Chapter 8: The poisoned promise

The heat appeared to cling to Bernice, even here inside the mansion. It was hard to rid herself of the tension that had built up during the drive with her. Every minute crawled like hours, with her innocence grating on my nerves like sandpaper, and each further mistake jabbed at his patience. By the time they ran into Olivia, he was hanging on by a thread; the edges starting to fray at the seams with every passing second.

Ethan stormed down the hallway, hardly noticing the servants who scurried out of his way. His head was such a jumbled tangle of anger and frustration. He needed space, a moment to breathe, a moment to clear his head. But that moment never arrived.

"Ethan.

His feet stopped at the sound of her voice. He turned slowly, every muscle of his body tightening as his gaze met Olivia's. She was standing at the main door entrance, a portrait in calmness, a small smile playing on her lips as if she hadn't just thrown a grenade into my day. He had wanted to avoid her, just wante