#eva jaeger

Allowing a couple of daemons with no sense of restraint or discretion to open a nightclub in one of the largest, most audacious cities in the world was definitely up there on the list of bad ideas involving creatures.

As the Congregation member with the most connections in New York City, it fell to Baldwin to investigate and evaluate the risks. The witches refused to go anywhere near the place and Gerbert d’Aurillac was certainly not going to be able to blend in with the likes of Cher, Elton John, and Liza Minnelli.

Baldwin knew hedonism well enough. He was a Roman and had witnessed the excesses of that empire after all.

But there was hedonism, and then there was Studio 54.

The bad ideas flourished in every cocaine dusted corner of the building, from the dirty cubicles in the basement to the infamous rubber room upstairs. And like any hotbed for vice, the energy-seeking daemons and hungry vampires of the city were drawn in like moths to a flame.

Half the stories circulating failed to fully capture what really went on behind the velvet ropes and ruthlessly guarded doors - and those were only the stories shared by the clueless humans. Those were the modern myths in the making that gave the club its star-powered notoriety.

The salacious things Baldwin helped cover up - like how that dead body really got into the air shaft - were secrets as closely guarded as the vetting at the door. The key to keeping those stories tightly under wraps were straightforward threats of how easy it was to arrange ‘accidental’ overdoses.

Between the intoxicated humans, chaos-prone daemons, and vampires in search of easy prey, it was a creature PR disaster waiting to happen. 

Yet Baldwin could not bring himself to shut it down immediately.

By his reckoning, the club’s downfall was inevitable, regardless of if he was involved or not. If it wasn’t because of the illicit drugs, it would definitely be the tax evasion. Drug addicted daemons made horrible accountants. That fact was never more obvious than when he learned about the garbage bags of cash stuffed into the ceiling panels of the managerial offices and smuggled out each morning.

In truth, despite its outrageousness, Baldwin had a soft spot for Studio 54.

Maybe because dead bodies and overdoses were easier to deal with than the cutthroat world of creatures politics. 

Maybe because he did not find the out-of-control, over-the-top debauchery as distasteful as he pretended at Congregation meetings.

Maybe because he rather liked doing lines off Jerry Hall’s chest, even if the drugs had no effect on a vampire. At least until her married boyfriend Mick Jagger foolishly tried to get handsy after a couple Quaaludes.

Maybe it was all those things, and more. 

It had been a tough few decades since the world wars reshaped the world. In some strange way, Studio 54 reminded him of a time when he had far fewer responsibilities. 

Regardless, Baldwin was never one to overthink the reasons behind his actions. He just kept going night after night under the pretense of keeping a close eye on the situation.

As a rule, he did not often partake in the more scandalous revelries. In fact, most nights he simply did the rounds to gather incriminating intel, avoided Andy Warhol (the most tedious, pretentious daemon he’d ever met), and allowed some hot young starlet or singer to coax him onto the dance floor.

But no creature, human or otherwise, was completely immune to the electric, intoxicating atmosphere. Not even Baldwin de Clermont.

This particular Saturday night, Baldwin was in a dangerous sort of mood. The New York economic situation was in complete shambles, Matthew had somehow accidentally blown up his state-of-the-art million dollar lab in Oxford (he was blaming Marcus, of course), and the new witch representative on the Congregation, a demanding, ambitious little fuck named Peter Knox, was doing his head in.

Aloof observation was not going to cut it this evening. He needed to fuck or fight to blow off some steam, and he’d gone too long without the satisfaction of either.

Emerging from a dark corner of the VIP section, Baldwin wiped the corners of his mouth with a silk handkerchief, pocketing it before smoothing the wide lapels of his rust brown suit. The two accommodating young ladies he left behind had been more than eager to expose their necks. Sadly, they were more interested in each other than him, meaning he was still on the prowl.

The heavily laced blood began to hit as he sauntered over to peer down from the balcony at the packed dance floor below. Gods only knew what was pumping through the veins of the club’s elite clientele - coke and Quaaludes for sure, but there was a variety of other potent drug cocktails on offer in the restrooms.

