"Princess, are you sure you know what you're doing?" Casadin asked, full of doubt as Evadne dabbed ointment on his still-bleeding nose.
"Of course. I'm a certified genius," Evadne said, her tone dripping with smugness. "I took advanced medical subjects. And I know exactly how to treat… your kind."
She pressed more cream onto his nose than necessary, rubbing it in with a little too much satisfaction.
"Really?" Casadin raised a brow, genuinely intrigued. "Which field?"
"Veterinary," she answered sweetly, fighting the smirk threatening her lips.
Casadin blinked.
"…So what, you think I'm a dog? A Siberian Husky, maybe?"
"You think if you were a dog, you'd be a husky?" she scoffed.
"Obviously. Wolf-like. Strong. Dominant. Alpha," he replied proudly, flashing a grin.
"Alpha my ass."
'Oh, I'm definitely checking your ass later. I bet it's as peachy as a peach,' Casadin thought shamelessly.
"Ouch!" he suddenly yelped when Evadne gave his nose a merciless squeeze. "Dad told you to treat me, not break my nose! This nose is an asset, you know!"
"Asset?" Evadne raised a brow. "More like an ah shit." She eyed him critically. "And why is your nose so annoyingly pointy? Your nostrils are too small. Maybe that's why you're crazy, not enough oxygen reaching your brain."
She gave his nose another sharp pinch.
"I'm the crazy one? You're the one attacking me!" Casadin shot back. "If you were a dog, do you know what breed you'd be?"
"Yes. A Maltese. Beautiful and cuddly," Evadne said proudly.
"Maltese? More like a chihuahua. A rabid one," Casadin laughed loudly.
That did it.
Evadne didn't hate chihuahuas, but comparing her to one meant calling her shrill, unstable, and small. And worse, psychotic.
Without thinking, she lunged forward and sank her teeth into his shoulder.
Not a playful bite.
A real one.
The kind that would leave a bruise.
"WHAT THE HELL?!" Casadin roared eyes wide.
But before he could retaliate, Evadne bolted to the other side of the pool like a five-year-old.
"Daddy!" she cried, throwing herself onto Romos's lap like a wounded princess.
"What's wrong, hon?" Romos immediately wrapped his arms around her, alarm flashing in his eyes as the other adults turned to look.
"Casadin hit me!" she pointed an accusing finger toward the stunned boy now marching after her, face twisted into a faux-scowl.
"Casadin!" Diana called sharply. "What is Vee talking about? Did you hit her? Is that how your father and I raised you?"
Her voice wasn't loud, but it cut deep with disappointment.
Casadin looked horrified. "Mom! No! Don't believe her, I didn't hit her! SHE bit ME!"
He yanked down his sleeve and exposed his shoulder. "Look!"
There, plain as day, was a very real, very angry bite mark.
"Hon!" Cielo gasped, staring at her daughter like she didn't know whether to laugh or scold her.
"He called me a chihuahua," Evadne said with an exaggerated pout, still clinging to her father's neck.
Casadin threw his hands up. "Excuse me, Princess! I did not call you a chihuahua. I called you a rabid chihuahua. There's a big difference!"
Then he turned to his father, Caspian, dramatically.
"Dad, look! I think I'm feeling weird now. I think… I think the rabies is kicking in…"
He began trembling uncontrollably, then suddenly shouted, "OH NO! I'M TURNING INTO A WERE-CHIHUAHUA! PRINCESS, THIS IS YOUR FAULT, NOOOO!"
Casadin dropped to the grass and began convulsing like a cursed man in a low-budget horror movie.
Everyone froze.
Then, laughter exploded from the adult corner of the pool.
"Nooo!!! I don't want to become a were-chihuahua! I need to transfer the venom!" Casadin shouted dramatically, crawling across the lawn toward Romos's chair, his eyes locked on his target.
Before anyone could react, he lunged and grabbed Evadne's ankle like he was going to bite her.
"AHHH! DADDY!!! HELP ME!!!" Evadne shrieked, trying to kick him off. Her panicked yells only made everyone laugh harder.
In her flailing, she accidentally landed a solid kick to Casadin's shoulder, knocking him backward onto the grass.
And before he could fully rise, Evadne launched herself onto his back like a wild cat and bit down hard on his other shoulder.
"Fuuuck!!!" Casadin cursed loud enough to silence the adults for half a second.
"Casadin! Your mouth!" Diana scolded reflexively. But even she didn't know if she should reprimand him for cursing… or feel sorry for him for being physically mauled.
Still, as she looked at her son, she caught something strange. He was wincing from the pain, sure, but… there was a glint of something else in his eyes.
Joy.
Was he enjoying this?
'Is my son a masochist?' Diana thought, horrified.
"Nooo!!!" Casadin wailed, continuing his dramatics, "Now I'm a full-blooded chihuahua! Princess, this is all your fault!"
He staggered in circles like he'd been bitten by a vampire. But his hands were still firmly gripping Evadne's thighs, making sure she didn't fall off. He liked how she felt, warm, soft, perfectly molded against his back.
