The President's Daring Wife

Pain. It hurt.

Her whole body ached so much as if her bones were breaking inside.

Eve opened her eyes and through her blurry vision, the white ceiling loomed above. Her head pounded as she tried to remember where she was.

But it was so hard to recall anything when the ache in her head kept increasing.

The soft mattress underneath her moved as well as the bedsheet on her.

What was she doing on a bed?

Her heart stopped beating for a second then it all began coming back.

The last time before her eyes closed, Eve could remember herself drowning. Her hands and legs were bound with hard ropes and she was blindfolded. She couldn't even struggle as she helplessly drowned to her death.

But now...

This pain in her body didn't feel like that of someone who had drowned. In fact, this pain felt familiar as if she'd experienced something similar before.

The bedsheet moved again and Eve was now aware of her surroundings. Her eyes strayed to her left and she held her breath to stop herself from screaming.

Sleeping beside her was none other than her husband, Ethan.

How was this possible? Ethan was long dead. She saw his car fall off the mountain cliff with her own eyes.

Eve rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn't imagining things. She touched the man under the sheet... He was real, and also naked...

And so was she.

Her heart skipped again and this time, Eve jumped and let out a scream.

Now that she could remember this scenario, her confusion only heightened.

If she wasn't mistaken, this was exactly the same condition she had woken up in the morning after she drugged Ethan. And it happened almost a year ago not long after they got married.

As if disturbed by her screams, Ethan turned on the bed, his eyelids fluttering.

He opened his eyes, frowning. He didn't look surprised or frightened, unlike her.

"E–Ethan, y–you..." Eve's heart could not stop beating wildly as she finally realized what was happening.

"Evelyn Maxwell!" Ethan's deep voice resounded in the room, sending her body shuddering.

Before she could think about running off, he grabbed her waist with his strong arms. Her still-aching waist.

"How dare you play such an underhanded trick on me?" His hold tightened and he glared hard at her. "You thought drugging me and setting me up with another woman will give the media a reason to drive a wedge between our families? You want a divorce, right?"

Eve flinched as he brought up his hand to brush her hair aside.

"In your dreams."

His last words echoed in her ears and she was finally released of his strong hold.

Ethan got off the bed and stormed into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.

Eve supported her head with both hands and shut her eyes. Every one of Ethan's words was true.

Last night, at his grandfather's birthday party, she and her best friend Mia had secretly made a plan and paid a waiter to spike his drink. They had also arranged for someone to carry out their plan by sleeping with Ethan. The reporter they had also hired to record everything and spread the scandal was ready.

However, their plan backfired when out of nowhere, Ethan grabbed her to the parking lot and ordered his driver to drive them back home. He started stripping her from the hallway and she ended up becoming the victim of the drug.

Eve could recall that after this incident, she grew more resentful toward Ethan. Their marriage had always been on the rocks right from the beginning.

Immediately after she graduated from college, her grandfather forced her to marry him to strengthen the business ties between both families.

Although Ethan had never treated her badly and got her everything a woman would ever ask for, her tantrums increased by the day, fueled by her desire to leave him and also her best friend's constant advice that being with Ethan was nothing compared to the happiness she would live in when she finally got to be with Cole, her childhood sweetheart.

Despite acting cold all the time, Ethan was adamant not to divorce her, and Eve's tantrums became too gruesome that her grandfather developed a heart attack which led to his death.

When Eve found out that she was pregnant, she didn't think twice before taking out the baby. The drug she took was so lethal that she almost lost her life, but Ethan didn't give up on her. He summoned the best medical practitioners to save her life, spending tons of money.

But that incident took a huge toll on Eve when people found out what she did. Her family disowned her and Ethan's parents drove her out. That was when she discovered that her best friend who had been rooting for her all the time was actually a two-faced bitch.

It turned out Mia and Cole were in a relationship, and their goal had always been to destroy her marriage.

It was too late when Eve realized that Ethan had loved her right from the beginning. Because not long after their divorce, he called and wanted to meet with her on the outskirts of the town.

She had waited for him on the mountain, but his car seemed to have lost control and she watched in horror as it fell down the cliff and exploded.

Because she was present at the scene, the police arrested her and his family pointed fingers at her that she had a hand in it.

With no one to defend her, Eve spent a long time in jail. And one day, miraculously, a mysterious person bailed her out.

However, on stepping out of the jail gates, Eve was abducted by strange men. She didn't even know who her killers were because she was blindfolded and bound and thrown into a deep ocean.

Eve wiped her tears as those memories replayed in her mind. Her heart ached as she remembered how foolish and cruel she'd been in the past.

If she'd looked on the bright side, marrying Ethan was nothing but a blessing. But she'd allowed Mia and Cole to deceive her and she'd taken all she'd had for granted.

Her repercussion was too horrible to remember.

Now that she'd woken up way before all that happened, was this a sign that she was blessed by the heavens and given a second chance?

Did she have the power to prevent the same things from happening again?

The sound of the bathroom door opening made her look up and Ethan stepped out with a towel wrapped around his waist.

Eve blinked and her heart dropped to her stomach.

Eve spaced out, and she had the urge to touch him again to make sure he was real.

