"I didn't kill him, I loved Vince...." I cried weakly and shivered, cowering in a corner and praying these people would stop water-boarding me.
"She's still not talking" someone said, and I tried to adjust my eyes to the darkness and find the people doing this.
My body was tired of crying, and I was about to pass out, but I turned and threw up on the hard floor.
I heard a loud sigh. "Okay, we're doing this the hard way", they said, "Bring the battery."
That didn't sound good and my heart rate spiked. I was cold, wet and hungry. That was too much.
"What? Please no, Stop, I'm innocent!" I started to cry again.
"We will electrocute you to death if you don't tell us how you killed Vince Sterling", one man threatened, and that increased my tears.
"I didn't kill him, who are you guys?" My eyes sank into the darkness.
"She's still running her mouth" one man chuckled.
"Alright, do it" another said.
"What, please no! No! No!" I screamed. "Get away from me!"
I heard the door open, but there was still no light.
What time was it?
How long has it been?
"Is she alive?" the new voice asked.
"Yes"
"Keep it that way," he said.
"Hey Eva, tell us why you killed Vince". This new person asked me the same question the other men had been asking for the past few hours.
"I did no such thing, it was my brother, Kings..."
"Shut her up" he snapped.
"No, please, stop, please!" I cried and felt my body zap with sparks.
I faded into nothingness.
*****
24 Hours earlier
Smiling heavily and fixing my newly made hair, I dropped the groceries on the kitchen table and hurried to my husband's study.
He wasn't there, so I rushed to the store where he always worked on his machines whenever he was bored.
I wanted Vince to tell me how nice my hair looked and maybe, just maybe, we could have a repeat of last night.
He had made my body rock with orgasms and had me screaming his name and when I had flashbacks, my legs clenched.
I tried to hide my pink cheeks and control my smile.
"I heard you're about to divorce little Miss stupid, you've had your fill of her already?" I heard a very familiar voice when I got to the door and I stopped in my tracks.
"Take your words back, Kingsley, that's unacceptable in my house", I heard Vince say and felt proud for a moment that someone apart from Kord was standing up for me against my horrible brother.
Leaning in closer, I started eavesdropping.
"Pardon me mister, I was talking about your lovely wife, Eva. I heard you're planning a divorce. You got bored?" I could hear the mockery in Kingsley's voice.
"Hand me the screwdriver, will you? And no, I've been too selfish and angry. I didn't see how I was damaging her. I've done too much, I have to let her go. Once I find a good nurse, I'll finalize the divorce", Vince said, and every excitement in my body quickly vanished.
He was serious about the divorce. I meant nothing to Vince.
My soul was crushed, but I couldn't move my feet to walk away from their conversation.
"Wow, I mean, we all expected the divorce, but this soon? Are you sure she learned her lesson?" Kingsley said.
He was selfish and greedy enough to sell me off to a man that didn't want me because of money.
"There's no lesson to be learned, Kingsley. Eva is a good person. I should apologize for what I've made her go through these past months because of me. She fainted from the stress of taking care of me. I've been a terrible person and right now the divorce is the best option. As much as I like her being around, and I love her cooking, I have to let her go. The divorce will be…." Vince was explaining calmly when he was rudely cut off.
"What do you mean you're divorcing her? Are you forgetting what she did to you? You are a cripple because of her!" Kingsley's voice went up, and I knew he was on his way to a nasty outburst.
"Grab a drink and stop screaming buddy," Vince continued calmly.
"She did nothing. The engagement to Michelle was a mistake, and I'm more than happy now that Eva stopped it, mistake or not", Vince said and Kingsley chuckled dryly.
"That piglet", I heard him curse and I gasped slowly.
"That's my wife you're talking about, Kingsley. Watch your mouth, and she's your sister for God's sake", Vince warned.
"Chill man, you know I was joking. When did you become such a softie? Besides, you know she's adopted, it's not like..."
"She's my wife and your sister. There's supposed to be some certain level of respect when you speak about her" Vince called him out and Kingsley laughed.
"I respect her enough, she's just too... dumb for my liking" he pressed and Vince sighed.
"Don't talk about her like that, Kingsley, that's my last warning. If you say anything insulting towards her again, I'll throw you out of my house, friendship or not", Vince said. "Now, hand me the screwdriver."
I was a little happy. Vince didn't love me, but he cared about me enough to defend me in my absence.
I knew Kingsley would be seething with anger since he didn't have the chance to bully me like always.