Whatever it was heightened his own desires considerably, and he swore he could feel Donna Summer’s soulful voice reverberating through his very veins. 

Tapping his foot and swaying to the grooving beats, Baldwin scrutinized the writhing sea of bodies below in search of someone worth seducing. The air was thick with smoke and the musk of sweat and sex, but his keen nose picked out something he never expected to find there.

Something familiar. 

Something that hit him square in his inebriated chest with a pang of longing.

Frankincense and orange blossom.

Copper head swiveling, Baldwin spotted her standing on the other side of the dance floor, casually leaning against a pillar with another vampire whispering in her ear. She was decked out in a shimmering black and gold halter dress that sparkled when it caught the flashing lights and perfectly showed off her flawless pale skin and lithe limbs.

Eva Jaeger.

There were very few women he considered to be his great loves, but Eva was definitely one of them. He’d been quite smitten with her, once upon a time. Their relationship had spanned roughly half a century, though it was off and on towards then end. More off than on, really.

Her classically beautiful face had already tilted in his direction, searching. Through the din and cloud of hazy smoke, their eyes met. Next moment, Baldwin found himself swerving through the VIP crowd and down the stairs with little regard for anyone else. 

It had been thirty-odd years since he last saw her.

It was that night he’d sought her out in Germany right after the Second World War. Not long after Philippe died.

He’d been drunk. 

Drunk former soldiers were not hard to find in Germany in those days, most unable to cope with the collective traumas of the war and its aftermath. Ysabeau wasn’t the only de Clermont who went hunting post-war; it was darkly satisfying to drink Nazis dry and call it revenge. Not that it ever filled the void left by his father’s death.

Given she left him for the final time more than a decade earlier, Eva had every right to turn him away when he tracked her down in 1945.

But Baldwin had never groveled like he did that night.

He’d been desperate for relief. Anything to help him stop thinking about Philippe’s horrific end and seeing the greatest vampire to have ever lived reduced to a broken shell of a man. 

For reasons unknown, Eva had taken pity on him. Offered him untainted blood and the best red wine she could scrounge up and listened while he ranted about everything, but especially about Matthew. How he’d done what should have been Baldwin’s duty in helping their father die, then having the audacity to claim it was Philippe’s dying wish Matthew assume control of the Knights of Lazarus.

Somehow they ended up in bed.

She kicked him out in the morning and told him that was the last time. He knew she was serious by the Luger pistol she calmly aimed at his head while she did it.

Baldwin avoided Germany for two decades after that, until Verin and Ernst got married. He gave Eva the courtesy of letters and telegrams informing her of his family’s movements in Germany (East and West) and his business dealings in Berlin (on both sides of the Wall), but she never replied. 

This wasn’t Germany though - this was Studio 54. New York City was relatively neutral territory, despite Baldwin’s substantial investments in the city, the stock market, and the ruling vampire family.

Undeniably under the influence, he was loose on his feet when he swaggered up to Eva. She merely arched a delicate eyebrow at him as she took a drag from her slim cigarette. Her vampire companion was off speaking to one of the shirtless bartenders at the bar.

“Hello, Eva,” he greeted, considering if she would allow him to swoop in for a kiss on the cheek.

“Baldwin,” she replied in such an icy tone that he decided against the hello kiss. “I didn’t know this was your scene.”

“I spend a fair bit of time in New York these days. It’s everybody who’s anybody’s scene.”

He gave her an appreciative slow sweep of his eyes, particularly liking how her dress’s low V neckline showed off a tantalizing glimpse of cleavage. His lungs hauled in a deep inhale of her familiar scent now that he was within arm’s reach.

“You’re looking well,” he purred, a bit too fascinated with the way the changing lights played on the metallic sheen of her dress.

“You look…” Her pale aquamarine eyes narrowed speculatively, taking in his too large pupils and uncharacteristically ruffled hair. She pursed her lips primly before concluding, “You look like you’re enjoying yourself.”

