With a gasp, I woke up and found myself on the bed next to Evelyn. I don't know why I am getting this dream now. Maybe my subconscious was telling me that Evelyn is as innocent as her. I made a mistake as a child forcing my decision on Rose and it resulted in me losing her but I will make sure not to repeat that with Evelyn. I will carry on with my pretense and if she fell for me I will not divorce her.  

Richard's POV

I woke up after some time, so I went to library and when I saw it was time to go to office. I had my shower and got ready. By the time I came to the breakfast table, I saw Evelyn sitting and having a talk with Maria. I don't know how and when they became friends but it was great to see her laugh.

"Good Morning Evelyn and Maria" I said smiling and Maria wished back so did Evelyn after recovering from shock. But that was fine because I never wished her before and it was surprise and shock or should I say she did not just expect from me.

Maria served my breakfast and I could feel her cheerfulness don't know whether it was due to Evelyn or me wishing them I had it while looking at Evelyn who did not lift her eyes from her place. I don't know why she was acting nervous, so I made an effort to make a small talk.

"Evelyn how are you feeling today" I asked before chewing my toast.

"I am good thank you Mr. Evans" She said nervously glancing at me.

I smiled and said "Good to hear and Evelyn I will go to the hospital to collect your reports today".

"No need Mr. Evans I will do that. You don't need to waste your time" she replied nervously.

"No It's fine anyways I have work in that area and Evelyn taking care of my wife is not time waste for me" I said while getting up and that statement did bring the surprise in her eyes and I liked it.

Again I realized that my pretense is making me really slip some words which I don't mean. I rushed to my office and finished my meeting and then went to the hospital to meet the doctor Sharon.

"Mr. Evans I got your wife's medical reports and all looks good but I would say she undergoing some mental stress and it would do her good if you can take her away for a while" She said.

I sighed in relief but to be sure I probed "Oh I can very well arrange that but are you sure there's nothing wrong because she is having nightmares and I feel she is not well".

"No I don't think anything wrong physically but are you aware of any bad incident in past because that can cause the person to have nightmares" She said looking at me expectantly.

"Oh no, I can't think of any"  I replied immediately.

"Well, in that case, I would say mental stress can lead to nightmares so yes it would be good if you can take her to some other place." She said assuring me.

"Thank you doctor Sharon I will definitely arrange for a tour by tomorrow. I can't bear to see her stressed" I said acting like a concerned husband while shaking hands with her and leaving the hospital.

It was good for me to know that Evelyn was doing good. Now to move on to the next part of my plan, I called my secretary to arrange my honeymoon and asked her to schedule my private plan for Bora Bora. While I was rushing home my secretary Rina confirmed that my vacation is planned and the meetings I was supposed to have had been successfully rescheduled. I bolted out of my car to find Evelyn. 

The thought of me and her being alone without any interruptions from Steven brought a smile on my face but also a fear that I might fall in my own trap of pretense. I have to show my love to her and hopefully, she would be willing to overlook my past behavior and we could act like a happily married couple for the next 8 months. 

I opened the door to find Evelyn sitting on the bed but when my eyes found Steven again sitting on a chair near her bed  I felt rage but seeing Evelyn go pale and uncomfortable made me lose control and I clenched my jaws.

"Steven I told you last time that you are not to enter my bedroom," I said sternly.

"Well I don't think you did and I am your brother, not some servant that I can't come and go as I like. Moreover, I was just giving Eve company as she was bored" he said while looking at Evelyn for support.

"Now that I am here and I am very much capable of taking care of my wife and when next time you are free, come to the office and share my load so I can spend some time with my wife. It's the least you can do" I said sarcastically.

Seeing a hot argument about to begin Evelyn interrupted and said "Mr. Evans he was giving me company. I am sorry if you don't like it. It won't happen again" I looked at her but she didn't meet my eyes she was nervously fiddling with her fingers.

Her not meeting my gaze made me unhappy I never thought I make her that uncomfortable, I was staring at her when Steven pulled her hands and said "Oh come on Eve this is not just his room it is yours too and if he can do what he feels like why not you?" 

I clenched my jaws but when she pulled her hands away I sighed in relief. I noticed how uncomfortable she was and so I said in my harsh tone "Seems like she doesn't agree with you, Steve. So leave and before you go close the door behind you".

He left angrily and banged my door closed.

I strode towards her and still when she didn't look at me. I sat at the chair previously occupied by Steven and lifted her chin with my hand and said "Evelyn did he make you uncomfortable"

She just shook her head in denial but the emotion in her eyes was not missed by me. I understood still she was not comfortable talking to me about her feelings so to divert the topic I said"Evelyn try to wake up by 3 am we have to leave tomorrow".