"I cannot believe this!" he yelled. I was right. "She planned all this, the failed engagement and you have lost your manhood...!"
"Lost my manhood...? What the fuck has gotten into you Kingsley?" Vince sounded genuinely surprised at his friend.
"Eva has been in love with you all her life, she fantasizes about you. She's been clawing her way to get to you", Kingsley continued.
"I don't see how that's a problem. We all fall in love", Vince said, still calm.
"She wants your money, Vince! She's using you, keep her and teach her a lesson", Kingsley lied.
"Is this about my money, or you just don't care for your sister?"
"I don't give a fuck about that ugly thing. I just want her to pay for what she did to you! Look how pathetic you've become in a wheelchair begging to be fed and handed things" Kingsley cursed, and my hand flew to my chest.
Kord was right, Kingsley hated Vince.
His tone was laced with hatred and anger, and I was surprised Vince was still calm.
He finally spoke up "You crossed the line, get out of my house."
"What? You can't possibly be serious! Chasing me out because of that useless little thing?!" Kingsley was yelling too loudly now.
"I'll have security escort you out, and I never want to see your face again. Also stay away from my wife..."
"Or what?" Kingsley said coldly. "What are you going to do, Vince?"
"You think you are better than me because of your money or power? You stupid fool! I am a Van Cleve and if not for some certain circumstances, I would still be bigger than you. You are a thief, you stole Michelle from me only to lose her like a coward, and now you're pinning after a girl who's supposed to be wiping your shoes!" My brother spewed hateful words at me and my husband.
Vince laughed for the first time since the argument started.
"Even in this chair, you'll never be me or better than me Kingsley. I now see you for who you are. Nothing but a disgrace to your family and our friendship. Michelle chose me over you and even after she left you still can't have her".
"Instead your miserable self is here leeching off me and getting benefits from my name!" Vince fired back at Kingsley and I almost cracked a smile.
"Get out of my house, Kingsley!" Now Vince sounded angry. "Now!!!!"
Kingsley was silent.
"You are no longer my friend and I will let everyone know the kind of person you are..." before he could finish his speech, I heard a loud crash.
Kingsley screamed at the tip of his voice and I heard a struggle.
When I pushed the door open in haste, Vince was no longer in his wheelchair.
He was bleeding on the floor and Kingsley was over him with a screwdriver, stabbing his stomach repeatedly.
"No, no, no! Get away from him!" My loud shriek brought Kingsley back to his senses.
He stood up and backed away from Vince's body.
"I didn't mean it" he gasped, covered in blood.
"You killed him!" I cried and dropped to my husband's body, gently cradling his limp head in my hands. "What did you do?!!!"
"Shut up!"
"Vince, honey, wake up please!" I caressed his bloodied face.
"Murderer!" I attacked Kingsley while crying.
I hurriedly pulled out my phone to call the police, but my world came to a sick stop.
My head banged with a painful headache after the blow it received, and I dropped to the floor next to my husband. My phone fell out of my hand.
"Is he dead? I don't want to go to jail" I heard Kingsley panicking to someone else.
"You won't"
It was Kaitlyn.
I lost consciousness.
******
Tatiana was dressed in black, her eyes swollen as she stared at me with pure anger.
"Tatiana, I loved Vince, I would never try to harm him..." I sniffed, crying weakly.
"You ruined his engagement to Michelle" she accused.
"It was a mistake, I … I … loved him..."
"You took my son from me! All because of jealousy! You deserve to die!" Tatiana cried and pointed a sharp finger at me.
"Tatiana, believe me…"
"Shut your filthy mouth, you cheap liar! For what you did, I'm going to pay you back!" She slapped me harshly.
"I didn't kill Vince", I sobbed and cradled my face.
"You knew he was going to divorce you, so you killed him, all because you wanted his money!" Tatiana continued.
"What? No! I did no such thing! I would never…."
"Explain how six hundred million dollars is missing from one of his accounts, Eva!" She cried.
"It's not me, Tatiana, please", I tried to plead my innocence.
"And the Chanel bag you have worth over millions? It's a limited edition", she pushed.
"Vince gifted me that"
"What?" Tatiana laughed in mockery. "Vince never knew you existed, he hated you!"
"He was angry…. It wasn't hate" I said, and she raised her hand to silence me.
It did.
"I see you're pregnant with my grandchild, you'll never see it grow!"
"Don't do this…"
"That baby will carry the Sterling family's name, but you will be non-existent in its life."