There was a stark difference between his current appearance compared to the last days of their marriage.

Because she had caused him so much trouble, Ethan had a hard time focusing on his business affairs despite his resilient attitude.

Slowly, he changed from a fine gentleman whom everyone admired to a grumpy drunk whom everyone was afraid to go near.

"Eve!"

He seemed to be calling out her name for quite a while now because his voice got louder, snapping her out of her reverie.

"I said get ready, we're going to the ancestral mansion."

His anger had cooled off because he even addressed her the usual way he did.

Without waiting for her reply, Ethan walked into the closet.

The ancestral mansion...

The memory was as clear as day in Eve's mind.

That time when she drugged Ethan, he'd asked her to follow him to the ancestral mansion the next morning, to apologize to his grandfather for leaving the party without letting him know.

And what did she do?

She yelled and protested that she wasn't going to follow him anywhere. She even broke things in the house, until she remembered...

She remembered the kind of gift she'd presented to his grandfather.

'Oh, no!' Eve's eyes widened at the remembrance of the gift. She couldn't let his grandfather see that gift, otherwise, what happened in her past life might repeat itself.

Hopefully, she wasn't too late.

Eve jumped out of bed and darted into the bathroom, forgetting the ache in her body.

After taking her bath and getting ready, she left the bedroom and bumped into the house stewardess in the hallway.

"G–Good morning, Ms. Maxwell, I hope you slept well," Elena stammered while trying to hide the fabric in her hands behind her.

That was Eve's dress. The one Ethan had ripped off last night.

Seeing the Stewardess's expression, Eve's heart twisted in guilt. Not only did she make Ethan's life difficult, she also made his servants miserable.

At that time when she saw her dress in the Stewardess's hands, she was reminded of the night before and that made her punish the poor woman by asking her to kneel outside from dawn till sunset.

Smiling, she stepped forward and patted her on the shoulder. "Sure, I hope you slept well too, Elena. And can you please stop calling me Ms. Maxwell? After all, I'm Ethan's wife and bearing his surname."

"Huh?" The stewardess blinked at her.

"In fact, just call me Eve. Let there be no formalities between us."

After saying that, Eve hurried off. She still hoped Ethan's grandfather hadn't opened her gift yet.

In the past, she'd strictly warned all the servants to only address her by her family's surname, Evan included. So none dared to call her Mrs. Anderson, or Madam, or even Young Miss.

Her phone rang and she brought it out of her purse to see Mia's name displayed on the screen.

Eve's fingers curled around her phone and she gritted her teeth. Mia had surely called to feed her more lies and heartbreaking words to make her feel more miserable.

Eve rejected the call and turned off her phone.

Ethan was already at the dining table, waiting for her. The breakfast was already served and steaming hot.

"Eve."

As Eve gobbled up her food, Ethan called out to her, his brows creasing together.

"It's not like we're in a rush," he said coldly. "Don't injure yourself."

Even though his expression didn't hold any warmth, Eve was now sane enough to know that he was genuinely worried that she could hurt herself.

She flashed him a smile and slowed down her pace, and that made the frown on Ethan's forehead deepen.

Eve sighed inside. She could swear that she'd never even smiled at him before. Her obvious agreement to go with him and obliging to his silent command must have taken him by surprise.

She just hoped she would be able to stop those calamities from happening again and free herself of the guilt in her heart.

Suddenly losing her appetite, she dropped the teacup in her hand and said, "Erhm, Ethan... Can we set off now? I want us to be there as soon as possible."

"You seem to be in a hurry." The confusion in his eyes increased and he dropped his spoon. "Eve, what are you-"

"Please please please." She cut him off, cupping her palms together. "Please let's go now, Ethan. Besides, we're stopping by the antique store, so we must set out early in order to reach the mansion before the sun comes out." She stood up and went to his side then pulled him up.

"The antique store?" Ethan asked and she quickly nodded.

"What are you going to do there?"

"To buy Grandpa another gift." She gave him a desperate look.

Ethan stared at her as if she'd grown two horns. "But you already gave him a birthday present."

Eve shut her eyes, biting her lips.

That present was going to land them both in huge trouble.

And she wouldn't dare to tell Ethan about it.

She opened her eyes and curled up her lips, giving him her sweetest smile. "I– I just feel like I should give him another present. We left his place last night without bidding him goodbye, definitely, he must be mad. My gift will, in no doubt, pacify his heart."

Ethan gave her an incredulous look. The more she spoke, the more skeptical he appeared.

"So I must buy a very nice gift and I'll present it to him. You know grandfather loves antique collection. It will make him happy and we won't have to apologize for long."

She didn't give Ethan the chance to speak and she went on pulling him toward the entrance.

When they got to the parking lot, she rushed the driver to get the car ready.

As they sat in the backseat, Ethan didn't take his eyes off her.

The car was just about to leave the villa's gates when he said to the driver, "Stop the car."

Eve's lips parted in shock and her eyes snapped to him.

"Eve." Ethan held her chin, staring into her eyes. "What exactly are you up to?"

"You've been acting weird since you woke up, unlike your usual self. Tell me, have you developed a new way to achieve your divorce goal?"

