EVA'S POV
The moment I stepped out of the dining room, my lungs finally remembered how to breathe.
Harrison's mother didn't need to raise her voice to make her point—her eyes did all the talking. Cold. Calculated. Judging me from the roots of my hair to the soles of my borrowed slippers. She hadn't said much, but her tone screamed what her words didn't: You don't belong here.
And maybe I didn't.
I made my way back to the room I'd been given, gently rocking Naveen in my arms. He stirred but didn't wake, still snuggled against me like he trusted the world again. I envied that.
The room was warm, still scented with lavender from the soap I'd used the night before. I laid him in the crib again, this time layering some of the soft towels underneath so he wouldn't feel so out of place.
Then I sat at the edge of the bed and just… stared.
I didn't know what game Harrison was playing. He said he wanted nothing in return. He'd seen me stripped bare—literally—and still insisted on helping me. That wasn't normal. Not in the world I came from. Kindness always had a price. And yet, when he looked at me, I didn't see hunger. I saw restraint. Care. Something gentler than I'd ever known.
But then there was his mother.
Her entrance had shattered what Harrison was trying to build for me. For us. She was going to be a problem. I could feel it deep in my gut.
And the worst part? She hadn't even acknowledged Naveen. Not once. Just a passing glance, like he was some background noise.
I stood and went to the mirror. My robe clung to my frame, too big at the shoulders, revealing old bruises that hadn't faded completely. I tucked it tighter around me and lifted my chin.
This wasn't about luxury or pity. This was about survival.
I wasn't going to let anyone—not even Harrison's mother—make me feel small again.
A knock interrupted my thoughts. One of the helpers, a young woman with a kind smile and short curls that bounced when she spoke, poked her head in.
"Miss Eva? I'm here to take you and the baby shopping."
I nodded, gently lifting Naveen into my arms again. "Thank you."please give me sometime to get dressed
She smiled brighter. "I have a car ready. And don't worry—take your time."
As we walked down the hall, I glanced toward the staircase, half-expecting Harrison to appear. But he didn't. I wondered what he was thinking, whether he was already regretting having me here.
Or whether he was upstairs, still wrestling with the feeling I couldn't name between us.
The sun warmed my skin the moment I stepped outside. It was gentle, not like the burning heat I'd grown used to while running errands for Chad with a baby strapped to my chest. This heat felt… kind. Like maybe the universe was offering me a small break.
The car was already waiting. Sleek, black, and humming quietly as the chauffeur stepped out and opened the door for me. Naveen was still nestled against me, a little fussy but calm enough. I whispered to him as I climbed into the back seat.
"We're just getting a few things, baby. Something soft. Something clean. You deserve that."
The young woman from earlier—her name was Jasmine—slid in beside me with a warm smile. "We'll head to a few trusted shops first," she said. "They'll have everything you need for him. And for you too."
I nodded silently, watching the city shift past the window as we drove. It was strange seeing people live their lives normally—holding hands, sipping coffee, laughing into their phones. For so long, my days had been measured by how many hours I could go without crying or how little noise I could make to avoid being hit.one year of suffering felt like a life time.
We reached a small boutique tucked between a bakery and a children's bookstore. The storefront was painted a soft blue, and the window displayed pastel blankets and tiny shoes that made my heart clench.
Inside, everything smelled like lavender and baby powder.
Jasmine followed behind me, offering space but staying close enough that I didn't feel alone.
I picked up a tiny onesie that said Little Prince. My throat tightened.
"Is it too much?" I asked her.
"No," she replied gently. "It's not enough."
I chose carefully—soft pajamas, bottles, wipes, some cloth diapers, and a warm blanket with moon and star prints. When we reached the checkout counter, Jasmine handed the cashier a card without even blinking.
"Mr. Harrison said not to worry about cost," she said. "
We stopped at one more store—this time for me. Jasmine handed me a few outfits to try on. Nothing flashy. Just clean, simple, warm clothes that didn't have holes or the scent of alcohol and despair baked into them. I took my time in the dressing room, looking at myself in the mirror.
The bruises were still there, but I could finally see me again beneath them.
When we finished, Jasmine had everything packed up neatly. She even got Naveen a stuffed frog that looked just like Prince Naveen from the movie I loved as a child.
"You picked that on purpose," I said with a smile.
"I did"she said,"
We drove back in silence, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Just peaceful.
I leaned back in the seat, one hand on the frog, the other on Naveen's back as he slept quietly.
For the first time in a long, long while… I didn't feel like I was running.