Upon shutting the door, Eva looked at him.

“Gage, I can’t let them see me with you. I don’t want your name to be tarnished and dragged into the mud with mine when you just took on such an important position. My name has already been ruined, and it will stay ruined until I prove my innocence. I want you to go ahead without me. I’ll wait here until they’re gone. They can’t wait forever.”

“You don’t want anyone to see you…?”

“Right. I want to make everyone believe that I have disappeared.” Eva’s eyes glinted with an indescribable flash.

“Then, later on, you'll come at them out of the blue like a vengeful villain rising from the ashes?” Gage arched an eyebrow as he looked at her.

“That…doesn’t sound so bad, does it?”

Gage leaned against the wall lazily. “Only make a noise when it’s time to say checkmate, huh? Nice move.”

“Yes!” Eva hissed out viciously. “I will play with them, slow and scummy, the way they have played around with my life! I’ll make them think I’m dead if needed. Let them lower their guard and be happy for a moment. It’s more fun that way, don’t you think? I will make sure to enjoy this game.”

Gage smirked. “How evil. I like it!”

He put his hands in his pockets and paced slowly before her in an elegant and leisurely manner.

“I’m guessing this building is owned by your enemy as well, right?" He commented flippantly. "They actually let the reporters come all the way up here.” Eva nibbled the inside of her lips. Anger was gleaming dangerously in her eyes again as she clenched her fists into tight balls when she realised what Gage had pointed out.

“Yes. This whole complex is owned by my ex-fiancé’s grandparents,” she replied coldly, venom lacing her voice.

“I see. That makes a lot of sense, then.”

…

Inside Eva’s wardrobe, Gage was scanning through Eva's sets of clothes while she stood behind him with her arms crossed together. He had suddenly asked her to bring him into her wardrobe, as if he had thought of a plan.

“This is all you have?” Gage looked over his shoulder, and when Eva nodded, he rubbed the back of his neck. “Where are your dresses?”

“Over here.” She pointed to the other corner of the wardrobe.

Gage blinked at the rows of black formal and over-the-knee-conservative dresses.

“You want me to disguise…” she said, and then she looked like an idea had popped into her head. “Leave it to me.”

With a grin on her face, she shoved him out of her dressing room.

Once the door shut behind him, Gage laughed soundlessly as he shook his head. Then, he made a quick call on his phone.

…

After several minutes, Eva stepped out of her dressing room.

Gage, who had wandered out into the living room, was now sitting on the sofa with one of his long legs crossed over the other.

When he lifted his gaze, he stilled at the sight that appeared before him. She was now dressed in a loose black hoodie, a pair of loose military print pants, a pair of black sunglasses, and a black face mask, which completed the whole ensemble.

“No one will recognize me now," she said confidently. "Let’s go.”

Gage stood and approached her. “I don’t think so, Eva.” He bent over and took her sunglasses off. “They’ll be suspicious as soon as they see you, and I can already tell they will definitely mob you. Your disguise is pretty obvious to the experienced eye of those people chasing after you. You might be able to fool the normal people, but these are experienced reporters who do this for a living.”

“I know, but I don’t think anyone could tell this is me. They can take photos all they want, but it doesn’t matter as long as they don’t capture my face, right?”

“The reporters have surrounded and blocked the exit, remember? They will mob you on sight and might snatch that mask off or even pull your hoodie down. Don’t underestimate what this pack of dogs can do.”

“I will not let them do that. You will have to go out first. We can’t be seen going out together. I need to protect your name from all scandals at all costs. That is the least I can do.”

“No can do. I won’t leave you here."

“Please, listen to –”

Gage pressed his finger against her lips. “Hush, Eva. Let me show you a better way out of this mess that you are in.”