Eve swallowed and let out a nervous laugh.

"Who said I wanted a divorce?" Eve flashed him her sweetest smile. "You're my darling husband, and my only goal is to make you happy. And to achieve that, I must make your family happy, especially your grandfather."

Ethan looked more confused than ever. His pupils expanded and he looked as if he was going to have a heart attack.

The driver lost control and the car almost slammed into the gates.

Eve was thrown off balance and the impact made her collide with Ethan's body who wrapped both arms around her protectively.

Her heart hammered against her chest and she could also feel Ethan's heartbeat.

"Do you want to lose your job?" Ethan said darkly to the driver who had already regained control of the wheel.

"I– I am so sorry, Young Master. Please forgive my mistake," the driver apologized profusely while his surprised gaze darted now and then to Eve through the rearview mirror.

Eve didn't know that her words would scare the driver so much that he'd almost end their lives. She shut her eyes and grimaced, leaning deeper into Ethan's embrace.

And her heart fluttered when he didn't release her. His hold only tightened around her, but this time, he held her gently.

Fortunately for her, he didn't ask her any further questions.

But the way Ethan stared at her when they arrived at the antique store, Eve knew that more questions were soon coming her way.

"Ethan, you're very close to your grandfather so you must know his taste better. Do you think he likes antique paintings more or decor?"

"He likes both." Ethan's attention was on his phone as they stepped into the store.

Then his phone rang and before he answered it, he said, "Pick whatever you want. I'll join you in a moment."

Eve smiled in response. After watching his retreating figure, she headed into the store where the attendant received her.

"How may I help you, Ma'am? Are you here to purchase a collection or take a look?" The store attendant said after they exchanged greetings.

"I'm here to purchase. Can I see your finest paintings, please?"

"Sure, please allow me to lead the way." The attendant's eyes lit up.

Eve followed her to one of the many sections of the store where the paintings hung. One painting caught her eyes and she walked towards it.

"Oh, you've got great eyes, Ma'am. This painting just arrived yesterday and you're the first to admire it. Would you like to know its price?" The attendant's voice bubbled with excitement.

"Sure." Eve nodded. She liked the intricacies of the design and the gentle strokes used to carve the beautiful waterfall.

The nice blend of the bright atmosphere made the painting feel surreal.

"That will be thirty thousand dollars, Ma'am. It is not the most expensive painting in the store, but it's one of the best."

"Thirty thousand dollars!" Eve's jaws dropped. That was mind-blowing.

"Ma'am." Watching Eve's expression, the attendant's smile faltered. "Are you willing to buy it? Should I package it for you?"

Eve would love to take a look at the other paintings. She might find something cheaper or better-looking.

But she couldn't waste time here. They must get to the ancestral mansion as fast as they could.

"Yes, please. Package it," she replied, shoving a hand into her purse to bring out her credit card.

"Right away, Ma'am." The attendant's full smile returned. "I will take you to the cashier for the payment."

Eve gasped before cursing inside. When she reached for her purse just now, she could only feel her phone. Did she forget to take her credit card?

Eve cursed again.

The store attendant had already retrieved the painting and given it to one of the staff who would package it.

"This way, please, Ma'am." She was about to turn around and lead the way but Eve stopped her.

"Erhm, right now I just found out my credit card is missing. Can you please-"

"What are you trying to say?" The attendant didn't let her finish her words.

Eve opened her mouth to repeat what she said but the attendant held up her hand, shutting her up.

"You mean you're not here with your credit card? What kind of dumb person buys that? If you can't afford the painting, why waste my time?"

The lady raised her voice so high that people gathered around them.

The crowd whispered and Eve breathed out a helpless sigh.

"You don't have to react this way. I promise I can afford this painting."

"Then show me the money!" Snapped the lady. "I knew right from the start that you're a scam." She eyed Eve from head to toe and scoffed, "I bet you've never even seen such money your whole life."

Eve followed the lady's gaze, staring at her faded jeans and a simple blouse.

Damn her fashion sense. She should have known that someday it could put her in trouble.

"Look here, Miss." She brought her attention back to the lady. "Just because I'm dressed this way doesn't mean you should underestimate me."

"But your appearance tells me you're nothing but a bum," said the lady. "And luckily, I am well experienced when it comes to dealing with people like you."

"Get me the security!" She yelled at one of the staff who was standing among the crowd.

The staff scurried off and in a few seconds, he returned with a burly man dressed in a security uniform.

"I am sure this woman has ulterior motives. Ransack her this instant and give her a great beating."

"What!?" Eve exclaimed. "Come on, Miss. Aren't you taking things too far?"

"You brought it upon yourself, Scammer. Next time, you'll think twice before walking into stores like this."

The burly man snatched Eve's purse and shoved all its content on the floor. And the crowd's murmur increased when they saw that the only thing inside her purse was her phone. Some of the people had even brought out their phones and were recording the moment.

Due to the impact of the tiled floor, Eve's phone screen was now broken beyond repair.

And when the burly man grabbed Eve's arm and raised one of his huge hands in the air to hit her, a hard voice broke out of the crowd.

"Is this how you treat people around here?"