"Aside from the black hair, she's the spitting image of Ms. Ceres."
"That's probably why, even though she and Ms. Ciena are sisters, they're not close. Ms. Evadne looks too much like Ms. Ceres… and Sir Ryzel's first love."
Those were some of the thoughts Evadne picked up from the house staff, even from inside her own bedroom. She had politely excused herself earlier from the gathering to freshen up.
And now?
Now she knew the truth.
That Ryzel, her brother-in-law, was once Ceres's fiancé.
She never understood why Ciena had never visited them in France, not even during Ceres's death anniversaries. She thought it was just the distance... or the guilt of her sister dying on the day of her wedding.
But this?
This made everything clearer.
"Oh my god," Evadne muttered as she towel-dried her damp hair, frowning at her reflection. "So that's why Ryzel kept looking at me like that earlier? Gross."
She cringed, recalling the intensity in Ryzel's eyes, not the innocent, fatherly kind like Jupiter's gaze, but something heavier.
Something inappropriate.
So this is what it means to look like Ceres...
She sighed, tossing the towel aside.
"I hope this day ends soon. My head's pounding from all the thoughts I'm picking up. And my jaw hurts from smiling at those plastic Barbie dolls," she muttered before stepping out of her room.
She had only taken a few steps onto the grand staircase when another thought hit her, loud, mocking, male.
"What are you going to do now, golden boy, now that the girl holding your leash is back?"
"How are you planning to choose Cieryl in front of your parents?"
"Don't worry, I'll help you. I'll make sure everyone sees just how much you love her."
Evadne paused.
There was so much malice in the voice. So much poison.
Golden boy? That was Hades.
So someone hated Hades?
Someone from this circle?
And here I thought Mr. Perfect didn't have enemies.
She smirked to herself.
Interesting. I can't wait to meet him.
She descended the rest of the steps gracefully and followed the pathway toward the pool area, where laughter and light conversation filled the warm afternoon air.
"Sweetheart," Jupiter was the first to notice her. He walked toward her with a bright smile. "All freshened up? Go sit with your age group over there, we don't want you stuck with the oldies and goodies."
He chuckled. "And if you need anything, just ask Hades, okay?"
"Yes, Dad. Thank you."
Evadne smiled politely, though deep down she would've preferred to sit with the so-called "oldies and goodies." She could already guess she'd enjoy their company far more than the plastic crowd in her age bracket.
From a distance, she saw Cieryl's table had expanded. Natasha and Nika were there, as expected, but now there were even more people, at least ten, all gathered around one round table.
She headed toward them with measured grace.
"Evadne, sit here," Hades said as she approached, gesturing toward the empty chair beside him.
His tone was casual on the surface.
But in his thoughts?
It was a command.
'Sit here.'
What the hell? Did he just use his 'order tone' on me? What am I, a dog? Evadne thought, annoyed.
Still, she smiled.
Because despite everything, Hades hadn't actually done anything to her.
Not out loud.
Not in front of anyone.
So far, every insult, every judgment, every condescending thought, had stayed locked in his head.
And without a concrete reason to call him out, Evadne knew that lashing out now would only make her look unhinged.
So she sat beside him.
She kept her expression calm, her posture composed. She even smiled.
Cieryl was seated on Hades's other side, her saccharine smile fixed in place, too sweet. Too controlled.
But Evadne could hear it.
Feel it.
The bitterness beneath.
'What the fuck!'
Evadne choked on her orange juice the moment she heard the raw, unfiltered thought echo through her mind.
No one around her seemed to notice, confirming what she suspected, someone had cursed in their head, not out loud.
'How is she this beautiful? I know Aunt Ceres was stunning, and since Evadne's her spitting image, I expected her to be pretty. But not this pretty. What, is Mom's phone camera cursed? Because she looked half this hot in their pictures together in France… My god. She's fucking gorgeous.'
Evadne tried not to react, her throat still burning as she coughed discreetly.
'And this, this is the girl Hades wants nothing to do with? Seriously? This golden boy's got brain cancer or something. Doesn't even know the difference between the real and the fake. She's totally my type. Cieryl's not even in the same league. If they hadn't shipped her off to France, I probably would've fallen for her back in middle school… Shit. Sorry, Sasha Grey. Sorry, Riley Reid. But I've got a new fantasy now. Hades doesn't deserve a girl like this. If I were him, I'd never leave her side.'
Evadne blinked, stunned.
She wasn't sure whether to laugh, be flattered, or slap the guy across the face.
At least someone appreciated her beauty, though in a very not-so-innocent way. Hopefully, whoever he was wasn't already tied down. Because that would make this more complicated.
And… who the hell were Sasha Grey and Riley Reid?
"Are you okay?" Hades asked, leaning in slightly, concern laced in his voice, too smooth, too practiced, as he handed her a napkin.
"Yeah," Evadne said, clearing her throat and offering a tight smile. "Juice just went down the wrong pipe."
'Even the way she drinks is clumsy. Spoiled, probably,' came another passing thought, this one sharper, pettier. One of the girls at the table. Evadne didn't know who. Yet.
