Ezra opened the door for Evie to step inside once they arrived home, and she entered, stretching her limbs. "It feels incredible to be back. Today was intense," she murmured, her voice low, as Ezra followed closely behind her.
Then she froze. Her eyes narrowed toward a corner of the mansion, and Ezra halted beside her, noticing her sudden stillness and how her gaze was locked in one direction, her brows subtly furrowed and eyes narrowing in suspicion, trying to identify who it was.
Seated on the couch in the living room was a tall man, one leg crossed over the other, effortlessly swirling a glass of wine in his hand. His gaze was fixed on the television screen, appearing completely unfazed.
Evie thought he looked familiar, yet she couldn't immediately place where she had seen him before. His bangs were down, partially obscuring his face, making recognition nearly impossible. "Do you have a guest?" she asked Ezra in a quiet tone.
Ezra frowned and didn't bother answering—perhaps not having heard her—before proceeding toward the living room. "Shane?" he called as he neared.
The figure slowly turned, and as his eyes met Ezra's, a smirk played across his lips.
Evie immediately recognized him as he turned.
It was Shane—the number one actor in all of Country M. She slapped a hand over her mouth, unable to contain her shock, her eyes wide with disbelief.
What was he doing here?
How was he even here?
How could she possibly find herself surrounded by such infamous figures? First Ezra Thorne, and now Shane Thorne. She couldn't possibly be this fortunate, she thought.
They were both Thorne... Could it be?...
Meanwhile, the man on the couch rose with graceful ease, carefully placing his wine glass on the table. "Ezra, man. It's amazing to see you," he said as they shook hands, then pulled each other into a brotherly embrace.
Evie stood back and watched. They both looked intimidating, devastatingly attractive—two forces of chaos within all of Country M. Every woman dreamed of catching their attention, and somehow, here she was, caught between both. It made her head spin. For a moment, she felt like an intruder in their perfect world.
"Told you I'd be returning to the country. Just thought I'd come a bit earlier—spend a few weeks here. You know, like old times," Shane said with a light chuckle.
"You could've warned me," Ezra responded flatly. This wasn't the first time Shane decided to crash at his place. He could easily afford a five-star hotel, but he always preferred showing up here to pester Ezra instead.
Shane laughed. "Where's the fun in that?" he asked, amusement lacing his words. Then, from where he stood, he noticed the woman standing a few meters away. She looked stunned. His eyes narrowed curiously. "And this must be your girlfriend..." he trailed off, glancing back at Ezra, who realized belatedly that introductions were overdue.
"Yeah," Ezra confirmed. He turned slightly. "Love, please come," he called, and Evie, still a little shaken by the surreal situation, hesitated for a beat. Her heart faltered when he called her 'love,' but she shook it off internally, reminding herself she had a role to play—and she had to play it well.
"Shane, this is Evie—my girlfriend. Evie, meet Shane... You must know him," Ezra said smoothly.
Evie nodded instantly—and a bit too frantically. How could anyone *not* know this man? When Shane extended his hand for a shake, she took it hesitantly but held it longer—and tighter—than necessary. Shane's eyes narrowed slightly at her grip, glancing at their joined hands with a teasing chuckle, as though saying, *You can let go now.* Embarrassed, Evie finally released him.
"I think you look really familiar, Evie," Shane said, retracting his hand. He tilted his head thoughtfully. "You're that relationship coach, right? The one who's been trending recently."
Evie swallowed. That wasn't how she wanted to be recognized. She could already feel the weight of his judgment. Still, she nodded.
"I love watching your videos," Shane added unexpectedly. "You're so confident, and I like how you empower women."
Evie's eyes lit up, caught off guard by the praise. "Thank you so much," she replied brightly. "And I love your movies too. I can't believe I'm standing right in front of you," she added with a nervous laugh.
"Right," Shane said, chuckling with her.
Ezra remained still, silently observing the two of them with an unreadable expression.
"So… are you guys, like, brothers or…?" Evie asked, unable to help herself. The thought had been circling her mind—they looked strangely alike. Shane had striking blue eyes, sure, but they both shared the same dark hair and undeniable charisma. Ezra was the composed, enigmatic type, while Shane exuded charm and mischief, though he, too, carried a certain commanding aura.
For an important figure like Shane to be here, they must really be close, and she couldn't help but wonder if they were related in any way. You do know that celebrities like this tend to keep their lives private, so it wouldn't be a massive blow to her right now if they were brothers.
"You could say that," Shane agreed. "But we're really close friends, so we may as well be brothers... Not related by blood, as you know Ezra is an only child," he muttered.
Evie blinked. *Only child?* She was just learning that.
Shane's eyes narrowed at her. "You seem surprised. Did you not know?" he asked.
Evie's heart began to race in her chest, her eyes darting toward Ezra for help—but he wasn't even looking at her now. As if saying that she should save herself from the pit she dug.
She tried to laugh it off. "Yes... I know he's an only child. I meant that kind of brother—like friends close enough to be brothers... I don't know if that makes sense," she finally said, pressing her lips together.
Shane smiled at her, his gaze running up and down before shifting to Ezra, as if something about the moment intrigued him. Fortunately, his time here would be worthwhile. He knew it—not that it wasn't before, but having Evie here would make it far more fun, he thought to himself.
"Why didn't you let Sam take your luggage to the room?" Ezra asked at last, now that they were done interrogating each other like he wasn't even in the room.
"I can't bother the old guy. I'll take it myself," Shane waved it off like it was nothing. "By the way, it's great to see you two—Ezra and Evie," he said, looking from one to the other. Ezra rolled his eyes, well aware of his friend's antics, while Evie gave a tight, awkward smile.
"I bet we'll have fun while I'm here," Shane added.