Evadne raised an eyebrow when a house helper knocked on her door to inform her that Hades was already downstairs looking for her.
She glanced at the clock. It was only 11 AM.
Their agreement was 1 PM.
With a furrowed brow, she made her way down the staircase, where she found Hades already seated in the living room, chatting with her parents. Next to him was a bouquet of roses.
"Hon, come down, Hades is here," Cielo said with a gentle smile. "He mentioned you two are going out today?"
"Good morning, Vee." Hades stood with a sweet smile and handed her the bouquet of roses.
Evadne blinked.
Did he just call her Vee?
'Did the rides from yesterday knock something loose in his head?' she thought.
Then she heard his thoughts.
I have to win her over. I need to gain her trust or Dad will disown me for good. He hasn't said when I'll be leaving the mansion yet, but maybe… if he sees me taking care of Evadne, he'll reconsider.
Panic. That's what she felt radiating from his mind. Desperation, even.
"Thanks," she replied with a soft smile, taking the bouquet. She turned to her parents. "Yes, Mommy, Daddy. I asked Hades to accompany me to shop for school supplies… and a new phone."
Then she looked back at him, her tone light but pointed. "But wasn't it supposed to be after lunch? One PM?"
Hades scratched the back of his head, flashing a sheepish grin.
"Yeah. Sorry about that. I was hoping… maybe we could have lunch together. I wanted to make up for being late yesterday," he said.
Evadne didn't miss the pleased smiles on her parents' faces. Clearly, they approved of Hades's effort.
Romos, for one, had been disappointed yesterday, but seeing the boy take initiative this morning softened his stance. He couldn't help but remember how the late Zeus used to wait for hours just to take Ceres on a date. Maybe, just maybe, Hades would grow into that kind of man for their youngest daughter too.
"Hon, why don't you go ahead and have lunch with Hades?" Romos suggested warmly.
"But I thought we were having lunch together?" Evadne asked, though she already knew what they'd say.
"Your daddy and I actually have an appointment for lunch," Cielo smiled. "So you go ahead with Hades, sweetheart."
Evadne turned her attention to Hades. "You sure you're okay to wait? I wasn't expecting you this early, so I'm not ready yet."
"No problem. I can wait," he answered with a smile.
It took Evadne nearly 45 minutes to prepare. When she finally came down, she found Hades still engaged in conversation with her father, while Cielo had also begun getting ready.
"That's a great mindset, Hades," Romos was saying, patting his shoulder. "Start investing while you're still young. There's no shame in using your parents' money to start, what matters is growing it. With your brilliance and accomplishments, I'm sure you'll succeed."
Romos looked him in the eye with quiet sincerity.
"And remember, when you do succeed, look back. Acknowledge the people who helped you, no matter how small their role. And treat everyone with respect. Of course, we all have our bad days… but don't let those moments define you. Like I always tell Vee, peace of mind is more important than anything. If you ever feel overwhelmed, by life, by work, take time to breathe."
"Thank you, sir. I'll keep that in mind," Hades said, his voice genuinely grateful. He couldn't remember a time Jupiter had ever patted him on the back, much less said anything so reassuring.
Both men turned when Evadne descended the stairs.
Dressed simply yet elegantly, she exuded calm, and control.
Moments later, the two of them were on the road.
"Any idea where you want to eat?" Hades asked as he drove, briefly glancing at her.
"Anywhere's fine," she said with a faint smile, her eyes fixed on the view outside the window. "I'm not picky. And I'm not craving anything in particular right now."
"I know a restaurant," Hades offered, gripping the wheel a little tighter. "They serve a variety of cuisines, French, Asian, Middle Eastern. The ambiance is great. It's exclusive, light, and just near the shopping district."
"Okay," Evadne replied flatly, still not taking her eyes off the passing buildings.
Trying to ease the tension, Hades attempted a new topic. "Dad mentioned something last night. That you designed a jewelry set when you were ten, and the French royal family bought it?"
"Yeah." Her response was short. Dismissive.
"It must've been amazing… to catch the attention of royalty." He gave her a sideways glance. "You must've been proud, earning millions at such a young age. What did you do with the money? Blow it on shopping sprees?"
"Half of it went to the person who submitted my design to the auction," she said, her tone still even, still uninterested. "Of the remaining four million, I donated one million each to two public schools in Lyon and the other two million to a women-and-children's center. The last million? Dad told me to invest it in a life insurance plan."
She wasn't boasting. There was no pride in her voice. Just facts. Cold and detached, laced with a hint of boredom. As if Hades's curiosity didn't even deserve an effort.
"You gave half to someone else?" Hades blinked. "Why?"
