My head pounded with an unfamiliar ache as my eyes fluttered open. My sight was hazy for a moment but as soon as the fog cleared, my eyes widened.
Where was I?
What happened?
The memories came back like pieces of a puzzle, piecing themselves together and then came the heartache. Jake had left me for Tiffany, his first love. I had gone and drowned myself in my misery and had a one night stand with a stranger.
The running of water in the bathroom, informed me that I wasn't alone. The stranger was still here. My heart raced and my head ached even more.
Stumbling to my feet, I grabbed the remains of what used to be my dress and shrugged myself into them.
As I grabbed my bag and headed to the door, I heard the shower stop and then shuffling behind the door. The stranger was coming out already.
I had to get out of here. I couldn't have him getting any ideas. Besides, it would be even more shame for me if it got out that I had had a one night stand with a stranger.
My father would be even more disappointed than he was when I had gotten married to Jake against his will. Thinking of my father now, tears filled my eyes. He was right after all. Jake had been a big time jerk.
I dashed out of the room and stared around, trying to find the way to the club where my car was parked when my phone buzzed with a message.
Groaning, I pulled it out. There were numerous headlines carrying the news of my embarrassment by Jake yesterday. A knot formed in my stomach as I swiped the notifications away. Jake was my past now.
The remaining notifications were over thirty missed calls from a familiar number. My heart skipped a beat. Had they gotten the news as well?
My fingers trembled as I wondered what to do. My father wouldn't just call me for no reason. I hadn't gotten a single call from him since I willingly left and vowed not to return.
The phone rang again, making me jump slightly. It was him again.
I let it ring for a moment and picked it on the last ring, getting ready to hear him scream at me.
"Eva," an unfamiliar voice called. "Are you there?"
My heart skipped a beat. "Yes. Who is this and why do you have my father's phone?"
He was silent for a long moment before responding. "Eva, you have to come home. Your father just passed and he wants you to be around for his funeral. I'm sorry for the loss."
Shock racked my body like electricity as I gasped. "What?!"
"I'm really sorry, Eva. He just asked that you be contacted for the reading of his will. A car will be there to pick you up soon."
The phone slipped from my hands and crashed to the ground. I stumbled backwards from the weight of this news.
My father couldn't be dead. I didn't even apologise to him for rejecting his advice.
Tears filled my eyes as I sunk to the ground and wept. Jake had made me miss out on my father's dying moments.
I was a horrible daughter. I had abandoned my father a long time before I even got married to Jake. When he had gotten married to another woman after the death of my mother, I couldn't get over the betrayal. To make things worse, the woman, Cassandra and her children, Paul and Pauline, became a thorn in my flesh when he wasn't around.
They had turned his heart against me and made him believe I was a rebellious and ungrateful daughter who hated him.
This was why he had tried to force me to get married to his business partner but I had chosen Jake over him. My father did not take it lightly but when he threatened to disown me, I had as well left instead.
A loud honk drew me out of my sad bubble. It was a sleek black Rolls-Royce. I didn't argue as the door was opened to me and I was ushered in by a chauffeur.
I wondered why he had even given me an inheritance.
I guessed this was the point where my life took a complete turn for the better.
*
My father was buried in a private funeral ceremony and then it was time for the reading of the will.
A mild ache brewed in my stomach but I ignored it as I sat numbed in the living room. My stepmother and my step siblings barely said a word to me. They all glared in my direction, whispering not-so-subtly.
"I wonder why daddy had to tell Mr. Hart to invite her to the reading of his will."
"She practically abandoned him. She was never there when he was ill."
I tried to drown out their voices but it just got louder. I couldn't be more grateful when the lawyer stepped in followed by Mr. Hart, my father's PA.
"Thank you all for being present today. I will now proceed to read the will of Mr. White," the lawyer started once the pleasantries were done.
Cassandra, my stepmother's eyes lit up and she stared eagerly at the lawyer. Paul and Pauline also sat up, their anger replaced with excitement.
"To my beautiful children, Paul and Pauline, I give my cars and my first estate," the lawyer read and they squealed excitedly.
A sinking feeling enveloped my guts. My father had put his step children before me, his own daughter. I wondered if he even loved me at all. It was probably because I had abandoned him and married Jake. Why then was I here?
"To my beautiful wife, Cassandra, I give the houses in my second estate and my private jet."
Cassandra did not look too pleased. "That can't be all. What about his companies and the houses in his remaining ten estates?" She snapped at the lawyer.
"I was just getting there, ma'am," he assured her with a small smile. "The rest of my estates and villas, and the whole of Whitestone conglomerate goes to my daughter, Eva White. I trust her to handle it with her wisdom and take it to greater heights."
Before I could fully process the thoughts, a weird wave of sickness hit me and everywhere turned dark.
*
I awoke to the loud beepings of machines around me and the sterile smell of disinfectants.
There was no one beside me other than Mr. Hart.
"Ms. White. You're awake!" He breathed out in relief and ran to call the doctor.
I felt lightheaded as the doctor rushed in along with some nurses.
"What happened?" I managed to croak out.
The doctor offered me a warm smile before dropping the bombshell. "Congratulations, Ms. White. You are two weeks pregnant."
The rest of his words about me not taking too much alcohol to keep my child safe simply floated to my subconscious.
I was pregnant??! I was the CEO of a multi-billion dollar conglomerate?!