"I NEED HOLY WATER!!!"
And without warning, he jumped.
Straight into the pool.
Still carrying Evadne.
A splash erupted as they landed, but he'd positioned them carefully. She surfaced seconds later, gasping and soaked but laughing, while Casadin floated nearby with a smug grin.
"Aunt, Uncle, I'm so sorry for Casadin's behavior," Diana said, trying to maintain composure as she turned to Cielo and Romos.
But Cielo only laughed, shaking her head. "Why are you apologizing, Dee? We should be the ones saying sorry. Look at your son, he's the one getting beat up by our daughter."
Romos chuckled and called one of the helpers to bring towels and robes for the two soaked teens, who were now gleefully dunking each other under the water.
Neither of the Monteverde parents could hide their smiles. For the first time in weeks, they saw their daughter's fire again, her laughter, her energy, her sparkle. And to think it had been Casadin who brought it out so effortlessly.
"Should we ask someone to buy Casadin a change of clothes?" Cielo asked gently.
"No need," Caspian said with a wave. "He always keeps an extra set in his car. Comes prepared for chaos."
"Look at those two," Gideon added, chuckling as he watched Casadin and Evadne splash-fighting in the pool. "You'd think they'd been inseparable for years, not just meeting again after fourteen."
"Uncle, Aunt," Nissan said with a smile, "I don't think you need to worry about Vee transferring to NY Elite this semester. With Casadin around, she won't feel like a newcomer at all."
"You're right, Nissan," Cielo agreed. "Though honestly, we weren't too worried. Vee's always been the type to make friends easily. But of course… this is the first time she'll be the 'new girl.'"
"Oh, Cielo, stop worrying," Angelina said, squeezing her friend's hand reassuringly. "Vee's going to be just fine. And besides, Hades is there too. He'll make sure she's comfortable at school and that she's taken care of."
At that, Cielo nodded quietly.
But her eyes returned to the pool.
To her daughter, soaked to the skin, hair plastered to her face, laughing like a maniac as she dragged Casadin underwater again.
And for the first time in a very long while… Cielo's heart felt lighter.
In that moment, Evadne was truly enjoying herself.
All the tension from the past weeks, the nightmares, the noise in her head, it faded. Because playing around with Casadin gave her the perfect excuse to hold onto him. And when they were touching, skin to skin, she couldn't hear anyone else's thoughts.
Well… except for Casadin's.
But she didn't mind. Not anymore.
Because earlier, his mind had been full of lewd, shameless images of her. But now, as their playful banter dragged on, his thoughts were beginning to match his actions and words.
They were silly.
Flirty.
But not malicious.
"Swim faster!" Evadne ordered from her perch on Casadin's back, laughing wildly as she kicked her legs.
"Are you… giving me orders?" Casadin called over his shoulder. "So I'm not a chihuahua anymore? What now, your personal dolphin?"
"Dolphin?!" Evadne scoffed. "More like a dugong."
"Dugong?! I'm a dugong to you?" Casadin spun around in mock outrage. "You're wrong. I'm not a dugong. I'm a megalodon!"
And before Evadne could jump off, he suddenly submerged them both with a deep dive.
Meanwhile, at the table near the pool, Rion glanced at Natasha, who had her phone out, recording the chaos.
"What are you doing?" he asked, brows raising.
"I'm sending this to Selena," Natasha replied, a sly smirk playing on her lips.
The others at the table groaned.
Selena, Cieryl's bestest friend, was currently in Dubai for a modeling gig. And everyone at NY Elite Academy knew the truth, Selena was insanely territorial over Casadin Sinclair.
She'd had a crush on him since their very first day of high school. Love at first sight, she claimed. And when it came to Casadin, Selena didn't just guard, she destroyed.
Every girl who'd so much as tried to confess to him? Humiliated. Bullied. Pushed out of circles. Some even left the school. Of course, Selena never got her hands dirty. She didn't have to. Being a celebrity, she had plenty of followers at NYE who were more than happy to do her bidding.
So even though there were dozens of complaints filed about bullying, there was never any direct evidence. Selena always came out clean.
And yet, knowing all this, knowing exactly what would happen if Selena saw this video, Hades said nothing.
He didn't stop Natasha.
He just sat there… watching.
Because the moment he realized that someone else would make Evadne's life hell, not him, something inside him twisted in satisfaction.
Maybe now, she would finally understand what it was like to feel helpless. To be the outsider. To have everything taken from you without warning.
Let her taste misery. Just once.
The same way he had.
The same way she had caused his entire life to revolve around hers.
And Hades… smirked.
Finally, someone else would be the center of attention. And it wouldn't be her.
But the smugness didn't last.
Because he felt it.
His father's glare.
From across the pool, Jupiter Falcon's eyes were locked on him, sharp and silent. But the message was clear.
You're failing again.
And Hades just knew that once they got home…
He'd be in trouble.
Because of her.
Again.