Chapter 345

Olivia

The banquet had drawn to a close, the candles were flickering low, and I was eager to get back to the twins. Nathan, however, had something urgent come up with his Beta.

“Sorry, Liv,” he said, looking apologetic. “I have some pack business to deal with. One of our import suppliers is throwing a royal fit because a document got lost in transit. I have to resign everything and get it back out ASAP.”

“Don’t worry,” I said, giving his hand a squeeze. “Just get home before it’s too late, okay?”

“I will,” Nathan reassured me. “Oh, and hey, can you take Uncle Edward back with you? Show him around the house?”

The thought of walking back alone with Edward unsettled me in a strange and inexplicable way, but Nathan was giving me that pleading look—one he knew I couldn’t easily refuse. “Alright, fine. But just so you know, you owe me one.”

Nathan grinned. “Deal. Love you.”

“Love you too.”

The walk back to the villa was short, but it felt much longer. Edward tried to make small talk, asking about the neighborhood, but the conversation felt forced. I was relieved when our home finally came into view, the lights a warm glow in the evening darkness.

As we entered, Clint was sitting on the living room couch, scrolling through his phone. “Hey, Liv. Twins are asleep. They were angels.”

“Thanks for babysitting, Clint,” I said, my relief palpable. “Oh, this is Edward, Nathan’s uncle. He’ll be staying with us for a bit.”

“Ah, the famous Uncle Edward,” Clint said, standing to shake his hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m headed back to my cottage, so if you need anything, you know where to find me.”

“Will do. Thanks again, Clint,” I said as he walked out, leaving me alone with Edward.

Edward’s eyes roamed the room before settling back on me. “Lovely home you have here.”

“Thank you. Would you like a quick tour?” I offered, although part of me hoped he would decline.

“Sure, that would be nice,” he said.

I showed him the living room first, pointing out the fireplace Nathan and I had restored together. We moved through the kitchen and dining room, where a recent family photo hung on the wall. I noticed Edward’s eyes linger on it for a moment longer than comfortable.

“Can I see the twins?” he finally asked, breaking the silence.

“Actually, I’d rather not disturb them; they’re asleep. You can see them tomorrow,” I answered, feeling that twinge of discomfort again.

“Ah, yes, of course,” Edward agreed, but something about the way he said it made my skin prickle.

We walked upstairs, and as we moved through the corridor, I found myself explaining the layout. “This is the master bedroom, and the twins’ room is just next door. There’s a guest room down the hall where you’ll be staying, and another bathroom—”

Edward interrupted, “You have an en suite bathroom in the master bedroom, correct?”

I blinked, startled by his strange question. “Yes. How did you know?”

“A lucky guess,” he said, but his smile didn’t quite meet his eyes.

I wanted to press further, but bit my tongue. Instead, I showed him to the guest room, trying to keep the atmosphere light. “Well, here we are. There are fresh towels hanging in the bathroom if you want to take a shower.”

“Thank you, Olivia. You’ve been very welcoming,” he said, setting his bag down.

I nodded, feeling cornered by my own politeness. “Well, it’s getting late. We should probably both get some sleep.”

“Yes, of course,” Edward agreed, but there was a pause, and in that pause, all my disquiet seemed to pool.

Just as I was about to turn away, Edward called out, “Olivia?”

I paused and turned back towards him. “Yeah?”

“Where is your room again?” he asked, his gaze a little too intent for my liking.

I pointed down the hall. “Nathan and I are in that room, right there,” I replied, wondering why he was so keen on knowing that information.

Edward seemed to think for a moment, and then he smiled. That smile—I couldn’t shake off the feeling that it was oddly familiar, like I had seen it before but couldn’t remember where. It was like a half-remembered dream, fuzzy around the edges, and it left me feeling unsteady.

“Alright,” he finally said. “Goodnight, Olivia.”

“Goodnight, Edward,” I replied, but the words felt tight, like there was a knot forming in my throat.

I made my way to my room, trying to shrug off the strange feeling gnawing at the pit of my stomach. As I walked in, I was greeted by the familiar scents and sights that usually gave me comfort—our shared closet, the photos on the dresser, the bed with the plush pillows that I had picked out.

But tonight, all of those things just served as a reminder of the unfamiliar presence now dwelling in our home.

Why did I feel this way about Edward? Was it really just my maternal instincts kicking in, or was it something else?

Suddenly, my phone buzzed; it was a text from Nathan: “On my way back, love. How are things?”

I hesitated before typing back: “All good. Hurry back.”

I didn’t want to worry him; he had enough on his plate. And honestly, what would I even say? That his uncle made me feel uneasy for reasons I couldn’t even pinpoint? All I could do for now was slip out of my silk dress and get ready for bed, trying to ignore the unfamiliar yet also strangely familiar presence in the other room.

But even as I took off my makeup and combed my hair out, I kept looking at the door, checking to see if it was still closed.

…

When Nathan finally walked through the door a little while later, the room seemed to brighten, as if his presence eased all of my worries. “Hey, love,” he greeted, leaning down to kiss me where I was sitting in bed, a magazine open on my lap.

“Hey,” I responded, letting out a sigh I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. “Sort the import issues out?”

“For now. Hopefully the documents arrive in time now. You okay?” he asked, looking down at me, his eyes searching my face for answers.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I replied, but my voice wavered, betraying my words.

Nathan seemed to pick up on it. “You sure? You seem a little off.”

“No, it’s nothing. Just a little wary about outsiders, I guess,” I confessed, not wanting to outright lie to him.

Nathan tightened his grip around me, as if he could squeeze out all the discomfort and unease. “I get it, Olivia. But Edward is family, and it means a lot to have him here. We’ve been separated for so long.”

“I know,” I said softly. How could I argue with that? The joy in Nathan’s eyes at being reunited with his uncle was unmistakable. And family was important to me, too.

“He’s a good guy, Liv. I promise it’ll be fine,” Nathan assured me, kissing the top of my head.

I said nothing. I let the words hang in the air, unsaid. Maybe it was just me being overly cautious or maybe it was just the pregnancy hormones. Either way, I chose to swallow my discomfort, for Nathan’s sake.

We crawled into bed, and as Nathan pulled me close, I tried to let his warmth seep into me, to fill the tiny cracks of doubt that had formed. But they remained, stubborn and unyielding.

“Come here,” Nathan murmured, his breath tickling my ear.

A shiver went down my spine. I rolled over in bed, reveling in the warmth of his body. His fingers stroked up and down my thigh as we moved closer together. I decided then and there that for tonight, I would just focus on Nathan. I would shut the rest of the world out, and let the two of us fall into our own little world until sleep finally came over us.

But still, even then, I couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched.