Chapter 206
I laugh nervously, the sound too high. “Uh, I just came to see the twins p>
Aunt Ava gives me a look so knowing it makes sweat bead between my shoulder blades.
“You do realize I know when you’re lying, right p>
I swear my soul tries to flee my body. My heartbeat spikes so fast I’m genuinely concerned I might drop dead right here on the expensive floor. I wish I could fucking disappear. Spontaneously combust. Turn into mist. Anything… But then Noah steps forward.
“We planned a day out,” he says smoothly, bending to kiss his mom’s cheek with absolutely zero guilt for the lies spilling from his mouth. “The twins wanted Sierra to join us. Afterward, we were going to have dinner and then I’d drive her home p>
His voice is steady and confident without a single hitch. If I didn’t know better, I’d believe him too.
Aunt Ava’s eyes jump between us. She studies us for so long, I’m sure she’s going to call bullshit.
Instead, she exhales softly and lets it go.
Slowly I peel my hand away from Nova’s mouth and pray she won’t ask why we just lied or, worse, decide to ” clarify” things. Miraculously, she doesn’t, but she looks confused and so does Nolan.
“Okay,” Aunt Ava says, folding her hands neatly, “I asked your housekeeper to prepare dinner. It should be ready p>
We all move toward the dining room. The table is already set.
Nova and Nolan take their usual seats at my left. Noah sits at the head of the table, me on his right. Uncle Rowan settles beside him, and Aunt Ava sits gracefully next to her husband.
I try to breathe like a normal person, but damn, it’s hard.
“We had ice cream today!” Nova blurts proudly. “Daddy never lets us have too much, but Sierra convinced him to let us have as much as we want p>
I place food onto her plate then Nolan’s automatically. It’s something I’ve done every evening these last weeks. An unconscious little routine I didn’t even realize I’d slipped back into until Aunt Ava’s gaze sharpens, sweeping over my movements.
“Is that so?” she asks, still watching me. “What else did you do today p>
Nova beams, oblivious to the tension strangling my lungs. “We saw lots of animals! But we couldn’t pet them.” She pouts a little.
I force a smile, but my insides are melting into pure panic. I want to run. Hide under the table. Fake my death. Instead, I’m sitting here, pretending to be calm.
“Are you okay, sweetheart?” Aunt Ava’s gentle voice cuts through my spiraling thoughts.
I look up and she’s staring at my hands, trembling like I’m sitting in front of a firing squad.
“Y–yeah,” I say quickly. “Just a bit tired p>
I try to put down the bowl of peas, but my nerves riot and I end up smacking the serving spoon causing peas to fly everywhere. Half the table gets glittered. A handful shoot directly onto Noah’s face with sniper–level accuracy.
I gasp.
“Oh God-” I grab the bowl, which wobbles then almost slips, then dumps more peas across the table as I jerk to steady it and accidentally elbow Noah.
His grunt of surprise is the final straw. The table erupts.
“Daddy, you look like a vegetable monster!” Nova cackles. 3
“A very green one,” Nolan adds triumphantly.
Noah slowly wipes a pea off his cheek, his jaw clenched but his eyes are glinting, almost like he’s fighting a smile.
My entire body goes hot with mortification. “I’m so, so sorry p>
I want to die. I want the peas to bury me alive.
“What for?” Noah asks, “The peas or the elbow p>
I carefully peek up at him and reply, “Both p>
I expected him to be pissed, but to my surprise, he grins, which catches me off guard.
“It’s fine, Sierra.” he says softly.
He then calls one of the maids, and she appears instantly, quietly cleaning up the battlefield of peas while I sink further into my chair. Once everything is spotless again, we resume dinner.
I swear, for three blessed minutes, no one says anything remotely dangerous… Three minutes, then-
“You two look like you’re getting on well,” Aunt Ava says casually, as if she isn’t tossing a grenade onto the table.
I choke on my drink. I knew it. Knew It was the calm before the storm.
Noah tenses beside me, and I force a small, wobbly smile her way. Diverting would look guilty, but answering feels like stepping into a trap.
“Uh… the twins,” I murmur and let the implication hang: We’re only ‘getting on well‘ because of the twins.