Chapter 17

Eva extended the card to Victoria after she spoke. Victoria glanced at it, and her expression grew colder. Eva continued offering terms. "Plus, I'll have Leon cover your mother's medical expenses. We can discuss any other conditions you have." Victoria didn't understand why she was making these offers. "Why?" "What do you mean why?" Eva puzzledly asked. She seemed still caught up in her world. "Leon loves you enough. Why do you want me gone?" Victoria looked into her eyes and understood this former friend of hers well. "No one would want to share their partner, and I'm no exception. I can see that Leon still loves you, and as long as you're here, he'll never stop thinking about you." Eva withdrew the card and suppressed the emotions surging within her. Victoria didn't believe a word of it. If that were the reason, Eva could've set her up again like in college and ruined her reputation. Why would she only try to drive her away? "If you think the money isn't enough, name your price. I'll do my best to meet your demands." Eva felt uneasy under Victoria's gaze. "I'm not leaving," Victoria announced. Her roots were in Jonridge, and she hadn't done anything wrong, so why should she be the one to leave? "Edwin needs to attend school as well, and I need to take care of my mom." Eva started losing it. "Victoria!" If Victoria didn't leave, it was only a matter of time before Leon discovered the truth. If the two got together one day, and Victoria asked why he'd cheated, the secret would be out if he answered. Eva would never allow that to happen. Absolutely not! "Eva, what exactly are you so afraid of?" Victoria asked as she studied Eva's reaction. "The way you're acting right now is exactly how you acted back in college when you framed me and were terrified of getting exposed." Eva's heart clenched. "Are you hiding someone from me? Or did you lie to Leon about something?" Victoria knew well enough to suspect something. "You're overthinking it. I just don't want you in Jonridge. As long as you're here, Leon will never truly belong to me." Eva forced herself to stay calm. "When you got together with him, he must've told you about me." Victoria pointed out the flaw in her words. Leon wasn't the type to hide anything, and he must've told Eva he was married. The only difference was that Victoria refused to tolerate his infidelity, while Eva accepted it. "He did, but humans are selfish, aren't we? I don't want to share him with anyone, and I want him all to myself." Eva openly admitted it. Victoria pulled out her phone and tapped on it a few times. Eva's face turned into a look of horror as she instinctively tried to snatch it away. "What are you doing?" Victoria swiftly accessed the surveillance footage, clipped the conversation, and sent it to Leon. "I'm delivering your message to him. You don't want him to be distracted, and I don't want him bothering me either." She needed to take control of the situation. It was better to inform Leon about it rather than have Eva stir trouble behind her back. She no longer had patience for any unnecessary drama. "You can't!" Eva lunged forward to grab the phone. Leon had repeatedly warned her to talk to him if there was an issue, and no underhanded tricks were allowed. If he learned she'd tried to bribe Victoria into leaving, he'd despise her. "Sent." Victoria pocketed her phone and walked into the house. Staring at her as she left, Eva's fists clenched tightly at her sides. This was between them; why did Victoria have to drag Leon into this?