Baldwin smirked conspiratorially. “I am. There’s a lot to enjoy here.” He angled his head as close as he dared, mindful of the burning cigarette in her hand. “Perhaps we could find something for us both to enjoy, Liebling?”

Eva stepped away, pointedly clearing her throat and casting him a withering warning glare. “You presume too much, Baldwin. I am here with Reinhardt.”

“I suppose he could join,” Baldwin shrugged cavalierly.

Eva rolled her eyes with a rather unladylike snort, flicking the ash from her cigarette on his toes. “Don’t try your luck.”

“You may change your tune after you’ve sampled some of the crowd,” he said, casually kicking the ash off his shoe. “I have a penthouse nearby we could take a few back for a private party. Reinhardt can tag along.”

“Nein, danke,” Eva snapped with a soft hiss. The German always slipped in when she was angry. “We had our goodbye fuck, Baldwin. That’s not a mistake I care to repeat.”

Baldwin flinched noticeably.

Even in his addled state, he grasped the futility in continuing this pursuit.Time apart had not done him any favors - it appeared that bridge was well and truly burned.

The longing in his chest turned into a dull ache made all the more painful by the drugs and alcohol in his system.

Shifting so he was standing alongside Eva, he attempted civil conversation for the sake of appearances. “What brings you to New York? This isn’t your sort of scene either.”

He wasn’t sure she would answer, but she did not move away again as she took a thoughtful drag of her cigarette. 

“I’m studying in Boston,” Eva replied. She did not bother to blow the smoke away from him. “We came down for the weekend to see what the fuss is."

“Studying?” Baldwin echoed incredulously. She was not academically inclined when they were together. “What on earth are you studying in Boston?”

“Economics,” Eva replied, flicking ash in his direction again and flashing a devious grin that showed off her perfect white teeth. Teeth he knew could cut deep when they wanted. “At Harvard Business School.”

Harvard…someone else had mentioned Harvard University recently…

It took him a few moments to remember. That pest Peter Knox had been stuck on something to do with Harvard - some witch who worked there. It was purely a witch matter though - nothing related to vampires.

“You wished to go to university for that?” Baldwin asked, coming back to the present and still thoroughly confused. Eva had never shown much interest in his financial dealings when they were together. She listened, of course, but seemed content to leave him to it.

“I already earned a degree at Mannheim. I am studying other perspectives now. It is all because of you, of course.” Baldwin shifted uncomfortably as one of the light towers nearby flashed red like a giant warning beacon. “You inspired me to study the subject more thoroughly.”

That dull ache in his chest felt more like a sharply twisting knife that even the drugs couldn’t dampen. 

There was only one reason he could have inspired her to study economics. Engineering Germany’s stock market crash in 1911 was something he came to regret. Not only was it the reason Eva left him when she eventually learned of his involvement, but it also deepened the divisions in Europe which eventually led to the First World War. 

“Eva—I—”

Reinhardt chose that exact moment to join them, passing a glass of wine to Eva and eyeing Baldwin suspiciously.

“So this is the notorious Baldwin de Clermont?” Reinhardt drawled in heavily accented English over Eva’s shoulder. Somehow he managed to look down his nose despite Baldwin being half a head taller.

Baldwin drew to his full height and squared off with a stiff nod, not offering to shake the other vampire’s hand.

“And you must be Reinhardt. Eva and I were just catching up.”

“And I’d say we are finished now,” Eva said with cool finality. “Enjoy the rest of your…carousing, Baldwin.” She arched that damn judgmental eyebrow at him again before turning a soft, adoring smile toward Reinhardt.

Unbidden, Baldwin remembered when she used to smile at him that way.

“Auf Wiedersehen, Eva,” he growled curtly. He did not bother acknowledging Reinhardt again.

As he stalked off in the opposite direction, he overheard Eva ask her new partner to dance. It sparked a flash of memory when they went out to the clubs and cabarets in the ‘20s, of Eva coyly fluttering her lashes and pulling him out of his seat for a dance. 

