Chapter 211: The Accident
Evaline:
The silence settled like a heavy blanket in the living room. And I wasn’t the only one staring at the entrance, the brothers too had their eyes fixed on the entrance as we all waited for a certain person to stepped in.
Seconds ticked by, but in that moment time felt endless. I could feel the tension humming in the air, vibrating against my skin. My each heartbeat was echoing louder than the last. I quickly glanced between the men, and found each of them frozen in their own hope and uncertainty.
And then, after what felt like forever but were merely a couple of moments, River finally stepped inside.
He paced in with a confident stride, intent on his phone call. He was talking about some important business project. He barely cast a glance our way as he gave his brothers a quick nod, still engrossed in conversation. A servant approached to take his coat and disappeared with it just as quickly and quietly.
Seconds later, he ended the call, pocketed his phone, and looked up.
His gaze swept across the group and froze when it registered me. Surprise flitted on his face, then doubt, then an inscrutable calm. His eyes darted to his brothers, and I held my breath.
Though he didn’t voice the question out loud, Kieran still provided the explanation. "River... Miss Evaline is staying with us for the holidays," he announced casually, though each word felt drenched in significance.
My heart was thundering against my ribs as I anticipated his objection. After all, he had always told me clearly to stay away from his brothers. He made it perfectly known. I knew he wouldn’t be happy about my presence in his house. But, as the seconds stretched, he simply nodded. "Okay."
Just that single word.