(Evelina's POV—Hartgrave Mansion—The Night After the Chaos)
Father was carried away like a tragic Victorian heroine.
Arden shouted for the doctor. Lucein panicked. Sera looked like she was watching live theater.
And me?
I stood there with my arms crossed, gown torn, and makeup smudged, demanding 100,000 gold coins like a mafia loan shark.
Truly—a perfect ending to today's chaos.
Then—a soft voice slipped into the moment like silk over glass. "You should've shown a little mercy on your father… at least."
I didn't want to look.
But I turned.
Mother stood there—elegant, composed, with a cold expression… But her eyes?
Warm. Too warm.
I stared back at her without blinking.
"Well," I said, voice icy enough to freeze the chandeliers, "he was the one who said I could ask for anything, wasn't he?"
A dead silence fell. Thick enough to suffocate.
Mother stepped closer, slowly, almost hesitantly.
"Eve…" she murmured. "Can I ask you something?"
"NO," I replied instantly.
