Chapter 81 Eva

Eva sat in an elegant restaurant, a smile playing on her lips as she reminisced about the previous night spent with her husband. She knew he wouldn't touch the bottle of wine she had opened; that's why she had prepared one still sealed. In the end, she succeeded in coaxing him to bed as she desired, extracting a promise from him to assist in Isabella's engagement. Everything had to be flawless this time; failure wasn't an option with so much money at stake.
She had risen early to visit the market, purchasing an array of gifts for Isabella. She aimed to portray herself as the perfect mother, repentant for her absence and deeply apologetic for her past transgressions. She had rehearsed apologies for her harsh words when Isabella deserted Luis and threatened to disinherit her, as well as for the prolonged absence and lack of communication. She had always harboured disdain for Bella, who had favoured her grandparents over Eva and her father since birth.
Though she couldn't deny her concern for Santiago, she knew he had been visiting his mother from afar. She had always been aware of his deep affection for his mother-in-law, which had driven her to separate them. Santiago had relied heavily on his mother's counsel, consulting her for every decision and constantly seeking his father's approval. Eva believed she had orchestrated his descent into drug addiction, meticulously planning with her associates from abroad before returning with Isabella.