Baldwin’s precarious mood from earlier resurfaced, exacerbated by rejection and bitter remorse. He wondered how far he’d have to push Reinhardt to spur him into a fight. Although a vampire fight was sure to draw notice even in Studio 54.

Of all the disco clubs in all the cities in all the world, why did she have to walk into this one?

His refuge from responsibility lost its luster with the abrupt force and ferocity of a flash flood. In the span of a vampire’s heartbeat, the Bee Gees blaring through the speakers began to hurt his ears and the chaotic lighting irritated him further.

In a black haze made worse by the drugs, Baldwin had a strange sense of alienation despite being completely surrounded by people. 

Despite the upbeat funky music, the dancers were no longer attractive; nor were the glamorous VIPs in the balcony above. Drinking from anyone else under the influence was definitely a bad idea, because it would only pull him down further and likely make him aggressive.

Finding his way home to the solitude of his mansion on Fifth Avenue was more appealing than continuing with his earlier enterprises. He had no doubt he could find someone else willing in the crowd, but anonymous sex was not going to cure what ailed him.

*** The anonymous tip sent to the IRS on Monday morning was not going to cure him either, but it would hasten Studio 54’s demise. 

It was purely a matter of business, Baldwin told himself from the comfort of his corner office overlooking Wall Street. He was simply doing his duty and what he should have done from the beginning.

"Eva."

"Baldwin."

Miyako bounced into her home as if nothing was the matter. Eva handed Baldwin her suitcase.

"I have a buisness trip that's come up unexpectedly." Eva explained, "Sorry for not calling"

"And who is it you are cutting your time short with our child to see?" Baldwin drawled.

"That is none of your business." Eva snapped.

"When you turn up unannounced, it is." Baldwin hissed. Eva rolled her eyes at her ex. He complains about not spending a lot of time with his daughter then complains when she turns up.

Eva simply smirked, "You look tired. All work and no play is why I divorced you."

"Bye schazti!" Eva blew a kiss to her daughter and glared at Baldwin before leaving.

"Bye mama!" Miyako waved back.

"Did you have a nice time with mummy?" Baldwin asked. She nodded, showing off her new bracelt she had received when Eva took her shopping.

"But she was busy a lot." Miyako pouted.

"That isn't very fun." Baldwin replied, "Why don't you play for a bit, and I will go and finish my work upstairs." She nodded and went into the playroom, adjacent to the living room and Baldwin smiled as she began making a mess.

Miriam poked her head out of the walk in wardrobe. She had grabbed one of Baldwin's jumpers to cover up with, after worrying that Eva was about to storm in and catch them.

"Eva is gone, but Miyako is here." Baldwin whispered with a grimace.

Miriam breathed a sigh of relief, "I can just tell her I came here after work to surprise her." She looked around, "Where are my jeans?" They had been thrown off in a hurry.

"Papa, I can't find my lego!" Miyako came running up and gasped happily when she saw Miriam, not noticing the two adults had frozen like a deer in headlights.

"Hello." Miriam hugged her back, looking at Baldwin, panicked.

"That's daddy's jumper. Are you stealing it?" Miyako giggled.

"Yes I am." Miriam said, "Why don't we find your lego box, hmm? Let me just put on a pair of jeans."

Later that evening, the three had sat down for dinner. Pizza, because Baldwin knew the best way to do a deal was to bribe that person.

"Mimi?" She looked at her father, with a slice in her mouth, and Miriam laughed at her, taking a napkin and wiping the cheese off her mouth.

"You know how Miriam is here a lot? What do you think?" Baldiwn

"I like having Miriam here!" She replied, "She does my hair nicer and is better at building legos than you."

Baldwin scoffed with faux outrage, but continued, "Well, Miriam is going to be around a lot more, sometimes sleeping over. Is that okay with you."

"Can we do experiments?" Miyako looked at her, eyes shining with excitement.

