Eve spent the afternoon cleaning and decluttering her home, making space for Isabella's belongings. She vacuumed the floors, dusted the furniture, and organized the closet in the spare room.
As she worked, Eve thought about how she'd adjust to living with Isabella. She was excited to have her friend's company, but she also knew they'd need to find a rhythm that worked for both of them.
"I hope I'm not going to be too much of a slob," Eve said to herself, smiling.
Eve put fresh sheets on the bed and added a few decorative touches to the room. She stepped back to admire her handiwork, feeling satisfied with the way everything looked.
"I'm ready for you, Izzy," Eve said, smiling. "Welcome home."
With the house tidy and welcoming, Eve felt a sense of anticipation.
As the girls struggled to maneuver the heavy couch into the living room, Isabella and Eve both grunted in unison.
"This thing weighs a ton!" Isabella exclaimed, her face red with effort.
"Tell me about it," Eve replied, her voice strained. "I think we're going to need a forklift to get it up the stairs."
Isabella chuckled. "Maybe we can just leave it on the porch and call it a statement piece."
Eve laughed. "A statement piece that says 'we're lazy and couldn't be bothered to move it'?"
Isabella giggled. "I think that's a great idea. We can call it 'Couch on the Porch: A Study in Inertia'."
Eve snorted. "You're ridiculous, you know that?"
Isabella grinned. "Hey, someone's got to bring some creativity to this move."
As they finally managed to wrestle the couch into place, they both collapsed onto it, exhausted.
"I think we deserve a break," Isabella said, kicking off her shoes.
Eve nodded. "Definitely. Let's order some pizza and celebrate our successful couch-moving skills."
Isabella smiled. "Sounds like a plan to me."
As they lounged on the couch, munching on their pizza, Isabella pulled out her phone and started scrolling through social media.
"Hey, have you seen the trending topic online about the CEO of Sterling Groups?" Isabella asked, her eyes fixed on the screen.
Eve shook her head. "No, what's going on?"
Isabella's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Apparently, every girl on the internet is fantasizing about the CEO's son. They're calling him the 'Sterling Heartthrob'."
Eve raised an eyebrow. "That's quite a title. What's his name?"
Isabella hesitated for a moment before responding, "His name is... actually, I think his name is Roman's cousin or something. But you know who's even hotter?"
Eve's curiosity was piqued. "Who's that?"
Isabella's expression turned nostalgic. "Roman Sterling, the former CEO. He was absolutely gorgeous."
Eve's eyes widened with interest. "I've never heard of him."
Isabella pulled up a picture on her phone. "Let me show you."
As Eve took the phone, her eyes widened in surprise. Roman, the man she'd been literally living with, was Roman Sterling.
"It's so sad what happened to him," Isabella said, her voice tinged with sadness. "He died in a tragic accident."
Eve's expression hardened , her thoughts drifting to the man she'd grown to care for, was Roman Sterling of Sterling Groups. "Yes, it's terrible."
Eve lay in bed, her mind racing with thoughts of Roman. She couldn't believe he hadn't told her about his true identity. The more she thought about it, the more hurt and betrayed she felt.
"Why didn't he trust me?" Eve wondered, her heart heavy with emotion.
She tossed and turned, unable to shake off the feeling of unease. The picture of Roman on Isabella's phone kept flashing in her mind, and she couldn't help but compare it to the man she'd been seeing both in her dreams and reality.
The disconnect between the two images was jarring, and Eve's confusion turned to anger. "Why did he keep it a secret?" she thought, her frustration growing.
As the night wore on, Eve's emotions swirled, leaving her feeling uncertain and vulnerable. She wasn't sure what she was feeling, but she knew she needed answers.
Eve drifted off to sleep, her mind still reeling from the revelation about Roman's identity. As she slipped into a dream state, she found herself standing in a familiar yet ethereal landscape.
Roman's spirit stood before her, his eyes filled with a deep sadness. Eve's expression was stern, her voice laced with disappointment.
"Why didn't you tell me who you were?" Eve asked, her words echoing in the dreamlike atmosphere.
Roman's eyes dropped, and he took a step closer to Eve. "I didn't lie to you, Eve," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I just didn't tell you everything about me."
Eve's gaze softened slightly, but her disappointment remained. "You kept it a secret," she said, her voice still tinged with hurt.
Roman's expression was heavy with sorrow. "I know, and I'm sorry. I was trying to protect myself, and maybe you too. I didn't know how you'd react to knowing who I was."
Eve's dream self looked at Roman, searching for understanding. She saw the genuine remorse in his eyes and felt a pang of empathy.
"I just wish you trusted me," Eve said, her voice softer now.
Roman's spirit took another step closer, his eyes locked on hers. "I do trust you, Eve. More than anyone."
Eve woke up with a start, her heart racing and her sheets drenched in sweat. She sat up in bed, gasping for air, as the vivid dream still lingered in her mind. The conversation with Roman's replayed in her head, and she felt a mix of emotions: disappointment, understanding, and concern.
As she tried to calm herself down, Eve realized that the dream had left her feeling unsettled. She threw off the covers and got out of bed, deciding to take a deep breath and clear her mind. The cool night air enveloped her as she walked to the window, gazing out into the darkness.