His Other Bride

Chapter5

The silence in the Sinclair house that evening felt different from the quiet of the morning . Morning quiet held routine . Evening quiet held tension .

Eva sat alone in the living room, one leg folded beneath her, a book open in her lap that she had not turned a page of in nearly twenty minutes . The words blurred together . Her mind kept returning to the same place .

Lucian Castle .

His voice . His gaze . His warning .

You challenged me .

Eva closed the book and set it aside . The room smelled faintly of jasmine from the garden outside . Normally it would have relaxed her . Tonight it only made the silence feel heavier .

Rebecca entered a moment later . She looked tired in the way people looked when their thoughts refused to settle .

“You disappeared after dinner,” Rebecca said gently .

“I needed quiet,” Eva replied .

Rebecca sat across from her on the sofa . For a moment neither of them spoke .

Then Rebecca sighed .

“Today felt strange .”

Eva raised an eyebrow .

“That’s a polite way to describe it .”

Rebecca rested her head against the back of the couch .

“Andalia scares me a little .”

Eva did not look surprised .

“She should .”

Rebecca glanced at her sister .

“You don’t like her .”

“She watches people the way surgeons watch patients,” Eva said calmly . “Like she’s deciding where to cut .”

Rebecca shivered slightly .

“That’s exactly how it felt .”

A small pause filled the room .

Then Rebecca said something quietly that made Eva’s attention sharpen .

“Lucian defended you .”

Eva looked at her .

“That doesn’t mean anything .”

Rebecca frowned .

“I think it does .”

Eva shook her head .

“No . It means he dislikes his aunt interfering in his decisions .”

Rebecca studied her sister carefully .

“You noticed how he looked at you today, right ?”

Eva did not answer . Rebecca leaned forward .

“Eva .”

Eva exhaled slowly .

“Yes,” she admitted . “I noticed .”

Rebecca waited .

“But it doesn’t matter,” Eva added .

Rebecca’s voice softened .

“He doesn’t look at me that way .”

The sentence landed between them like a stone dropped into water . Eva’s expression hardened immediately .

“You’re imagining things .”

Rebecca shook her head slowly .

“I’m not .”

Eva stood up and walked toward the window .

Outside, the garden lights cast long shadows across the lawn .

“You’re engaged to him,” Eva said .

Rebecca’s voice came quietly from behind her .

“That doesn’t mean he loves me .”

Eva turned .

“Love isn’t required for marriage in families like his .”

Rebecca stared at her .

“And in families like ours ?”

Eva didn’t answer .

Rebecca looked down at her hands .

“I thought I would feel happy,” she said softly . “But everything feels complicated now .”

Eva walked back toward her sister and sat beside her . Rebecca leaned her head against Eva’s shoulder the way she used to when they were younger .

“Promise me something,” Rebecca whispered .

“What ?”

“Promise you won’t hate me if this becomes messy .”

Eva frowned slightly .

“Why would I hate you ?”

Rebecca didn’t answer immediately .

Instead she stood up and walked slowly toward the staircase . Halfway up the stairs she paused .

“Lucian invited us to the Castle estate tomorrow evening,” she said without turning around . “Private dinner . Just the families .”

Eva’s stomach tightened slightly .

“Of course he did .”

Rebecca looked back over her shoulder .

“Andalia insisted you attend .”

Eva almost laughed .

“I’m becoming very popular in that household .”

Rebecca’s expression held something uncertain .

“Yes,” she said quietly . “You are .”

Then she went upstairs but Eva remained in the living room alone . The quiet returned again but now it felt heavier almost like the house itself was waiting for something to happen .

—

The Castle estate looked different at night .

Tall iron gates opened slowly as the Sinclair car approached the driveway . The long road curved through carefully sculpted gardens before revealing the mansion itself .

Lights burned behind tall windows . The house looked less like a home and more like a palace . Rebecca shifted nervously beside Eva in the back seat .

“I feel like I’m walking into an exam I didn’t study for,” she whispered .

Eva watched the building grow closer .

“That’s because you are .”

The car stopped in front of the entrance . A servant opened the door immediately .

Inside, the air smelled faintly of polished wood and expensive candles .

Andalia greeted them in the main hall .

“Welcome,” she said smoothly .

Her eyes moved from Rebecca to Eva with quiet interest .

“Dinner will begin shortly .”

Rebecca smiled politely .

“Thank you for inviting us .”

Andalia inclined her head . Lucian entered the hall a moment later . He wore a dark suit again, though this time his tie had been loosened slightly .

His eyes moved across the room once then they stopped on Eva . Rebecca noticed . So did Andalia .

Lucian walked toward them slowly .

“Rebecca,” he said .

Rebecca nodded .

“Lucian .”

He turned toward Eva next .

“Miss Sinclair .”

Eva met his gaze calmly .

“Mr Castle .”

The tension between them felt almost visible . Andalia watched the exchange with quiet curiosity .

Dinner passed with careful conversation . Lucian’s mother discussed wedding plans enthusiastically while Rebecca tried to respond politely .

Eva remained mostly silent .

Lucian spoke rarely, but every time he did his attention drifted back toward Eva . Andalia noticed everything .

Eventually the conversation slowed .

Lucian’s mother stood .

“Excuse me,” she said . “I need to speak with the event planner .”

Rebecca followed her eagerly .

“I’ll come with you .”

Within seconds the dining room became quiet . Only three people remained .

Lucian . Eva . Andalia .

Andalia leaned back in her chair slightly .

“Interesting evening,” she said calmly .

Eva said nothing . Lucian looked at his aunt .

“What do you want ?”

Andalia smiled faintly .

“Clarity .”

Lucian’s expression hardened .

“You’ve said that already .”

Andalia turned her gaze toward Eva .

“You and my nephew dislike each other .”

Eva nodded once .

“Yes .”

“And yet neither of you stops watching the other,” Andalia continued .

Lucian stood up slowly .

“That’s enough .”

Andalia ignored him . She looked directly at Eva .

“Tell me something, Miss Sinclair .”

Eva met her gaze .

“What ?”

Andalia’s voice remained calm .

“If Lucian were not engaged to your sister, would you still fight the attraction between you ?”

The question landed in the room like thunder .

Lucian froze . Eva’s heart slammed hard once in her chest .

For a moment nobody spoke . Lucian turned slowly toward Eva , his eyes searched her face with a sudden intensity that made the room feel smaller .

Eva’s answer came quietly .

“Yes .”

Lucian’s expression changed slightly , something unreadable passed through his eyes .

Andalia studied both of them carefully then she smiled .

“Good,” she said softly .

Lucian frowned .

“Why good ?”

Andalia stood and walked toward the door .

“Because denial,” she said calmly, “always makes the truth more entertaining when it finally appears .”

She left the room without another word .

The silence that followed stretched between Eva and Lucian like a wire pulled too tight .

Lucian walked slowly around the table until he stood in front of her .

“You should leave,” he said quietly .

Eva looked up at him .

“Why ?”

Lucian’s voice lowered .

“Because the longer you stay here, the more difficult this becomes .”

Eva stood .

“That sounds like your problem .”

Lucian leaned closer .

“No,” he said . “It’s becoming yours too .”

Eva held his gaze without moving .

“You’re engaged to my sister,” she reminded him .

Lucian didn’t look away .

“Yes .”

Eva waited .

Lucian’s voice dropped even lower .

“And that,” he said slowly, “is the only reason this conversation hasn’t already crossed a line we can’t uncross .”