"Yes. And I have a shorter work day, so I can pick you up from school sometimes, okay?"

"But you must keep it a secret." Baldwin asked.

"Because mummy will be upset?"

"Well, there is that." Baldwin said, though he knew Eva would resent it. A part of him wanted to let her know, just to see the look on her face.

But then memories to the fights in the last days of their marriage came to mind and well, he preferred the windows in his home not broken.

"But we just want you to get used to it first before we tell everyone." Baldwin explained, "Is that okay?"

Miriam looked at the child nervously as she chewed her pizza and nodded, "Okay. Can we have ice cream?"

"Yes, we can." Baldwin said with a smile.

"Miyako," Miriam said, placing her in her lap, "We just want to help. If you tell us, then we could help.'

The seven year old had been uncharacteristically upset when dropped off at Baldwin's. She would be a little upset, missing her mother. But it had been three days and a call from a teacher, asking if everything was okay.

"Mummy's friend was mean to me." Miyako admitted, "I don't like him."

Baldwin frowned. Eva's friends and suitors were usually overly nice to Miyako, considering they were tryign to impress her mother and remembered who her father was.

They were two people, married or divorced, you didn't mess with.

"Did you tell mama?" Baldwin asked.

"She said he didn't like children very much, but he would be nice, but he did his grumpy face and called me silly but in a mean way." Miyako pointed.

Baldwin's eyes narrowed, "What his name? Just so I can make sure he's nice."

"It's a wierd name. Like a gerbil." The child then gasped," Can I have a gerbil?"

"Gerbert?" Miriam asked, confused. She nodded and Miriam's eyes widened as Baldwin's narrowed further.

"Yes," Miyako confirmed.

"Are you fucking-" Baldwin seethed and marched to his office. Miriam and Miyako watched him do this.

"That's in the swear jar." Miriam sighed, "Okay, start on your drawing. I'll go check on papa. And use my headphones, there may be yelling."

Miriam went to Baldwin's office, where he was pulling file and file from one of his shelves, whilst ranting to himself. Mirima shut the office

"Baldwin."

"She could have anyone. But no, the one fucker-!"

"Baldwin-"

"And then he's rude to our child. And she lets him-!"

"Baldwin!" Miriam yells, catching his attention. He stops and takes a deep breath.

"I'm sorry." He said.

"I think the weirder thing is the age gap." Miriam tried to joke.

"Everyone knows the rumours, about what he did to Juliette. Eva knows, her mother was spreading them." Baldwin ranted, "What the fuck is she doing, having the one man, going with the one family mine and especially I cannot stand!"

"Okay, but you cannot give in to this." Miriam reasoned.

"It's being done to provoke me. I don't care who she dates, even if is that snivelling catholic cunt," Baldwin said, "But he hurt my child's feelings."

"This way they both win - you'll look like the ruthless arse who takes his daughter away and he gets to embarrass you." Miriam pointed out.

Baldwin looks up at her, "Perhaps I will be. For Miyako's sake." He turned to his wall safe, one of many and took out a file. Mirima recognised the family isigna on the leather cover.

"Philippe? You can't." Involving Philippe was the nuclear option.

When Baldwin and Eva divorced, they did so in the most amicable way possible - shared custody, Miyako schooled in England as her mother travelled too much.

Philippe wasn't happy. He had thought Baldwin had been too soft. Miyako was a de Clermont. He and Baldwin had a plan, the most ruthless option. It gained the de Clermonts full custody and revealed damaging information about Eva's own family.

Let's just say, they weren't exactly resisting the political changes of 1930s Germany.

But Baldwin refused. He had done too much fighting during the last days of his marriage, he didn't want Miyako used in it.

"Think about Miyako. You don't want her to resent her mother." Miriam said, "Or you. Negoiate."

.....

"Miriam."

Eva was surprised to see Matthew's friend at Baldwin's house, answering the door.

"Eva. Hi." She opened the door to let her in, "Baldwin is in his office."

