Betrayal by love

The classroom was filled with chatter as students waited for their professor. A girl with wavy brown hair went to Nate's chair.

"Hey, Nate," she began, "I'm Lisa. I'm hosting a home party this weekend and I want to invite you. You must come, okay? And bring your friends too."

Nate nodded politely and smiled back at her, but his thoughts were elsewhere. Is that necessary for me right now? he wondered. Then a second thought struck him. Wait… what if Evangeline comes to this party?

Mike's friend Jake explained to them, "Lisa's the one who throws those popular monthly parties. Everyone loves them because she's got that friendly, easygoing vibe. She knows how to make people feel welcome, and that's what makes her parties so successful."

Mike nodded, the excitement in the room was noticeable everyone was already looking forward to the first party of the year.

Across the room, Evangeline overheard the conversation. Lisa turned to her with the same cheerful energy. "You too, Evangeline. Bring your friends!"

Evangeline shrugged. "Why not?"

The professor entered, and the room quieted immediately. Everyone listened intently as the teacher began his favorite lecture. Nate appeared to be paying attention, but his thoughts kept drifting back to the party, his mind already plotting his next move.

Later that afternoon, Max sat in a conference room, pretending to listen to the meeting. His focus, however, kept drifting to the confident woman sitting across the table. She had a natural grace, with a calm presence and a bright smile that made everything else seem less important. She's... different, Max thought.

"Does anyone have any questions?" the presenter asked everyone, breaking Max's thoughts.

Max smirked, raising his hand. "Yes, I do. Why are we sticking with the current material? If we invest in higher-quality components, it might raise costs slightly but would visibly improve the product's efficiency and duration".

"That's true sir, but the production costs would increase circularly, and this one makes everyone affordable."

Max confidently approaches, "Quality always pays off in the long run. Let's focus on it's worth it."

Selena scans at him, nodding to his statement "He's got a point," calmly.

The room shifted, discussions beginning to buzz with excitement as everyone agreed on his point. As the meeting adjourned, people stood up, gathering their things. Selena stood too, and Max couldn't help but notice the way she moved nimble but positive, like someone who knew exactly where she was going.

She walked over to him, offering a smile, " I liked your idea," she said, extending her hand. "I'm Selena."

Max shook her hand strongly. "Max. Nice to meet you."

Feeling a strong connection, Max suggested, "I'd like to discuss your company sponsoring us. Please reach out anytime." Just as he was about to share more ideas, Selena's phone buzzed in her pocket continuously.

She glanced at the screen, her expression shifting slightly, before excusing herself with a polite smile. "Excuse me for a moment," she said as she stepped aside to take the call. 

Max watched her leave, a smirk on his lips as he pondered what had happened. This will be interesting, he thought, anticipating their next interaction.

Later that evening, Nate sat back on his chair, reflecting on the invitation he had received. "I was invited to a party by a classmate," he said, his voice thoughtful. "I think it's the perfect chance to talk to Evangeline and gain trust. What do you think Kim?"

"Yes, it's the perfect opportunity and you don't have any idea how to dress and impress her." teased him with an innocent smile.

Nate sarcastically, "Hey KIM!!!!!! May you be older than me, but in flirting with a woman I am a senior to you."

"Gwenchana, Gwenchana", Kim smiled 

The room grew quiet for a moment before Nate's tone shifted. "Still, something feels off. My dad gives me this mission without a proper explanation. Why me? He could've sent anyone. It's like there's something he's not telling me."

Kim opened his laptop, looking proud. "I've got some data on Ethan's background," he said, turning the screen toward Nate. "Ethan has two kids. The eldest is Maximilian and he is 23, the same age as you. Runs five companies, owns two villas, and has a net worth of 20 billion." 

Nate raised an eyebrow. "Twenty billion? Just him?" 

"Yep," Kim said with a nod. "And Ethan and his wife own 12 companies together. Then there's the youngest, Evangeline. She doesn't do much yet; she's still a student. Probably planning something big for the future." 

"That's crazy," Nate said. "We need to find a way into their company." 

Kim shook. "Yeah, but we can't rush this. We need the right opportunity." 

"First, we need to know more about their past," Nate added. 

"Agreed," Kim said. "I'll dig into their history, but it'll take some time." 

Nate glared. "Take your time. The more we know, the better prepared we'll be." 

Kim returned to his laptop, focused on uncovering more about Ethan and his family. Nate gazed absently at a family photo on the desk, his thoughts clouded with doubt and determination.

Meanwhile, Emiko carefully laid Damien's suit on the bed. She glanced at her husband, who was standing by the window, his shoulders tense and his gaze distant.

"You've been quiet lately," she said gently, walking over to him. "Is something bothering you, honey? I can tell. I'm your wife, Damien. You can talk to me."

Damien looked up at her, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek. "I know, sweetheart. You care about us, about this family. But things are complicated right now—work, Nate's mission... it's all a lot.

Emiko folded her arms, her tone calm but questioning. "Do you think you're doing the right thing? You always said family comes first. Now, it feels like…" She hesitated. "It feels like you've changed, Damien."

Damien's expression darkened. "Don't bring her up, Emiko. She's a cheater and a backstabber. She's not family anymore."

"I know it was hard to accept but She's still family," Emiko said quietly with sadness. "She made a huge mistake but how did her daughter get punished for her mother's mistake Let her go, Dami. Just let her go. We have everything, We have a beautiful family and that is all we want."

Damien stood silent, He grabbed his briefcase without a word, walked to the door, and left the room.

As the door clicked shut, Emiko took a deep breath. "One day, he would understand himself. She was like a sister to me. We're all responsible for what happened. And no matter what, I want this family to find its way back together—like the old days."

In the evening during sunset, a refreshing breeze swept through the streets. The car pulled up to Evangeline's house, and Aaron got out, holding a box of food his mother had made. He pressed the intercom button at the gate. 

The bodyguard's voice came through the speaker. "Who are you?" 

"I'm her friend," Aaron replied. "Just tell her it's Aaron." 

The bodyguard made a call to Eve, and after a moment, Chris, the house manager, confirmed. "She said to let him in." 

As Aaron walked in, Evangeline came out of her room and into the hall. She looked surprised but happy. "Hey, Aaron! What's the matter?" 

Aaron smiled, watching her calmly, "My mom made dinner for you, and she wants you to come over to our house if you're free." 

Evangeline with excited and happy. "Oh, that's so sweet of her!" She hugged him warmly. "I missed your mom's care, especially during the holidays." 

Aaron gives a compliment "You Look cute when you are excited about food "

Eve, "Hey, Aaron..."

he smiled, "Okay, okay, we can catch up while eating. Let's sit down." 

They sat at the dining table, enjoying the food. Evangeline couldn't stop complimenting it. "Your mom is the best cook ever. This is amazing!" 

Aaron grinned and watched her eating. "She'll be happy to hear that." 

After a while, Aaron glanced at the time. "Alright, Eve, I've got to head home. It's getting late." 

Evangeline frowned slightly. "It's already dark out. You should stay the night."

Aaron refused, but his mind wanted to stay. "It's fine, I can manage." 

Evangeline with puppy eyes. "Alright..." suddenly she remembers about the party," Hey, Aaron my friend Lisa is hosting a party this weekend. Want to come?" 

Aaron paused for a moment. "This weekend?" he wondered. I have one important task; how can I tell her that I want to come but can't? 

"Yeah," she said, hopeful. 

Aaron opened his mouth to give his answer but, suddenly