the lady is only doing her job," Cole said in his soft voice. "But don't misunderstand her, Miss. I can assure you she can buy this painting. Since her credit card is missing, I'll make the payment on her behalf."

The lady looked mortified and said, "Sir, believe me. Just let us deal with her-"

"Since I'm willing to pay, don't say another word. She is someone I know well, and I won't tolerate you saying more bad words about her."

Eve opened her mouth, shaking her head. There was no way she would accept Cole's offer. If it was in the past, she would have jumped in both glee and happiness on just sighting him.

She was no longer interested in buying the painting anyways. Ethan was just outside, she could get him to take her to another store.

And thinking about the devil...

It was as if an iceberg was suddenly dropped into the room. Heavy footsteps came from the door and there was pin-drop silence.

A deep gaze bore through Eve's back. She shivered and turned around to be met with Ethan's glaring eyes. His cold look was directed specifically at Cole.

Enemies were bound to meet on a narrow path. What now? Was she in bigger trouble?

Behind Ethan was a middle-aged man who seemed to be buttering him up. But Ethan was not listening to the man's flattering. He took in the scene, his expression getting darker.

"How much?" His voice echoed in the room. The people seemed to be holding their breath.

Only a handful of people didn't know Ethan's face in the city, and they looked so shocked out of their skin to see him in this kind of place.

"Ahh, M–Mr. Anderson." The attendant's eyes bulged out of their sockets. "A–Are you also willing to buy the painting for her? This lady here is a cunning bitch, please save your money for important things."

"Who said I'm asking about the painting?" Ethan's glare at the lady sent her body trembling. Then he glanced at the middle-aged man. "How much is this store?"

"M–Mr. Anderson." Boughts of sweat poured from the man's forehead. "Y–You're kidding, right? This store is my family's fortune, no one has ever dared to purchase it because as you see, we sell the most valuable collections, and the price–"

"Ten million."

"What!?" The man's eyes dilated and the crowd also gasped.

"Twenty million."

The middle-aged man blinked rapidly as if losing his tongue.

"Thirty million."

Ethan's last words made the middle-aged man fall to his knees. Tiny whispers broke out in the crowd, and more than anyone else, Eve's eyes widened with astonishment.

"Th–Thirty million, Y–Yes, Mr. Anderson, please the store is yours." Even as more sweat poured from his face, the middle-aged man looked as if he'd hug Ethan. He ended up kissing the ground underneath him.

Ethan brought his attention to the shop's attendant, his dark expression returning. "You dared call my wife a cunning bitch."

"Y–Your wife?"

There were more gasps from the crowd and the lady stuttered, looking as if she was struck by lightning.

"You're all fired." Ethan's gaze swept across the staff.

Then he brought out his business card and handed it to the middle-aged man before he grabbed Eve's hand.

Eve broke out of her shock and yelped. "Ahh, my painting." She took the painting from the male staff's hand before trotting after Ethan out of the store.

The last glare he threw at Cole told Eve that she just dug a hole for herself. And throughout the ride to the ancestral mansion, a suppressing tension hung in the car. She could feel Ethan's anger toward her.

He must have thought that it was more than a coincidence for Cole to be suddenly present at the store.

Ethan must have also overheard when Cole attempted to pay for the painting on her behalf.

Eve grimaced and shrank deeper into the car seat.

Just to spite Ethan in the past, not a day went by without her mentioning Cole and how much she loved him dearly.

And one day, she even brought Cole to the Villa with Mia's help. That day, she'd tried to elope with Cole but Ethan caught them. He had beaten Cole to an unrecognizable state, and Eve had been convinced that Cole was dead, until a few days later when Mia told her that Cole wanted to see her. Thinking about it now, that incident happened a few weeks after she drugged Ethan. It turned out Mia and Cole did that to cause more rift between her and Ethan.