"So he called in reinforcements. Is Matthew here too?" Eva asked with interest, "Hugh?"

"Just me and Hamish." Miriam replied, "But I'm here because it's my day off," She walked down the corridor into the living room. Eva knew the way to Baldwin's office by heart, and was surprised to see Hamish, the family lawyer there.

"What is this?" Eva demanded.

" you and Gerbert."

"You and Miriam." Eva replied, "Tell me, are you doing it to fuck with Matthew?"

"No." Baldwin replied shortly, "Why?"

"She's with my child," Eva said, "I deserved to know."

"And yet, you strike up a relationship with Gerbert d'Aurilliac." Baldwin retorted.

"Gerbert cares for me." Eva protested "And yes, he's difficult with children..."

"Juliette?" Baldwin asked, "How does she feel about this?"

"A resentful brat married to another resentful brat," Eva observed and Baldwin nodded in agreement with the assessment of Domenico at least.

Hamish opened his briefcase and placed it on the desk, pulling out two contracts for them to sign, "We want this as painless as possible." Hamish said.

"What's this?"

"Our original divorce agreement, that my father drew up. But I amended it." Baldwin said.

Eva's face fell. She knew anything drawn up by Philippe de Clermont contained damaging information.

"Well, there was a part of me that very much wanted to watch you squirm." Baldwin said, "A large part of me. But Miriam reminded me that I don't want our daughter to despise you as much as we despise each other."

"What are the terms?" Eva asked, slightly less braver than she had been up to this point.

"Sole custody. Miyako lives here full time." Baldwin demanded, "You can have 3/4 of school holidays, but she does Christmas at Sept-Tours, New Years in Berlin with you. We will always notify each other of the usual health appointments, emergencies, etc."

"Because of Gerbert?" Eva asked.

"Miyako needs stability." Baldwin insisted, "Can you honestly say with you job and with Gerbert we can provide that?"

"We always listen to Mimi." Eva agreed, "I suppose we got so caught up in winning."

"We forget what's important." Baldwin finished.

"She calls this home." Eva admitted, swallowing, "It's funny, isn't it?"

"She loves you just as much. You're the one that fought for her." Baldwin pointed out, "Adopting isn't easy, even when rich. Remember when we fought in front of the social worker?"

Eva smiled slightly and she picked out a pen from her handbag.

"I do miss your ruthless streak." Eva observed as she signed, "You get this glint in your eye when you know you've won. It was was arousing."

......

The three emerged from the office, a decision made.

"Hello mama," Miyako greeted when she saw her. She was in Miriam's arms, "Do I have to go now?"

"No, schatzi. You are staying here. In London. All the time with papa," Eva said.

"Really?" Miyako asked, looking at her dad who gave her a small smile.

"I was thinking, for Easter, we'll go and see your Oma in Berlin." Eva asked, "Is that okay?"

Miyako nodded, "Can we get those big chocolate eggs like last year?"

"But of course." She kissed her, "Be good for papa and Miriam. And you be sure to call me at weekends and tell me how well you are doing at school. Promise?"

"Promise." They pinky swore and Eva gave wrapped her in her arms, hugging her as if realsing for the first time in a while that this was her child, her baby.

"I like your perfume, mama," Miyako mumbled into her shoulder.

"Papa will buy you three bottles," Eva said, with a wink. Baldwin rolled his eyes.

"I'll ship her clothes from my house in Rome here," Eva said.

"That's good."

Eva glanced at Miriam and nodded politely. But it wasn't without slight warning.

"That was a lot more peaceful than the first time." Hamish remarked, "I don't think I will ever get the smell of burning oil paint out my head. Or suit."

Miriam wrapped her arms around Baldwin's waist and kissed him on the cheek, "I'm proud of you."

"Thank you. If you excuse me, I'm going to destroy that new investment firm, the one named after Bellic." Baldwin said gruffly. Miriam sighed but smiled. He did hate surrender. Destroying someone's livelihood would help him get over it.

