Chapter 124

Nathan

“Jen,” I said, disentangling myself from my adoptive sister’s tight embrace. “It’s good to see you.”

Jenifer smiled. I watched as her eyes slid over to Olivia, who was the perfect picture of a charming ‘mate’. She looked lovely tonight, wearing a maroon dress that hugged her growing belly. There was an undeniable glow about her recently, which was becoming more pronounced by the day as the pregnancy progressed. Even when she was crying over Alvin’s horrible reaction to our help, she looked radiant.

But Jen didn’t smile at her. Or at least, her lips smiled, but her eyes didn’t. Her eyes were cold, and the smile didn’t reach them.

“Nice to see you, Jenifer,” Olivia said. “You look pretty. I like your dress.”

“Hm. Thanks,” Jenifer replied coldly before abruptly turning back to face me. “Join me in the parlor for a drink before dinner, Nathan?”

Jenifer’s voice oozed charm, but I could detect a hint of mischief beneath the smooth tone.

What was going on tonight?

I hesitated, my eyes darting to Olivia. “Sure,” I responded, my voice sounding more guarded than I intended.

We began to make our way to the small parlor where my dad kept his bar, fully stocked with all kinds of liquor. It seemed as though many of the guests hadn’t arrived just yet, and my parents were nowhere to be seen.

When we reached the doorway, however, Jenifer froze. Her gaze shifted over to Olivia, a sly smile playing on her lips. “Olivia, I believe the kitchen staff could use some assistance. Maybe you’d like to help them out?”

I stared at Jen, disbelief evident on my face.

“Why would my mate, especially in her condition, be asked to help in the kitchen? She’s our guest. And she’s pregnant.”

Jenifer laughed, a tinkling sound that almost seemed a touch too rehearsed.

“Oh, Nathan,” she replied, feigning innocence, “I just thought she might feel most comfortable in the kitchen. Besides, she can’t drink with us, can she, seeing as how she’s pregnant? I wouldn’t want her to feel out of place in the parlor.”

I opened my mouth to protest. But Olivia, having taken on the picture of grace tonight, simply shook her head. “It’s alright, Nathan,” she said. “I’ll head to the kitchen.”

There was a forced smile on her face, an obvious attempt to mask the hurt from Jenifer’s sly insinuations.

“No,” I interjected firmly. “If that's the case, I’ll join you there. We can both help the servants.”

Olivia’s gaze softened. Beside me, I felt Jenifer stiffen. “Nathan, it’s fine,” Olivia said. “I’ll be okay.”

With a swift, reassuring glance, she quickly turned on her heel and disappeared from the room before I could stop her.

As I watched her retreat, a mixture of confusion and concern welled up within me. But before I could fully process these emotions, Jenifer’s hand was winding itself around my arm, pulling me towards the parlor.

“Come on,” she murmured, guiding me inside. “I’m thirsty.”

The parlor, as always, was grand and impeccably furnished. My dad loved opulence, but it had seemed to have gotten more pronounced lately. It seemed as though every time I came here, the house was furnished with something new and expensive, and the parlor was no different.

Large bay windows dominated the far wall, framed by heavy crimson drapes that pooled onto the polished marble floor. To the side, an ornate fireplace, carved from dark wood with intricate patterns and motifs around its frame, commanded attention. A fire flickered within, but my eyes were drawn to something else. Something new.

It was a painting above the mantelpiece. My mother’s painting, which my dad had commissioned just after they got married, normally hung there. But now, something new was there. A new portrait.

A portrait of Jenifer.

Jenifer went straight to the bar, pouring out two glasses of deep amber liquid. The scent of aged whiskey filled the air. She noticed my gawking, however, because her eyes followed my gaze.

“Oh, dad insisted on that,” she said, her voice dripping with honey. “I think I look awful in it.”

That was a lie. Jenifer looked stunning in the portrait. The artist had done a wonderful job. Her dark hair cascaded over her shoulders, and a delicate silver necklace hung around her neck. She wore a dark purple gown with white gloves that came up past her elbows, and she sat poised gracefully on a chair.

