'When everything else fails, when you feel like the darkness closing in on you, you will be able to see a sliver of light. It's called hope dear. Wherever you are, however you are, do not let go of that hope. Do not let go of that sliver of light and it will pull you out of your misery...'360Please respect copyright.PENANADoPLdDnTlZ
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"Eve?"360Please respect copyright.PENANAB6jKvlxHQP
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Her eyes opened, staring at herself on the mirror. The little yellow bulbs along the top of the mirror glowed on her damp face. She leaned down again, cupping some water into her palms and washed her face.360Please respect copyright.PENANABDNKvvpH0u
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Eve used her hankie to dry her face and sighed, tying her hair into a pony tail and adjusted her knee length vine red dress and palmed the small oval shaped fire opal locket of the gold chain around her neck.
"Are you alright?"
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She felt her best friend's hand in her bare shoulder. Eve appreciated her concern but she genuinely didn't want to burden her with her pathetic life.360Please respect copyright.PENANAd93ntGGaHe
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"I'm fine", she said, more to herself. She needed to assure herself that she was fine eventhough it was a lie. 360Please respect copyright.PENANAuI93YSQsxo
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"Let's go", Eve smiled at her bestfriend and walked out of the washroom. She took the short hallway that led to the hall where the main event was going on. 360Please respect copyright.PENANAFOuZlG0V9X
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People greeted her, complimenting her about the beautiful cake that she made for the newly engaged couple. Most of the people present were businessmen since both the couples' parents are known businessmen. Some even requested for her business card.360Please respect copyright.PENANAZtxUt8Mjqj
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"At least you got something beneficial out of this engagement"360Please respect copyright.PENANA5mgMgG88qc
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Sam muttered beside her, blue grey eyes shooting daggers at the couple who was dancing to the soft piano music. Rene was wearing an off shoulder navy blue mermaid dress that showed off her curves and Daniel wore a suit that matched Rene's. They looked so happy together and a pang of pain hit her chest like a knife.360Please respect copyright.PENANAHN9U21g42V
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She had dreamed of this very moment with him. A future that she built carefully,only for it to be shattered suddenly.360Please respect copyright.PENANAUaamunZN6V
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Like glass.360Please respect copyright.PENANAaT2OK6s325
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"Genevieve?"360Please respect copyright.PENANAy272kDOZ8L
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Eve snapped out of her thoughts and looked to her side. Talia Evans was staring her with wide green eyes that Daniel inherited. She looked stunning in her purple floor length dress, her dark blonde hair pulled into a tight bun. 360Please respect copyright.PENANAjmozntlcN9
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"Hey", Eve smiled at her. She had met Talia a few times when she was dating Daniel and she was a genuinely pleasant woman.360Please respect copyright.PENANABk5J5F4R9N
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"I- I didn't knew he invited you"360Please respect copyright.PENANALybZFEbELL
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She breathed out and soon, she was hugging Eve. Sam stood to the side, awkwardly drinking her white wine. 360Please respect copyright.PENANAb3LzTV6lf3
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"Oh he didn't. Rene is a close friend of mine", Sam snickered beside her and Eve ignored it. "She requested me to do a cake for the auspicious occasion"360Please respect copyright.PENANAw2nesQHE4I
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She didn't meant to but the last few words came out a bit harsh and Talia's eyes grew sad.360Please respect copyright.PENANAAHamBxKaRw
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"Genevieve if I knew what his father was planning-"360Please respect copyright.PENANAdt0YZjK1j1
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"It's fine Talia. It's not like your son isn't happy with his father's decision"360Please respect copyright.PENANAjkdOvY2Icc
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Her eyes floated over to where Daniel and Rene was sharing a kiss. Of course, he looked genuinely happy to be with someone more beautiful and a high social status. 360Please respect copyright.PENANAUujWxIIyJk
