Dinner passed in an oddly peaceful way.
That alone made it unsettling.
Evelina sat across from me, posture refined, movements elegant, as if nothing had happened upstairs. To anyone watching, she was once again the perfect D'Arclight heir. Cold, composed, untouchable.
But her foot brushed against mine beneath the table.
Once.
Then again.
I ignored it.
Not because I didn't notice, hell, like I wouldn't, because acknowledging it would only encourage her, and the last thing I needed was that.
My sanity wouldn't be able to handle the teasing if it happened.
Miss Rose and the other servants kept their heads down, working in near silence. No one dared speak. The air itself felt… obedient.
"So," Evelina finally said, breaking the quiet. "Your parents are barely home, huh?"
"Yes."
No hesitation.
Her gaze flicked up instantly.
"You don't mind? I heard that you were very close with them."
"Technically, yes."