In actuality, though, it didn’t really look like her. The artist had filled her out here and there, making her less bony and frail-looking.

The only things that really screamed ‘Jenifer’ were her eyes, round and hollow. She had always been like that. Now, those eyes were immortalized in this portrait, staring out at me.

Still, I couldn’t help but wonder why my mother’s portrait had been moved to make room for this new one. It felt… disrespectful. But then again, maybe my mother agreed to it. Like passing the torch, so to speak.

“So,” Jenifer said as she poured the drinks, then deftly spun the cap back onto the bottle and sauntered over to me. “Have you heard anything about that monster yet?”

I accepted the drink, taking a small sip. The smooth warmth of the alcohol seemed at odds with the tense atmosphere. Setting the glass down, I met Jenifer’s gaze and shook my head.

“No,” I replied. “Nothing, really. Nothing except what’s been discussed at the Council meetings. Why?”

Jenifer shrugged and sank down into a plush armchair next to me. “Dad and I had a little visitor the other night,” she said. “Someone causing mayhem in the woods.”

“That’s right.” I feigned ignorance. Just like Olivia, I was curious as to why my dad and Jenifer went on that vacation alone, when we normally went as a family. “You and dad stayed at the cabin over the weekend, right? Without mom?”

Jenifer’s smile widened. Her large eyes, normally wide and blank, flickered now with a hint of strange mischief, like there was something she wasn’t telling me.

“Yes,” she replied, swirling the brown liquid around in her glass. “Just the two of us. Spending… quality time.”

I didn’t respond. I didn’t know how; no words would come. Something in me was certain that there was something going on tonight. Or maybe I was just anxious because of the events with Alvin. My mind wandered back to the night that Olivia and I dug around in the woods while Angela played the part of the ‘monster’ to keep my dad and Jen distracted, and it made me wonder if it hadn’t really worked after all.

“So, you saw the monster?”

Jenifer shook her head, grimacing as she swallowed a large mouthful of whiskey. “No. Just heard it. Dad had to go out and chase it down, but he didn’t find it. Although…” She paused, and her eyes flickered again. “He did find Olivia on the side of the road, all by herself. Said she was holding a strange box, with dirt under her nails.”

I had to restrain myself from allowing my eyes to widen. Quickly, I looked down at the glass in my hand before Jenifer could see the expression on my face.

“Yeah,” I said, feigning ignorance once more, “she was out that night, scattering some of her dad’s ashes in some places that he used to love. Dad would be furious if he found out. Promise you won’t tell him?”

For a few moments, Jenifer was silent. My eyes pleaded with her to drop the subject here, to keep it from going any further. But that flicker in her eyes told me otherwise.

“Oh, well if that’s the case,” she said, smirking, “then sure. I won’t say anything. It must be difficult for her, to lose her dad…”

I didn’t say anything. As far as I knew, Jenifer’s family had abandoned her. I knew nothing else. She never talked about it, at least not to me.

“Nathan,” she said then, her voice dripping with feigned sweetness, “speaking of Olivia… don’t you think that her belly is a bit...overgrown for her stage in pregnancy?”

The audacity of her question made my blood boil. “What are you implying, Jen?”

She circled the rim of her glass with her finger, her eyes fixed on the swirling liquid. “I mean, she's just starting her second trimester, isn't she? It just seems so...advanced. Has she been exercising properly? Eating the right foods?”

“Jenifer,” I snapped, my voice cold and sharp, “those comments are uncalled for. Olivia is healthy, and the baby is progressing just fine. You’re starting to sound like mom.”

For a moment, there was a tense silence in the room. I was half-expecting her to lash out or defend her words, but instead, she simply smiled, finished the rest of her whiskey, and stood.

“You’re right, Nathan. I apologize.”

There was a hint of remorse in her voice, but I couldn't help but wonder if it was genuine.