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Eve looked back at the woman. Her green eyes were glossy and Eve felt bad. Before Eve could say something, another enthusiastic voice called out to her.360Please respect copyright.PENANAwGwa3DJ2EI
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"Just great", Sam groaned and quickly emptied her glass of wine and escaped the scene saying something about refilling her glass. Eve restrained herself from strangling her best friend and smiled warmly at Rene who was walking towards her with a huge smile, Daniel in tow.360Please respect copyright.PENANAvOa8bIQkCV
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"My goodness Eve! The cake was ah-mazing!"360Please respect copyright.PENANA3KhJbD4wnz
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She squealed, hooking her arm around Daniel's. He tried to smile at her but dropped it the moment he saw the cold fire in her cerulean eyes. 360Please respect copyright.PENANAl6UQBmiNF2
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"I'm glad to hear you loved the cake, Rene", she smiled and glanced at Daniel. "And congratulations too"360Please respect copyright.PENANATXOdRWM17q
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He remained silent while Rene giggled, thanking her and reached over to plant a kiss on his cheek. Talia shifted uncomfortably by her side. 360Please respect copyright.PENANAxYXTLgaPt8
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"I know Eve. And congratulations to you too. I swear everyone thought you were crazy to abruptly drop out of collage", she laughed. "But look where that brought you? A successful woman owning a bakehouse"360Please respect copyright.PENANAQFHrOXio7L
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Eve didn't bother to correct her. The bakehouse was still not fully hers. The owner of the building was an old hag who just wouldn't budge. 360Please respect copyright.PENANAbXhKSZIlWM
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"Yeah", she mumbled and checked her wrist watch. Half past nine. The usual time to close the bake house/ coffee shop was at 10 and it would take her roughly half an hour to reach there. 360Please respect copyright.PENANAZOGk680oRF
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"I will take my leave now", she smiled at them, deliberately avoiding Daniel and turned on her heels. Sam was no where to be found and Eve pressed her lips into a thin line. She forgot to take her phone and Dana was her ride back home.360Please respect copyright.PENANAn5xBtlEUww
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"That woman", she muttered under her breath pushing open the double doors that led out of the main hall. She walked through the narrow dimly lit hallway, muttering obscenities under her breath, most of them aimed at Sam and a few at Daniel and turned a corner, walking straight into someone's chest.360Please respect copyright.PENANAdykuT26INR
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Eve stumbled back, not realizing that her locket had somehow got stuck on the guy's jacket. Her movements were abrupt. It snapped.360Please respect copyright.PENANA0wlvbXtcgx
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Breath got knocked out of her chest when she fell on her butt unceremoniously. She ignored the dull ache on her backside and gaped at the chain that was now dangling from his jacket.360Please respect copyright.PENANARscPmJzaI9
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The guy whose dirty blonde hair was in a messy top knot, frowned at the thin chain and locket dangling from his black jacket. Eve struggled to push back the tears that burned her eyes and climbed back to her feet.360Please respect copyright.PENANAiPjDH6sD3f
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He took the chain off gently and stared down at the fire opal locket that now rest upon his palm, then his eyes flicked over to her face. His frown deepened, a confused look crossing his brown eyes. His neatly trimmed beard made him look older, but he looked around thirty and she had no idea who this guy was. A business man maybe?360Please respect copyright.PENANAgr8Ou4b86j
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"Um-", she started but stopped herself when a hard look replaced the confusion on his face. He thrust his hand forward. "It snapped", he muttered under his breath, lips pulled down. 360Please respect copyright.PENANAkfN25OJnf5
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Eve swallowed and grabbed the chain. Once again her eyes burned. It was not seriously damaged yet...360Please respect copyright.PENANACqctQ6O008
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The man pocketed his hands into his dress pants and side stepped her, walking off. Eve stood still until the heavy echoes of his footsteps faded into nothing and resumed her journey.360Please respect copyright.PENANAli2mPCgrNz
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She clutched the locket inside her palm as she made out of lobby through the automatic door. Chilly October air whipped against her face and she shivered.360Please respect copyright.PENANAiQc1XCqrMt
