Chapter Thirty Five: Letting Her Guard Down

EVELYN’S POV:

Dana walked in with a broad smile on her face, and I greeted her warmly, a wide smile spreading across my own face. I noticed the questioning look in her eyes, but I ignored it. I stepped aside to let her in and followed closely behind as she entered.

One thing I knew for certain was that I needed to keep an eye on every move she made.

We sat on the couch in the den room, chatting for a bit and catching up on each other’s lives, though I knew we were both pretending.

She commented on how nice it was to see me happy again, and I appreciated her kind words, even though I didn’t fully believe them.

My dad walked in, greeted Dana with a warm smile, and exchanged a brief hug before leaving the room to give us some privacy.

As our conversation continued, she brought up Caleb, but I quickly changed the subject. I wasn’t ready to discuss him yet. “If you could just slow it down—not now,” I thought to myself.

Instead, I suggested we head to the kitchen to cook lunch together. The happiness on her face was evident—she probably thought I was on her side now. Little did she know I was far ahead of her plan.

I had given the cooks the day off, hoping to bond with her over cooking and making sure she thought I was completely vulnerable. I wanted her guard down so she would act carelessly. Keeping her close was the best way to keep watch.

We spent the next hour cooking and laughing together. The aroma of roasted vegetables and sizzling meat filled the kitchen.

When we were done, we sat at the dining table to eat. By then, my dad had joined us. The table was lively with chatter and laughter, but I noticed something was off with my dad. He seemed distracted, but I decided to wait until later to speak with him about it.

After dinner, I took Dana to my apartment, wanting to show her something. As we walked in, I gestured toward the frame Caleb had gifted me.

"Hey, look at this," I said, trying to sound casual. Pointing to the bouquet of flowers .

Dana’s eyes widened as she looked at the frame. "Oh, it’s beautiful!" she exclaimed, and then, almost impulsively, added, "It was actually my idea."

"Wait, what?" I said, feigning surprise. My eyes snapped to hers. "You knew about it before I got it?"

Dana stuttered, trying to defend herself. "No, Caleb asked me if you would like it. He wasn’t sure and wanted to make sure you loved it. As your best friend, it was thoughtful of him to ask me," she said, looking at me hopefully.

I nodded understandingly, pretending to accept her explanation. But inside, I was satisfied. My questions were answering themselves, and I was starting to see a clearer picture of what was happening.

If keeping them close was the easiest way for them to expose themselves, I would tolerate it for now.

"You know," I began, "I was thinking we should all hang out soon—the three of us—just for the sake of the last time. We didn’t end well, remember?"

Her eyes widened slightly, glistening as she considered my suggestion.

"Eve," she said, her voice steady, "I need you and Caleb to come back together soon. Caleb has really great intentions toward you. He’ll make you and your dad proud. I’m positive he’ll take great care of the company.

"I’ve always dreamed of you becoming a big, successful fashion designer, and I know you will be. With Caleb, a happy home is guaranteed."

Her gaze locked on mine, as if searching for something—some hidden feeling she wanted to confirm.

"Dana," I said firmly, "let’s not do this right now. I need more time to make any permanent decisions."

Her phone buzzed suddenly, and she silenced it immediately. She seemed nervous, her gaze darting around the room.

The phone beeped again, and she excused herself to take the call.

I followed her quietly and overheard her say Caleb’s name, but I couldn’t make out the rest of the conversation. Deciding not to risk being caught, I went back to the room.

When she returned, she glanced around as if worried someone had been listening.

"Is everything okay?" I asked, trying to sound casual.

"Yes," she replied quickly.

Not five minutes later, she announced it was time for her to leave. I agreed, and we returned to my dad’s house so she could say goodbye.

My dad requested some private time with her, and they stepped aside to talk.

I excused myself, brushing off my curiosity about their conversation. Sitting outside, I pulled out my phone and texted Leonard, wondering why I hadn’t heard from him all day.

As I waited for his response, I saw Dana coming out of the house. What startled me was the look on her face—she seemed furious. Her eyes blazed with anger, and she stormed out, almost running. She didn’t even acknowledge me.

I called out to her, yelling her name, but she didn’t stop. She got into a waiting cab and sped off, leaving me standing there in confusion.

I dashed inside, desperate to ask my dad what had happened.

"What happened?" I asked him, my heart racing.

"Nothing, darling," he said with a smile, his expression calm and unreadable.

His calm demeanor was what confused me more.

I tried to collect Dan’s reaction and his, now everything was just crazy.

I stood there, trying to process everything, but one thing was clear: my dad was hiding something, and I had to find out what it was.

I was more scared of What Dana can do for a payback.

I was shattered and devastated, but my dad seemed to care less.

“ You don't get yourself all worked up my darling.Just go get ready for tomorrow.

 Everything is fine, got it?

 He questioned in an unexpecting tone.

That wasn't what I wanted to hear.