Chapter 20. Madame Curtis.

The woman smiled sardonically. "Have you already forgotten me? I'm Gina Tyrell. But of course, you don't know me, you're such a small thing. You don't have the same..."

"I had heard of you," Eva replied with an authoritative and commanding voice, a completely different aura from the one they knew her for. "You are an idiot. BlackRose College didn't accept you even when you tried to buy your way inside." 

Gina heard her say those humiliating words and gripped her hand with strength. She was surprised that Eva would even dare to say a word or lift her head. 

There was no trace of that timid and weak-willed young woman from the past. 

"What lies are you spouting?!"

"They are no lies," Eva smirked, "it was a famous rumor in the school. In December two years ago, you caused a huge commotion shouting and screaming to let you in, and if they don't,  the school directors will regret it. In the end, you were asked to leave."

"You! What are you saying?! Idiot! Shut up!" the girl shouted. Many onlookers were surrounding them already and laughing. "If you don't shut up I will…"

"Stop it, Gina," said one of the girls, "this is no moment, Samantha won't like this." 

Gina could only eat her anger and let out a mocking laugh. "What are you doing here? You have no right to be here. We know that Mr. Hart has no interest in you. Do you think that by looking like that you can be considered Mrs. Hart? No matter how well you dress, you will always be a shameless pauper."

"That's true," said the other girl, "It is well-known that you are a gold digger, how shameless of you. Now you are parading with your new conquest. Shall we report this unfaithful wife to his husband?"

The people around started pointing fingers at Eva and the three women. After all, it was a scandalous situation. 

Eva stared at the group of women for a few seconds. Even though she had just regained some of her powers, she hadn't adjusted her body's sensitivity completely and was becoming irritable. That horrifying smell was provoking her inner beast and with every second her eyes were darkening in a deep red. Maybe she should let her pet Percy eat them all. Maybe not… they stank. 

"Your luck will run out very soon," continued Gina, "Samantha's family will not stand idly by because a woman as insignificant as you stole her rightful place."

"Insignificant?" Eva repeated the words and frowned.

She had never heard anyone refer to her by that word. They could call her many things but insignificant was not one of them. She didn't like the sound of it. For some reason, her purebred pride ached. 

In another moment, she could have let them go, they were irrelevant humans, powerless and brainless, just a few moments into a vampire's long existence. It was like arguing with a baby. It didn't make sense.

But… that didn't mean that she would let them be disrespectful. Besides, her beloved Percy needed fresh food. 

Soon a cluster of shadows darkened the place and the lights began to flicker slightly. The women stood still for a second frowning at the strange cold. 

"What is going on?" They looked around and fixed their gazes on Eva's red pupils. They were about to fall into Eva's control when the shop doors opened suddenly.

A petite woman with round glasses, with short hair, and dressed in flashy clothes, but with a strict gaze came out.

"I won't tolerate any disturbance in front of my establishment," she said in a powerful voice, "If you want to fight go somewhere else."

The three women suddenly woke up. In their minds, they had heard a voice telling them to keep walking until they got lost, but they managed to get out of the spell.

Eva looked at the woman with glasses and was about to turn around with Seth but the woman stopped her. "You don't... my name is Merlina Curtis; you can call me Madame Curtis. Come with me, I have something for you."

"What?" Gina walked forward. "Madame Curtis, you can't be serious, that woman is…"

Madame Curtis ignored Gina and turned around, leaving the door open expecting Eva to follow her.

"You…" Gina and the others watched with wide eyes and opened mouths. They couldn't believe that Eva was worthy of Madame Curtis's dresses. 

Many onlookers whispered among themselves and started posting that a new client had appeared. 

Eva found it interesting and walked forward. Seth, on the other hand, looked at Eva with a raised eyebrow. What he felt a second before was not some puny ability of a lowly vampire, but true power, maybe from a descendant of a clan or a clan leader. For the first time in many years, he felt shivers in his back. 

He entered the shop after her, then the doors closed.

That last scene was watched by many, including Kian, Emiliano, the bodyguards, and three other individuals looking from a distance.

"Did you see it? She is a witch!" Ana asked the other two employees of the mansion, Thomas and Gabriel next to her.

They had tried to find Eva at the college's dorm but discovered that she had left the place. No one knew where she had gone. 

They were desperate to find her. The inspectors and policemen were already beginning the interrogations in the mansion, and soon they would be called over.

But, even after a long search, that woman, Eva, did not appear anywhere.

They were afraid that the fraud would be exposed soon and the Hart family would take reprisals against them. They had to blame someone and Eva was the best scapegoat.

They learned from Mrs. Roberts that Mr. Hart was looking for Eva too, so they decided to wait in front of his company building and follow him closely. They hid and witnessed the scene of Eva with the three women and Madame Curtis.

When they saw her, they realized that she did not look like the person they remembered. But it was the same face, there was no doubt. She was Eva but much more beautiful.

"She's a witch," Ana said with a look of triumph. "You saw it, right? She..."

The two men next to her seemed to have heart-shaped eyes. It was strange, a few days ago, they thought Eva was an idiot easy to manipulate, but now, they couldn't stop looking at her with adoration.

"Hey!"

The two young men woke up when they heard Ana scream.

"What's the matter?!"

"You..." Ana frowned at them. "You are under her spell… she bewitched you."

The two young men immediately burst out laughing.

"A woman like that can bewitch anyone," Thomas replied after finishing laughing. "Any healthy man would gladly fall into her charms. I didn't know Miss Reed could be so beautiful."

Gabriel sighed as well. But he was looking at the door of the clothing store with suspicious eyes. Something the two other employees didn't notice.

"We must wait here for her to come out," Gabrial said calmly.

Ana denied quickly, "We have to get to her before the inspectors continue with the investigation, if not, my aunt..."

"You can't go inside that store," Gabriel replied, sitting down on an empty bench overlooking the store entrance. "Only those who are clients of Madame Curtis are allowed in, if anyone tries to enter, they will be sent to the police… or worse," he said in a lower voice. 

"But that woman was able to get in," Ana refuted. "She's a witch, we must stop her and tell the others. It's better to tell young master Hart directly and make that woman return to the mansion."

"Don't be an idiot," Thomas held her back. "You're talking utter nonsense; you'll only make things worse like always. And if you don't stay here, I'll make you stay and lock you in the car. Did you hear me?"

Ana shuddered with fear. She knew that Thomas was violent and ruthless. Aunt Roberts usually used him for dirty and dangerous jobs that required a bit of violence. She knew that if she contradicted him, it wouldn't end well for her. 

But… she couldn't let that woman get away with it.

She looked across the hall. Young master Hart and his assistant Emiliano were standing in front of the store with the intention of entering. There were several men next to them, at a careful distance. They must be bodyguards.

However, Ana knew that if they followed that woman without knowing the danger, that woman would put a spell on them.

That would be far worse for the servants of the mansion. She looked at Thomas and Gabriel and decided to move without them noticing.