章 4: In Her Place.

After the Hargraves and the Moores finalized the wedding date and discussed all the necessary details, the Hargraves took their leave.

As Evelina gathered the teacup Mr. Hargrave had used, Claire turned to Maya with a triumphant smile.

"Can you believe it? I managed to catch the attention of the most unapproachable businesswoman in the country... and now she wants her first son to marry you. I'm thrilled! I made sure to bring you up in our conversation—this is the result of my hard work."

"You've done well, Claire," Richard agreed with a satisfied nod. "Once Maya marries into the Hargrave family and takes over as CEO, our company will have a partnership with the top business in the country. We'll be unstoppable."

Maya's jaw tightened as she listened, irritation simmering beneath her polite smile. So this is what they want. These two sneaky old hags, ruining my plan. She forced her clenched fists to relax, smoothing her dress as she replied, "Mother, you could have told me about this sooner... And isn't Mrs. Hargrave's first son rumored to be ugly, even disfigured? Would you really want your daughter to marry someone like that?"

As Evelina headed to the kitchen, she couldn't help but let out a faint sigh of relief. Doesn't Maya know Father would do anything for money? For once, I'm glad I wasn't the one chosen to lead the company.

Back in the living room, Claire and Richard exchanged a look.

"No one has seen him up close," Richard said dismissively. "Not all rumors are true."

Maya's stomach churned, but she quickly feigned hesitation. "But we can't be certain, Father... I don't want to make any decisions I'll regret for the rest of my life."

Richard's tone hardened, his expression unyielding. "This marriage is for the good of the company. As the soon-to-be CEO, you need to do whatever is necessary to ensure our success."

Maya's nails dug into her palm as she forced a small, obedient smile. "Yes, Father."

"Good," Richard said, his voice softening. "After your wedding, I'll hold a press conference to officially appoint you as CEO." With a satisfied nod, he left the room.

Once he was gone, Maya turned to her mother, her tone shifting to a quiet plea. "Mother, I don't want to marry the Hargraves' son."

Claire's expression tightened, and her voice was cold. "You don't have a choice, Maya. The marriage is already set. You know the Hargraves' reputation—backing out now would be a grave insult to them."

As Claire left the room, Maya stood motionless for a moment, her mind racing. She bit her thumb in frustration, the pressure grounding her as anger bubbled beneath the surface. I never wanted marriage. All I wanted was the CEO position and the inheritance, to make Evelina serve me. Now Father is practically selling me off to a disfigured man.

She closed her eyes, taking a slow breath. When she opened them, her gaze fell on Evelina, who had just left the kitchen.

Maya's lips curled into a sly smirk, her eyes narrowing. Maybe there's a way out of this after all. Perhaps Evelina can be of use.

A few days later,

The night before the wedding, Maya disappeared.

Claire's panic was immediate and palpable. She paced back and forth in the living room, her phone pressed tightly to her ear as she dialed Maya's number yet again.

"What was she thinking?!" Claire muttered under her breath, barely able to contain her anger. When the line disconnected with a familiar automated message—"This number is currently unreachable"—she groaned in frustration.

Her hands trembled as she threw her phone onto the coffee table and slumped onto the sofa, burying her face in her hands. "Where could she be?!" she muttered to herself, running her fingers through her hair.

Evelina stood silently nearby, her arms crossed as she observed Claire's frantic state.

Maya ran away... I thought she might do something reckless, but this? This is a new level of insanity, Evelina thought, her lips tightening. A strange, bitter satisfaction flickered in her chest as she watched Claire unravel.

For a brief moment, Evelina relished the sight—her stepmother, always so composed and commanding, reduced to a desperate mess. But the feeling was fleeting. She quickly scolded herself, shaking her head. I shouldn't feel this way. I should know better.

Claire's head snapped up suddenly, her eyes locking onto Evelina. The sharpness of her gaze made Evelina's stomach drop.

Please don't tell me to look for her, Evelina prayed silently, but the dread in her chest only grew when Claire stood and approached her.

Before Evelina could react, Claire grabbed her by the shoulders, her grip tight and unrelenting. Evelina froze under the weight of her stare, her wide eyes reflecting Claire's barely-contained frustration.

"You need to find Maya for me," Claire demanded, her voice trembling with both fear and fury. "Now. That's an order."

Evelina's heart sank. She really doesn't know how to ask nicely, does she?

When Claire finally let go of her shoulders, her expression darkened further. "If you don't find her, Evelina," she hissed, her voice low and venomous, "I will make your life even more miserable than it already is. Do you understand me?"

Evelina sighed softly, suppressing the urge to retort. Instead, she nodded, keeping her face carefully neutral. "I'll go find her," she said quietly, her tone devoid of emotion.

Without waiting for a response, Evelina turned and walked toward the door.

On her way out , Evelina approached her car as she thought, ' how am I going to find her ?'

Evelina then reached for her phone, quickly pulling up the GPS app. Maya's location pinged, and Evelina's brow furrowed in surprise—Maya was at the airport.

"Does she plan on leaving the country ?" Evelina murmured under her breath. Without wasting another second, she entered her car and started the engine.

Now, Evelina was driving through the city streets, as she thought. This is crazy, Maya couldn't be serious about this. She couldn't just run away. Not when everything had been set in motion.

Arriving at the airport, Evelina parked hastily and rushed inside, her heels clicking sharply against the polished floors. She scanned the crowd, her heart hammering in her chest, her thoughts racing. She has to be here. But where exactly?

Finally, she spotted her, Maya stood near a checkpoint, her head bent slightly as she whispered to someone. Evelina's breath caught when she recognized him—Liam.

Evelina's heart felt like it stopped, then restarted with a painful thud. She couldn't move, her legs locked in place as the scene unfolded before her.

The realization struck her like a blow to the chest. Maya's planning to leave with Liam? My fiancé?

Liam leaned closer to Maya, his expression soft and... intimate. She said something that made Liam smile—a smile Evelina hadn't seen in years.

Her mind raced. Why? Why would she do this? Doesn't she want the CEO position? This marriage was supposed to be her golden ticket.

For a moment, Evelina's mind screamed at her to act, to shout, to run after them. But she still stood frozen, rooted to the spot by the weight of betrayal. Her lips trembled.

I thought as much. I knew she'd break her promise. She always does. But I still wanted to trust her. I should have known better.

Her fingers curled into fists, her nails digging into her palms as she tried to steady herself. The world around her blurred, the noise of the airport reduced to a distant hum. All she could see was Maya walking away, one step at a time, until she disappeared through the checkpoint with Liam by her side, disappearing from view.

Evelina finally took a shaky breath, her body trembling as she stepped back. She clutched her chest, the ache almost unbearable. What do I do now?

---

Back Home

Evelina returned to the house late that evening, her face pale, her expression blank. Claire and Richard sat in the living room, their tense conversation halting the moment Evelina walked in.

"Well?" Claire demanded, standing abruptly. "Did you find her?"

Evelina hesitated. She glanced at her father, then back at her stepmother. "She's... gone."

Claire's eyes widened, her hand flying to her chest. "What do you mean gone? Where did she go?"

"She left the country," Evelina said quietly, her voice devoid of emotion.

"Left the country?" Richard's voice boomed, his face turning red with anger. "How dare she! How could she abandon her responsibilities like this?"

Evelina swallowed hard, forcing herself to meet their gazes. "I don't know why she did it. She just... left."

"You're lying," Claire snapped, stepping closer. "What aren't you telling us?!"

'There's no need for me to keep my end of the bargain.'

Evelina's mask cracked, her shoulders sagging as she whispered, "She was with Liam."

The room fell into a stunned silence. Claire staggered back, sinking into the nearest chair. Richard's fists clenched at his sides, his expression a mix of rage and disbelief.

"With Liam? Liam Hayes?" Claire echoed weakly. "Your fiancé?"

Evelina nodded, her throat tightening. She didn't trust herself to say more.

Richard let out a low growl, pacing the room. "That ungrateful girl! She's ruined everything—everything we've worked for!"

Claire buried her face in her hands, shaking her head. "We can't let this get out. If the Hargraves find out Maya abandoned the wedding, they'll destroy us. And Liam... what will his family say?"

Here's an edited version with suggestions for improving flow, emotional depth, and impact:

Evelina stood in the center of the room, her hands trembling at her sides. Every nerve in her body screamed for release—to cry, to shout, to demand why this burden always fell on her shoulders. Yet, the weight of their expectations held her in place.

Instead of breaking, she forced herself to breathe, her voice cold and steady. "I'll fix this."

Richard looked up sharply, his eyes a storm of desperation and fragile hope. While Claire scoffed and glared at Evelina.

"How?" he demanded. "What could you possibly do now?"

Evelina hesitated for a second, her decision settling like iron in her chest. 'Disfigured or not, I don't really care, I have no choice. If I don't step up, they'll destroy Mom's company. And I need it intact once I take it back.'

Her resolve hardened.

"I'll marry into the Hargrave family," she said, her voice unwavering. "In Maya's place."

A subtle smirk formed on Evelina's lips.