The Eve Before

Chapter 12.

"Who is she?"

Paula's voice sliced through the quiet hallway just as Jacob s**t the door behind him. He dragged a hand through his hair and let out a long, tired sigh.

"Seriously Paula? She's a stranger. I invited her in because she looked lost. I don't know where she's from or why she came here." His voice softened. "You really have to calm down. I didn't expect your mother to react like that and I'm sorry."

Paula crossed her arms." And you had to wait for my mother to tell me? You couldn't say it yourself?"

Inside the house, Evelyn froze where she stood, halfway behind the kitchen doorway.

She could hear every word–And how stressed Jacob sounded.

Paula Hawthorne was.. well, a ticking bomb. Ever since her mom became Market chief, Paula had started ticking loader, faster– like she was one breath away from blowing up at someone. And today, that someone was Jacob.

Jacob shifted his weight, clearly trying not to lose his patience. " Paula, you're jumping into suspicions again."

" That's because no one tells me anything," she shot back. " Someone shows up out of nowhy, and suddenly you're sheltering her? how is that not suspicious?"

" It's not suspicious,"Jacob said, rubbing his temple. " it's called being decent. She needed help, so I helped ".

Paula raised and eyebrow, impressed. "And you didn't think that mattered to anyone else? That maybe letting a stranger wander in the market district could be a problem?"

Evelyn listened. The conversation wasn't about jealousy or personal drama. It was about control. Territory. Authority. Paula wasn't interrogating Jacob because she cared what he did– she cared about what it meant.

Paula stepped closer, lowering her voice just a little. " Look Jacob. I don't care who she is. But you don't bring unknown people inside without telling someone. You should at least think of my mother and how she'll be affected if something goes wrong, shouldn't you honey?"

Jacob's jaw tightened. " And I told you– she's not a threat."

" Maybe not to you." Paula muttered. " But until I know more, I'm not dropping this."

Evelyn swallowed. She has faced tougher questioning in boardrooms, but this–this felt dangerous in a different way. Paula wasn't emotional.

Paula was investigating–She and her mother both.