"Where are we going Mr. Evans?" She asked curiously.

"Well that is for me to know and for you to find out" I said smirking.

"But..." she said and but my one look from me and she shut her mouth. Before reaching home I had also asked Natalie, my fashion designer, to improvise Evelyn's wardrobe even though Evelyn looked beautiful in whatever she wore I wanted to make her feel beautiful and stylish. I want her to look best because whatever we are going to do the next few days, is going to be on front pages and that gonna boost my shares.  I wanted the world to have the picture-perfect image of our marriage and our tour to Bora Bora was going to be a step towards that.

And when all of this ruse will come to end I want people to think our married life was good and the decision to end it is our own mutual decision. My plan was perfect.

Evelyn's POV

After breakfast, I was going to my room when Steven came in front of me and said "Love how are you feeling today"

Whenever he uses this endearment it cringes me but I answered quickly"I am good. I am going to my room to rest" I added in order to get rid of him.

"Oh ok let me escort you" He said while pulling my hand into his and kissing it before wrapping it around his arm. Though initially, I tried to wriggle free from his grip tightened and since there was no one around I did not want to face his rage. He terrifies me but I could not avoid him being in this mansion.

As soon as my room came into the vision I yanked my hand from his loose grip when I stopped my struggle and opened the door to quickly enter it and was about to close it when he kept his shoe to stop my escape and said "Love seems like you are in a hurry to get rid of me"

"I want to rest Steven so I think you should go" I said gulping. He pushed the door open while holding my hand again and pulled me to him by the waist.

"Well that's where you are wrong, love. I want to be there when you are sleeping. I don't want to leave you unguarded while you are vulnerable" He said smiling.

That's what I fear Steven that you will misuse my vulnerability I thought.

"It's fine Steven. You must be having lots of work at the office than just babysitting me I think I am just going to sleep so you will get bored" I tried to move out of his hold.

"Well I will never get bored around you love" He said while cupping my face and was about to lean down to kiss my lips when I pushed him and went to my bed and laid there covering myself with sheets.

I expected him to yank my bed sheets and try to do something to harm me when he chuckled and said "Love you are very shy and that is so adorable about you". I stared at him for a while when he said "Love I guess you were going to take rest".

I nodded and laid down and faking sleep so that he will leave But I heard him drawing a chair near me. I faked for some time but when he touched my cheek and I turned my back to him to avoid his touch. I laid there like that for another 30 mins and then I heard the sound of door getting closed and so I got up thinking he left and sighed in relief and when I turned to my right he still perched on the chair.

"Love seems like you are not sleepy" He said amused.

I could not deny but said "I heard door getting closed so I got up from noise".

He smiled at my lie  and said "Love you are a bad liar" I looked at him nervously but then he said "let's talk love and get to know each other"

"I.. I don't want to talk" I replied. I anticipated him to get enraged and try to harm me.

But his composed demeanor was putting me on edge when he said"Fine let me talk about me then".

I nodded and he began telling me about his affairs in high school, college, office and even the one he had before arriving, he didn't censor his words while telling me about his adventures with the girls at his college or after graduation. This made me very uncomfortable but he kept going while looking at me.

Once he was done he looked at me intensely and held my hands and said "You know why I told you about all this Eve because as my women you should know how my past was. I told you how I didn't respect women before you and how I treated them like trashes. But know that even though I was a man whore I didn't felt the emotions for them as I do for you. I trust you not to betray me, love. I don't know what I will do if you do".

His sad expression then turned into a full-blown smile and he then pulled a chain from his coat pocket and said "Love I am giving you this chain as a token of my love and you have to promise you will not part with it in any condition".

"Steven I ... I don't want this... I am married to your brother... please don't do this to me" I said trying to tell him.

Immediately his expression turned dark and he pulled my hair and said "You forgot what I said the other day Love. You may be married to him but you are mine" Saying that he forcefully clasped the chain around my neck. He looked again at me as if I was his trophy.

Steven's POV

I heard the bedroom door open and seems like my savage brother got time to ruin my happiness.

"Steven I told you last time that you are not to enter my bedroom," He said with venom. It amused me that he didn't like it whenever I am near my love but she is the one for me and seeing him feel jealous not for him. 