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"Eve!"360Please respect copyright.PENANABoWTiyaTn3
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Her head whipped to the side and breathed out in relief.360Please respect copyright.PENANAuGteVtNzEu
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"Where were you?!"360Please respect copyright.PENANAGsR5wb9iUK
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Sam gave her a sheepish smile. "Got distracted"360Please respect copyright.PENANAwXTlN9co3M
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And Eve didn't wished to hear what the distraction was and uncurled her fingers. Sam's eyes widened at the snapped clasp of the chain. "What happened?"360Please respect copyright.PENANApkYLAIelpS
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She took the chain into her hands, gently checking out the snapped clasp. Eve shrugged and explained how she ran into a guy.360Please respect copyright.PENANA5C1tsMMJBF
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Sam grinned, returning Eve's chain. "Was he hot?"360Please respect copyright.PENANA7ar3mfwc2h
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Eve smacked her shoulder with a glare. "How would I know?" She frowned, making her way towards the parking lot where Sam's black SUV was parked. She threw a fit when Eve told her to take her SUV and not her favorite mustang because bringing a four tier cake in a mustang while Sam was driving? Nope.360Please respect copyright.PENANAxEXsU2M1Jj
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Sam rolled her eyes, climbing into the driver's seat. "Last time I checked, you were not blind"360Please respect copyright.PENANAwJk2QhmArx
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"I don't know...", Eve trailed off leaning back against the beige seat. "He had a man bun and beard and brown eyes? He looked like a serious business executive and-"360Please respect copyright.PENANAcUhyXtpqLG
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"Wait wait wait! Did he had a scar right here?" Sam used her free hand to trace a line on her left cheek, close to her nose.360Please respect copyright.PENANAxewWAIZq0A
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Eve shook her head. "I don't know. I didn't notice"360Please respect copyright.PENANAkeE8CBlEnH
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Sam squealed, pressing her foot down on the breaks suddenly. Eve cursed as they lurched forward and the seat belt dug into her skin painfully.360Please respect copyright.PENANADY8x5eBrYg
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"Samantha!"360Please respect copyright.PENANAFcZEjEgWxT
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She hissed, rubbing the sore skin. They were lucky the road was currently deserted.360Please respect copyright.PENANA3CETiBNHVW
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But Samantha was on her phone, furiously typing away and let out a triumphant aha! before shoving the phone screen into Eve's face.360Please respect copyright.PENANAeFxtKLazlB
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"Is this the guy you ran into?"360Please respect copyright.PENANAjEODnclKZ4
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Eve scowled, pushing her hand away to a considerable distance before staring at the bright screen. Indeed, the guy she ran into was on the picture, in a black suit and adjusting the cuff of his shirt's sleeve while the photo was taken.360Please respect copyright.PENANAOyuaHuVPxI
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The name under his photo caught her eyes. Adam Ratchford.360Please respect copyright.PENANAprVQTV6oy1
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"Oh?" 360Please respect copyright.PENANAqUxKHD72lE
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Her eyes grew wide.360Please respect copyright.PENANAjQrwjNAPJo
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"Oh indeed" Sam giggled, snatching her phone back and started the car again. 360Please respect copyright.PENANAtB2AbR6Uut
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Eve rolled her eyes. Great White Shark. He couldn't be that bad right?360Please respect copyright.PENANAg9EIj55A2m
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She caressed the pendant with her thump. Sam was rambling about Adam. How everyone else were wary about him and that she was surprised that Rene's dad invited him for the engagement.360Please respect copyright.PENANA7VjTmtWKZQ
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Eve turned her out, relaxing back on the seat, already planning to take the chain to a repair shop first thing in the morning.360Please respect copyright.PENANAyyoobVzcGp
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Her mum.360Please respect copyright.PENANAiVx4WllrE3
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