Betrayal by love

Damien sat in his dim room, the silence broken only by the air conditioner's hum. He held a worn photo of his father, Blackwood, whose death defined his life for 23 years. Memories of that day replayed in his mind: James's furious face, Serena's betrayal, and the shocking letter.

"Serena," he muttered. "Even after all these years, my anger hasn't faded." 

No matter how much time had passed, the pain and humiliation still burned. How could she have done this to your family? 

The weight of the past lingered, refusing to let him go.

Across the hall, in a sleek, dimly lit conference room, a projector buzzed softly as Nate sat at a wooden table, tapping his fingers. His eyes focused on the screen as a professional nearby delivered the slides calmly, detailing each aspect.

An image caught Nate's eye: a young woman with piercing eyes gazed back, her expression calm and understated. She looked too young for the mission.

The professional explained the mission: "Her name is Evangeline Winter, 19 years old and the second daughter of the Winters family. Your mission is to integrate into her life, charm her, earn her trust, and make her fall in love with you. Once she's emotionally attached, you are to break her heart. Your ultimate goal is to obtain sensitive details about her father's business. "

"Your passport, visa, and high school enrollment are completed. You will transfer as a student. Your cover details have been uploaded to your secure channel. If you have further questions, Damien Blackwood is in the next room. Nate dismissed the presenter with a nod, rising from his seat. 

The room fell silent. Evangeline's beautiful and elegant face lingered in his mind, her dark eyes daring him to act. Watching her photo, he began plotting the mission's complexities. His hand went to his temple, and a smirk spread across his lips. "Make her fall in love with me... It's not that complicated," he muttered. Adjusting his leather jacket, he strode toward his father's room.

In the next room, his father waited for him, his gaze as icy and unforgiving as steel. Nate spoke with confidence. "Dad, I understand the mission, and I will be with her soon."

His father's expression didn't soften. Instead, a flicker of revenge glimmered in his eyes. "She is the enemy's daughter, Nate. Don't let your feelings confuse your judgment. Be careful with your surroundings. Someone is watching every move."

Nate nodded. "Dad. I promise I won't let you down. Once they become an enemy, they stay that way."

"I know you never will, my son. They have to pay for what they did."

Nate didn't say anything else. His father turned and left the room. Hours later, Nate was on a flight to Texas in his plane, ready to start the mission that would entwine his fate with Evangeline Winter's.

Meanwhile, in a huge house surrounded by heavy security, Evangeline tossed a ball up and down in her hands, watching her father read a document on the sofa.

"Dad, I have a request. Please try to understand me. I don't want bodyguards. I'm fine on my own. If there's any problem, I'll just call Max," she said.

Her father, Ethan Winter, refused in a serious tone. "No, Eve. You don't understand. We have too many business enemies, and I can't be there to watch over you all the time. The guards are there to keep you safe, and they're helpful to you. Don't you remember what happened last year?"

"But Dad, you always keep mentioning business enemies, but I don't even know who they are. I just need some space. I don't want them hovering around me all the time. I want to be alone at home sometimes, without bodyguards watching me like a prisoner," she argued.

"You know why I do this, Eve. It's not just about your safety; it's about ensuring nothing happens to you. You're not a child anymore, but you're still my daughter," Ethan said.

She sighed, pleading. "Dad, okay... I just need two guards outside. I want to be alone inside. That'll be enough. Please."

Ethan hesitated, sorting a few things in his mind, then nodded. "Alright. Two guards. Call me if anything happens."

Evangeline kissed her dad happily. "It's a deal. That's my sweetest dad."

While Eve and her father exchanged their love, her mom, Serena, called out, "Lunch is ready, sweetheart. Come on, honey!" The three of them enjoyed their meal together, with her mom encouraging her, saying, "Eat healthy, don't skip classes, get home early, and most importantly, no night parties, Eve," teasing her in between.

That evening, Evangeline packed her things and boarded her family's plane to Texas. A mix of excitement and sadness lingered as she waved goodbye to her parents.

The next day, fresh air and sunlight streamed through the window. On the first day of the last semester, Evangeline was in her classroom with her two best friends, Lilly and Joe. They engaged in a lively conversation about their holiday experiences and shared the latest gossip. Everyone in class was roaming around, taking photos, and posting on I****am.

Suddenly, the door swung open, and the professor arrived, marking the beginning of class. After distributing some notes, before starting the lesson, a new face appeared in the doorway.

"Excuse me, sir," Nate said. Silence enveloped the room as he stepped inside.

Clad in a crisp white shirt, his tousled hair casually fell over his forehead. His blue eyes glanced at the classroom with confidence. With a defined jawline and a towering height of 189 cm, he captured everyone's attention. A playful smirk at the corner of his lips highlighted his undeniable presence.

The girls in the class couldn't help but whisper among themselves. "Wow, he's handsome!" one of them said. "He's mine," another teased, while someone else added, "No, he's my husband!"

Nate introduced himself in a confident tone. "My name is Nathaniel, but just call me Nate. I'm from New York."

On the other side of the room, Evangeline's friends, Joe and Lilly, exchanged looks. Joe leaned in and whispered, "He's totally my type." Lilly raised an eyebrow, adding, "He's every girl's dream."

Evangeline, who had been silently watching, rolled her eyes and sighed, her tone laced with irritation. "Don't judge a book by its cover. A person's appearance doesn't indicate their character. He's probably nothing but a manwh*re."

"Joe teased, "Jealousy, perhaps?"

"It's not really about jealousy, people find it hard to accept certain facts," Lilly laughed.

"You guys never change. Get a grip," Evangeline said with an annoyed smile.

Nate made his way to the back of the classroom, catching Evangeline's gaze for a moment. Their eyes locked. His smirk remained, while her expression revealed mild irritation. She rolled her eyes and looked away, her frustration mounting. She had no time for this distraction.

The class went smoothly. Every girl in the classroom enjoyed Nate's presence—except Evangeline.

At lunch, Evangeline walked with Lilly and Joe to the canteen, laughing and chatting. At the entrance, she spotted a familiar face and hugged him tightly, her smile genuine. Nate watched from across the room, observing their conversation.

Someone then extended a hand toward Nate, breaking his focus. "Hey, man. I'm Mike. I'm new too. Nice to meet you."

Nate looked at him, giving a brief nod. "I'm Nate."

"Are you waiting for someone?" Mike asked.

"No. Just walking around the campus and looking for the canteen," Nate replied.

"Oh! Do you wanna join me?" Mike asked, friendly.

Nate hesitated but had no choice. "Um... Yeah. Sure."

"Why the hesitation? I know all the girls' attention is on you now," Mike said.

Nate shrugged. "Not all."

Mike smiled. "You sure about that?"

Before Nate could reply, Evangeline's voice rang out, calling over to the guy she'd just hugged. "Hey, Aaron! Long time no see!"

Aaron smiled. "It's been a while. How was your trip to the native?"

"It was great! My mom would love it if you guys came over for the next holiday. You should think about it," Evangeline said.

"That sounds like a good idea," Aaron agreed.

Nate watched them while speaking with Mike, curiosity sparking, but someone called out to him before he could think much of it.

"Nate! Hey, Nate!" The voice was faint but familiar. He turned, and after seeing the face, his expression changed to shock. He hadn't expected him there.

"Kim? Wha... What the f*ck is he doing here?" Nate thought.

Mike, standing nearby, asked, "Who's that? You guys know each other?"