Outside by the pool, the evening air felt heavy. Eve and Roman stood near each other, three measured steps apart. Eve's arms were folded, her gaze fixed on the still water ahead, refusing to meet his eyes. Roman's attention lingered on her as he could see it plainly. She wasn't doing well. And those vultures inside didn't care. All they wanted was her money.
"Come back home," Roman said at last, breaking the silence.
"And do what?" Her head turned, eyes sharp and unyielding. "Pretend everything's fine? Pretend we are the picture of loving siblings?"
The hatred in her gaze was cold enough to cut. Roman had seen it before, but for the first time, it unsettled him. He didn't care if she accepted him as her brother, he just wanted to protect her, to make sure she was safe and living a life she deserved.