So to get a reaction from him I said smirking while looking at Eve so that she would get along with my idea only to find her looking down at bedsheets "Well I don't think you did and I am your brother, not some servant that I can't come and go as I like. Moreover, I was just giving Eve company as she was bored" 

"Well I am here now and I am very much capable of taking care of my wife and when next time you are free to come to the office and share my load so I can have quality time with my wife. It's the least you can do" he said sarcastically.

I was about to give him a comeback when my angel spoke "Mr. Evans he was giving me company. I am sorry if you don't like it. It won't happen again" Her words pierced my heart and I looked at her but she didn't meet my eyes she was nervously fiddling with her fingers.

Her not lifting her eyes hurt me because she did not defend ourselves rather she was agreeing with my so-called brother as if she has done some mistake. I took this opportunity to assure her and pulled her hands and said "Oh come on Eve this is not just his room it is yours too and if he can do what he feels like why not you?"

I could see Richard losing his control but when she pulled her hands away quickly I also found him smirking and said "Seems like she doesn't agree with you, Steve. So leave and before you go close the door behind you". I didn't feel hurt because of Richard's harsh words but from her silence. 

I know he deliberately asked me to close the door indicating he has more control over her than me. But I also knew my sweet remained silent because she was afraid of him and not because she loves him. I got up and banged my door closed. But the thought that she didn't love him made me grin because I knew I have the chance, chance to have my happy ending with her and chance to ruin my brother also my worst enemy.

Evelyn's POV 

Once Steven left Mr. Evans came near me but I could not dare to look at him all I could do was stare at his shoes which were reducing the distance between us. I gulped and prepared myself for insults but he just  sat at the chair previously occupied by Steven and lifted my chin so I meet his eyes and asked in the most gentle tone "Evelyn did he make you uncomfortable"

I was momentarily surprised by his gentleness but how was I to trust him so I shook my head in denial. For a while, he stared at me as if assessing me but then he said "Evelyn try to wake up by 3 am we have to leave tomorrow".

I was baffled by this and asked "Where are we going Mr. Evans"

"Well that is for me to know and for you to find out" He said smirking.

I wanted to ask him about our pending divorce and this sudden outing was just not making sense so I tried asking "But..." 

The look he gave me was like a dare to ask me questions. I know he was not yelling at me for having another male in his bedroom but I did not want to anger him. So I shut my mouth.

I got up to pack when he said "Don't worry your luggage is packed. But seems like it's dinner time so let's have our dinner together".

Though it was not the first time I was having dinner with him and his family but seems like I was the center of attention. I could feel intense gazes focused on me,  Mr. Evans as if assessing me whether I am hiding something, my mother in law as if what is it that I have for Mr. Evans to marry a nobody like me, Steven's like a Predator. This all made me nervous and when it ended I sighed in relief only to have my thoughts focused as to why a sudden trip and that too with me.

I went to sleep and seems like time passes very fast when you have to get up in ungodly hours.

"Evelyn wake up we have to leave now" I felt him shaking my forearms. For a moment I didn't realize why he was waking me up but when he handed me a cup of hot coffee and saying to get ready.

I stared at him for a while taking the sip of coffee and it was awesome, but his sudden voice broke the trance when he said "Be quick Precious we have a flight to catch".

I finished the coffee and took a quick shower and dressed in jeans and a t-shirt for a comfortable stay during flight.

Once I was ready and got downstairs I noticed Mr. Evans was dressed in a simple T-Shirt and Jeans and he smiled at me and took my hand and escorted me to his car. We reached the airport in an hour and boarded a Private jet and by the time I was inside and seated I felt my eyes closing and when I opened my eyes I found myself on a bed and when I tried to get up I found an arm holding me tightly in place. I turned to the owner and found Mr. Evans sleeping next to me. This is the second time he is sleeping next to me but he never touched me before and this unnerved me. I don't know what's going on in his mind, but I am not liking him and his brother touching me whenever they feel like.

I pulled myself out of his grip which seemed to cause him to awake. I facepalmed myself when he said "Where are you going Evelyn".

"I want to freshen up Mr. Evans" I said trying to get out of bed.

But I felt him pulling me from my back and he said "Evelyn we have a long flight and I know you didn't have good sleep so come on rest some more".

"No Mr. Evans I...." I said but got pulled by him on the bed and he held me in place by holding my waist and then covering me with the blanket and said "No excuses and you are going to sleep till I say so".

I tried to wriggle out but his hold tightened and then he lifts his right leg over my torso as if daring me to try. His hold and weight restricted my movement but still, I didn't stop when he whispered in the crook of my neck "Please Evelyn I want to sleep give company to your husband".

I stiffened at his words but continued to struggle and after failing in my attempts to get out I finally gave up and dozed off.