Finally, she turned to him, her brow furrowed as if the question itself was offensive. "Because she's the one who made it real. I only designed it. Out of boredom. I wasn't even planning to take the other half until she tattled to Daddy and insisted I take the full amount. So we compromised."
She shrugged.
"I was ten, Hades. What would I need ten million dollars for?"
Silence.
Hades didn't answer. He couldn't. He knew whatever he said would sound shallow. And for the rest of the ride, he kept his mouth shut.
When they arrived at the restaurant, Hades made sure to open the car door for her, the restaurant door, and pulled out her seat like the perfect gentleman. He was trying. He truly was. But it all felt… calculated.
The restaurant was luxurious, spacious, serene, with only a handful of elite diners scattered at candlelit tables. A Michelin-starred place, the kind that didn't bother putting prices on their menus.
Because the patrons? They didn't need to look.
He handed her the menu first, watching her carefully.
Evadne exhaled quietly.
The more he tried to play nice, the louder his thoughts screamed in her head.
How do I win her? What will make her soften? What else can I do to make her smile?
And the more it made her want to scream.
He was too polite. Too polished. Too fake.
Exactly like the so-called friends she'd had back in France.
"I'll take the steak," she said without glancing at the menu. "And fresh mixed berries."
"They have a lot of options, drinks too. Wine pairings, appetizers…"
"That's all I want." Her tone cut him off, sharp but still calm.
He paused, studying her expression. Then gave a slow nod. "Alright. I'll have the same. With red wine."
The waiter took their orders, and disappeared.
And just as Hades opened his mouth to speak again,
"Keep smiling," Evadne said softly, her tone calm but firm as she kept her gaze down on the table. "Just like you are now."
Hades blinked, startled by the sudden comment. Before he could ask what she meant, she looked up and met his eyes.
"There's a couple behind me," she continued quietly. "Both wearing black. Don't stare, but they've been following us since we left the house."
Hades tensed. His eyes shifted subtly, scanning the room without moving his head too obviously. Six tables away, near the floor-to-ceiling glass window, he saw them. A man and woman, seated close like lovers on a date, smiling, talking, sipping wine. But every so often, one of them would glance in their direction. Just for a second too long.
"Do you know them?" he asked, voice low and laced with unease. His first instinct screamed kidnappers. But they were too well-dressed, too composed. Still, he didn't rule it out. If they were after them, then this wasn't some random threat. It would have to be a serious, organized group.
Evadne tilted her head slightly, watching him with something between amusement and disappointment.
"You don't?" she asked, and then a faint smirk curved her lips.
Hades frowned. "No," he admitted, and her expression shifted again, something unreadable flickering in her gaze.
She sighed, the smirk still faintly on her lips.
"If you were an animal, you'd be a racehorse," she said.
Hades blinked again. "Excuse me?"
"You focus on the finish line," she clarified. "But you never notice what's happening around you."
Hades opened his mouth to reply, but she cut him off.
"The woman," she continued. "She's been keeping tabs on me since I was in first-year middle school. The man, I assume, was assigned to you. They're Falcon people. Dad's people. If you'd been paying attention, you'd have noticed they were watching us yesterday too."
"Keep smiling," she reminded him again when she saw his eyes widen in realization.
Hades froze, barely managing to hold the forced smile on his face. The thought slammed into him like ice water. His father had people shadowing him? Spying on him?
He'd spent so much time believing that the only reason Jupiter knew about his detour with Cieryl was because Evadne tattled. That was the excuse he had clung to.
But now, hearing this… everything made sense.
"How are you so sure?" he asked, his voice faltering slightly as he tried to keep up the facade, lips curved in a half-smile.
Evadne leaned forward slightly, her voice just above a whisper.
"We had a field trip when I was in middle school," she said. "I had an attack. Forgot my meds. That woman? She approached my teacher and handed her the exact medicine I needed. Tell me, Hades… what kind of stranger just happens to carry my specific medication?"
Hades said nothing. He couldn't.
And now, with her ability to hear thoughts, she no longer had to guess. She knew who the woman worked for. Not her parents.
Jupiter Falcon.
He was the one who'd assigned the woman to watch over her. Quietly. Distantly. Like an angel with a sniper rifle.
And now Hades knew, his father had always been watching him too.
All this time, every move he made… every lie, every late-night date with Cieryl, every stolen kiss… it wasn't that he'd gotten away with it.
It was that he'd been allowed to.
Allowed to fall.
Allowed to fail.
Allowed to hang himself with his own pride.
And suddenly, the weight of that truth felt heavier than anything his father had ever said to his face.