Moments later, Hades pushed a plate toward her.
"I already got some food for you," he said politely, placing a serving of assorted seafood in front of her.
She smiled sweetly, though her mind bristled.
Because right on cue, another thought echoed beside her,
'Really, asshole? You didn't even ask what she wanted? Or if she's allergic to seafood? Just because seafood's Cieryl's favorite, you assume it's hers too? Someone stab this guy with a barbecue stick already.'
Evadne had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing.
From the outside, it looked like she was smiling because of Hades's thoughtful gesture. In truth, it was him. That nameless voice again. The one who saw through the bullshit.
The only person entertaining her at this god-awful table.
Then chaos broke her train of thought.
"What the fuck!" Rion, seated on her other side, swore aloud after nearly falling from his seat.
Someone had shoved him.
Rion hissed, only for his irritation to vanish the moment he saw who it was. "Casadin, bro!" He scratched the back of his head and made space for the newcomer.
The guy who slid casually into the empty chair was tall, lean, and radiated mischief.
"Welcome back, Princess," he said with a grin, voice smooth and laced with amusement.
Evadne's brow twitched.
It's him.
The unfiltered thoughts, the sarcasm, the crude honesty, they were his.
Casadin.
Her gaze narrowed.
"I'm not a princess," she said flatly, an involuntary scowl flickering across her face.
Because in her nightmares, the men who hurt her always called her princess.
Casadin raised an eyebrow but didn't flinch.
"But you are," he said with a smirk, calm as ever. "You're the Falcon and Monteverde princess. Deal with it."
Evadne couldn't stop the exaggerated roll of her eyes.
'Oh gods. Did she just roll her eyes at me? The heck? Why is there a woman in this world who can make even eye-rolling look so damn beautiful? I'd give anything to see her roll her eyes while I'm thrusting into her.'
"What the fuck!" Evadne blurted before she could stop herself, her eyes narrowing in disgust as she shot Casadin a deadly glare.
Heads turned.
The group at the table went quiet in an instant.
"Hon, what's wrong?" Romos called from the far end of the poolside where he was seated. His voice was calm, but alert.
"Nothing, Daddy," Evadne quickly replied, forcing a sweet smile to mask the embarrassment crawling up her neck.
Romos nodded and turned back to his conversation, though concern still lingered in his gaze.
"Did you just curse at me, Princess?" Casadin asked, amused, his grin wider now, brow arched playfully.
'Oh shit. Curse at me again. I think I'm getting hard.'
Evadne gawked at him.
This guy… looked so composed on the outside. Polished, even. But in his head?
A walking, breathing disaster.
"No. That was French," she said dryly, trying to regain control.
"Ah yeah, got it," Casadin nodded with faux understanding. "You know, when someone curses, they always say, 'Pardon my French.' That's what you meant, right?"
She nodded, unamused.
"Anyway, I don't think we've been officially introduced," he added. "Though I already know who you are."
He extended a hand toward her.
"Casadin Sinclair."
Evadne blinked. "Casadin Sinclair? As in Dee and Cassy's…?"
"Yes," he replied with a frown, clearly offended that she didn't recognize the name. "You and Mom are close. Why don't you know me?"
"She never said your full name," Evadne explained, lips twitching. "Only 'Cas.' And she has another nickname for you."
Casadin leaned in. "Really? What is it?"
"'My stupid son.'" Evadne deadpanned, meeting his eyes.
Casadin chuckled, amused rather than offended.
"Then allow me to correct that. My nickname is Cas. You can call me Cas or Casadin, but not 'my stupid son.'"
His hand was still extended for a handshake. She still didn't take it.
"And what if I don't want to call you Cas or Casadin?" she challenged.
"Then you can call me Prince Charming," he said, wiggling his brows shamelessly.
"Yuck," she muttered, rolling her eyes again.
"Princess, hello?" Casadin gestured with his still-hovering hand. "Didn't they teach you basic manners in your fancy French schools? When someone offers a handshake, you shake it. My hand's going numb here."
With a sigh, Evadne reluctantly took his hand.
And froze.
The moment their palms touched, the voices in her head, the constant hum of thoughts, whispers, judgments, vanished.
Suddenly, everything was quiet.
For the first time since arriving, she was surrounded only by the natural hum of the environment, laughter, music, glasses clinking.
No thoughts.
No noise.
Just silence.
And then,
'Fuck. Her hand is so soft. I swear, if she gave me a handjob, I wouldn't last a second.'
The silence was shattered by the loudest, dirtiest thought she had ever heard.
Casadin's hand gave hers a light squeeze.
Evadne yanked her hand back as if burned. "What the fuck!" she snapped, louder than intended, making several people glance in their direction.
As soon as their skin separated, the voices came rushing back.
The noise.
The clutter.
The chaos.
"You definitely cursed this time, Princess," Casadin teased, eyes sparkling.
'Oh shit. My heart and my cock are beating at the same time. Curse at me again, Princess. Please.'
"Stop calling me Princess," she hissed, utterly done. "Just call me Vee."
Casadin smirked wider. "As you wish… Princess Vee."