Chapter 27
“Let me go,” I said, louder now, my voice trembling.
And then, suddenly, she did. Or rather, someone made her.
The old woman’s hand was wrenched away from mine with such force that she stumbled back, nearly losing her balance. I looked up, startled, and saw Ethan standing there.
His expression was dark, his jaw clenched and his eyes blazing with anger as he glared at the woman.
She flinched under his gaze, her bravado crumbling in an instant. Without a word, she turned and shuffled away, her hunched figure disappearing down the street.
I was still sitting there, frozen and wide–eyed, when Ethan turned to me.
“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice softer now but still edged with tension.
My heart was pounding, my mind racing with what had just happened. I nodded, though the truth was I wasn’t okay. Not even a little.
“Come on,” he said. “I’ll drive you to school.”
Under normal circumstances, I would have declined. I would have come up with some excuse, anything to avoid being in a confined space with him. But right now, I was too shaken to argue.
I slid into Ethan’s car without a word, my hands clutching my bag tightly as if it could somehow anchor me to reality. My heart was still pounding, echoes of the old woman’s eerie voice replaying in my mind.
Ethan didn’t say anything either, and for once, I was grateful for his silence. He started the engine, and the soft hum of the car filled the void between us. The tension hung thick, unspoken words swirling in the air, but neither of us dared to break it.
I stared out the window as we drove, the scenery blurring together as my thoughts spiraled. Who was that old woman, and what was her deal with me?
Ethan kept his eyes on the road, his jaw tight, his hands gripping the wheel like he was trying to keep himself in check. I risked a glance at him, noting the hard set of his features. He looked… angry. Not the explosive kind of anger, but the controlled, simmering type that made you want to tiptoe around someone.
I looked away, letting my gaze drift to the scenery outside.
The ride felt longer than it actually was, the silence growing heavier with each passing second. By the time we pulled up to the mansion, my nerves were stretched thin.
Ethan parked the car and got out without a word, closing the door behind him. A second later, he was at my side, pulling open my door.
What a gentle man.
I barely held back the scoff threatening to slip out as I climbed out.
i
As I stepped out of the car, I noticed movement by the front entrance.
It was Mom.
She was standing on the porch, her face lighting up the moment she saw us together.
“Oh, my goodness!” she exclaimed, clapping her hands together like a delighted child. “You two came back together?”
I froze, my stomach twisting. She looked so… happy. Like this was some grand breakthrough moment she had been waiting for.
Ethan, on the other hand, didn’t so much as flinch. He just shoved his hands into his pockets and walked toward the house, his long strides making it clear he wasn’t about to stick around for a heartwarming chat.
I trailed behind him, feeling my mom’s eyes on me the entire time.
“This is wonderful,” she gushed as we approached. “I knew you two would eventually get along!”
I forced a smile, though it felt more like a grimace. “Yeah, sure, Mom.”
Ethan didn’t even bother pretending. He just nodded briefly before disappearing inside, leaving me to deal with her enthusiasm on my own.
“Camila,” she said, turning to me with a knowing smile. “I’m so glad to see you two spending time together. It’s important, you know.”
Uh–huh,” I mumbled, trying to sidestep her and make my escape.
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3:35 PM
Chapter 27
But of course, she wasn’t about to let me off the hook that easily.
“You should thank him,” she said, her tone almost scolding. “For bringing you back safely.”
I stopped in my tracks, biting back the urge to groan. “Right. I’ll, uh, get right on that.”
She beamed at me, clearly oblivious to my sarcasm. “Good.”
I didn’t stick around to hear whatever else she had to say. Instead, I made a beeline for the stairs, my mind still racing from everything that had happened.
Once I was safely in my room, I shut the door behind me and leaned against it, exhaling slowly.
My life is a total mess
The old woman’s words, her touch, her presence—it all felt like something out of a nightmare.
I shook my head, trying to push the thoughts away. Overthinking wasn’t going to help.
But as I sat down on my bed, staring out the window at the sprawling estate below, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was in a much deeper mess than I had initially thought.
And it all began the moment I moved into this house.
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