The night air was cool against Evelyn's skin, but it wasn't the chill that sent shivers down her spine. It was the weight of everything—the video, the truth, the realization that her father had been murdered for something he knew.
And Theo.
He was still standing beside her, his presence as steady as the ground beneath her feet. The warmth of his fingers still lingered where he had brushed her hair away, and Evelyn found herself hyper-aware of the small space between them.
The world felt quieter out here, under the stars. But her thoughts were loud.
She exhaled softly. "Do you think he knew?"
Theo turned his head slightly. "Knew what?"
"That they were going to kill him." Her voice was steady, but the way her fingers gripped the porch railing betrayed her.
Theo was silent for a moment before he said, "I think he knew the risk."
Evelyn swallowed, staring at the streetlights in the distance. "I keep thinking… if I had figured this out sooner, maybe—"
Theo cut her off. "Don't."
She turned to face him, caught off guard by the quiet intensity in his voice.
"This isn't on you," Theo said firmly. "Your father left those files so you could find the truth, not so you could drown in guilt."
Evelyn let out a shaky breath. "I just—I feel like I don't know what I'm supposed to do next. I have all these pieces, but I don't know how to put them together."
Theo studied her for a long moment before exhaling and leaning against the railing again. "You don't have to have all the answers tonight."
She scoffed. "And what, just… pretend everything's fine?"
"No." His gaze met hers, unwavering. "Just let yourself breathe."
Evelyn didn't realize how tense she had been until he said it.
Breathe.
She hadn't been breathing properly for days.
Theo's eyes flickered over her face, as if reading every thought in her head. Then, in a quiet voice, he added, "Come here."
Evelyn hesitated, her heart skipping a beat at the softness in his tone. But before she could talk herself out of it, she moved closer, resting her forehead against his shoulder.
Theo didn't pull away.
He stayed still for a moment, then—slowly, carefully—he wrapped an arm around her.
Evelyn exhaled.
He was warm. Solid. Steady.
For the first time in days, she felt like she wasn't carrying the weight of everything alone.
She closed her eyes. "You're annoying, you know that?"
Theo let out a quiet chuckle. "You've mentioned it before."
She smiled against his shoulder.
The night stretched on, and neither of them moved.
---
The Calm Before the Storm
By the time they went back inside, the exhaustion was settling in. But Evelyn wasn't ready to sleep yet, and apparently, neither was Theo.
She sat on the couch, hugging a pillow to her chest while Theo brought two cups of tea from the kitchen.
He handed her one without a word, then sat beside her.
Evelyn wrapped her fingers around the cup, letting the warmth seep into her hands.
After a moment, she muttered, "I can't believe you make tea at midnight."
Theo smirked. "I can't believe you thought I'd let you have coffee at midnight."
She narrowed her eyes. "You have a god complex."
"And yet, here you are, drinking my tea."
Evelyn groaned, but took a sip anyway.
Silence fell between them, but it wasn't uncomfortable.
Then, quietly, Theo asked, "What was he like?"
Evelyn blinked. "Who?"
"Your father. Before all of this."
She hesitated. She hadn't really talked about him like that in a long time.
But Theo was looking at her like he actually wanted to know.
So she sighed, staring into her tea. "He was… brilliant. Always thinking, always solving things. But he was also kind. He used to read me stories when I was little, even though he barely had time." She smiled slightly. "He used to say the world was just a giant puzzle waiting to be figured out."
Theo listened without interrupting.
Evelyn's smile faded. "I think, deep down, he knew he was running out of time. And he tried to protect me from it."
Theo's fingers tapped lightly against his cup. "He would've been proud of you."
Evelyn swallowed past the lump in her throat.
They sat there for a while, just drinking tea, lost in their own thoughts.
Until—
A sharp knock at the door.
Evelyn and Theo both froze.
Her grip on the cup tightened. It was almost 2 a.m. No one should be here.
Theo set his tea down quietly, already on alert.
Evelyn's pulse quickened.
Another knock. More insistent this time.
Theo moved first, stepping toward the door but keeping his body tense, ready. Evelyn followed, standing just behind him.
He reached for the handle but didn't open it yet. Instead, he turned his head slightly. "Stay behind me."
Evelyn rolled her eyes. "I'm not helpless, Bennett."
Theo sighed. "Humor me."
Before she could argue, he opened the door.
A man stood there. Tall, broad-shouldered, dressed in black.
His face was partially hidden by the shadows, but his voice was clear when he spoke.
"You don't know me, but I know what you're looking for."
Evelyn's stomach dropped.
Theo's posture stiffened. "Who are you?"
The man exhaled. "Someone who used to work for your father." His gaze shifted to Evelyn. "And someone who can tell you exactly why they wanted him dead."
---
End of Chapter 21