So as we've set out, Miriam Shephard does not get jealous. Look at her - beautiful, extremely accomplished in her field, secure in herself. She does not get jealous. Baldwin loves that. He's dated women who cause scenes over him looking in the direction of someone else. But Miriam knows he's completely loyal to her.

However, there was one woman who could make her jealous. Eva Jaeger. Miriam had always been okay with their relationship, it happened when she and Baldwin were in their off period. The beautiful German woman had loved Baldwin before he crashed the stock markets in 1910.

Baldwin and Miriam reconciled, and she forgot about Eva. She didn't care.

But she's at this party they are all at in Berlin, and Eva saw Baldwin and just had to catch up with him.

"You know, glaring at the glass doesn't make the wine disappear." Matthew tried to joke. She turns and narrows her eyes at him.

"Shut up." She looked back and she saw Eva touch him. The grip on her glass tightened and Matthew could hear the glass straining.

"You're jealous." Matthew realised with a slight smirk. Miriam scoffed at the suggestion.

"No, please. What do I have to be jealous of?"

"Well, she is his ex. One of his long relationships outside of yours. He was devastated when she left him if I recall-"

"Matthew, as much as I adore you, continue and I will break your arm," Miriam growled slightly. She sighed. She was being ridiculous. Baldwin was her husband. He didn't care about some woman he loved 80 years ago. He'd loved her for centuries.

But then he laughed. He laughed at something she had said. Miriam hadn't been paying attention to her, but her husband's laughter was a rare and wonderful thing.

A rare and wonderful thing reserved for her.

She needed to put an end to this. She handed Matthew her glass and stormed over to her husband. He turned to her, a small smile on his face.

"I want to go home," Miriam demanded. Baldwin nodded.

"Then go," Eva said with a sweet, false, smile and turned back to Baldwin. He, however, rolled his eyes, before holding out his arm to his wife.

"Yes, let's go. A pleasure to see you, Eva." She kissed his cheek before walking away, as Miriam glared at the woman.

Miriam had been silent the entire car ride home, which was when Baldwin could tell something was wrong. She usually cracked a few comments of stupid things she heard.

"I was going to tear that bitch's throat out," Miriam said once they were inside the house. She whipped off her coat and stormed to the kitchen.

"Eva?" Baldwin asked, following her after putting up her coat.

"Why did you speak to her? All evening?" Miriam asked.

Baldwin furrowed his eyebrows, "I didn't speak to her all evening."

"It certainly felt like it." Miriam scoffed, "You were laughing with her."

Baldwin slowly approached her. Miriam took a step back.

"Miriam, are you jealous?" Baldwin asked.

"No," Miriam sighed in frustration, "No- I- You cared about her. A lot. You loved her even and well seeing the two of you together was unnerving."

Miriam was a woman others were jealous of. His female employees shrank whenever she came to see him in his office, waitresses and socialites alike wouldn't dare flirt with him in her presence and even when they did, Miriam ignored it.

But she still had emotions and feelings. Baldwin wrapped his arms around her, even as she refused to look him in the eyes. It was embarrassing.

"She doesn't have my heart. She didn't back then, definitely doesn't have it now." Baldwin said gently.

Miriam looked up sharply. Matthew would always speak about how heartbroken he was when Eva ended things.

"My heart was, well, on the other side of the world helping human children with malaria." Baldwin said, "And even when I wrote to you, you didn't reply. That's why I was upset as it were."

"That's why you were upset?" Miriam asked.

Baldwin nodded, just as embarrassed as she was feeling.

"Sorry. For being jealous."

"I can't believe you were jealous. It's quite funny. I didn't think that happened to you." Baldwin smirked, "How amusing. That will keep me going for a while."

"I hate you."

"I love you, too."

"What were you laughing about?" Miriam asked, with a small pout.

"You didn't hear? I thought you would find it amusing."

Miriam looked at him confused, "She thought you and Matthew would've been together. I found it quite funny, that's all."

Miriam cracked a smile, which then turned into a small laugh and Baldwin laughed as well.