Chapter 350

Olivia

As I set the dinner table, the warm scent of roasted chicken filled the room. I was excited for a family dinner tonight—Nathan, Edward, and myself. It was not only a chance for the tiniest shred of normalcy, but it was also a chance to finally talk, to get things out in the open air, and most of all, to observe Edward before I jumped to any conclusions.

When the front door opened, the jingle of keys announced their arrival. I steeled myself, smoothing down my shirt and turning around with a smile on my face.

Nathan walked into the dining room first, his eyes lighting up at the sight of the spread. “Wow, Olivia, this looks amazing!”

Edward followed, an approving smile gracing his lips. “I must say, Nathan, you’ve chosen a woman who knows her way around the kitchen. Olivia, you must be the one to cook all of the time, right?”

I couldn’t deny the fact that his comment sent a tinge of irritation flickering through me. “We both cook, actually. And we share all household chores evenly, too.”

Edward looked puzzled. “Evenly? But Nathan is the Alpha; his duties are numerous and demanding.”

The irritation surged. “Yes, and being a mother is just as demanding—if not more so sometimes. We’re a team; we both pitch in. This isn’t the 1950s.”

Edward turned to Nathan. “What do you think?”

I felt my blood boil. The fact that Edward would question our arrangement, and then seek validation from Nathan was beyond irksome.

Before things could escalate, Nathan stepped in. “Actually, I completely agree with Olivia. I’m more than happy to share in our household duties. It’s important to both of us. And besides, I like cooking and cleaning.”

Edward didn’t bring up the topic again, thankfully, and we settled into our seats. Dinner proceeded without a hitch—until Nathan broke the smooth cadence of cutlery and casual conversation.

“So… Edward mentioned he had a plan concerning the witch,” Nathan began cautiously.

My ears perked up. “Oh, really?”

Edward set down his fork, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and looked straight at me. “Yes, and you might be at the center of it all, Olivia.”

My hand instinctively went to my belly, shielding the unborn life growing inside me. “The center? What is this plan, first of all?”

Edward leaned back, folding his hands together. “The idea is to use you as bait, for lack of a better word.”

“Bait?” Nathan’s eyes widened.

Edward nodded. “Olivia would go to the witch’s hut and try to make another ‘deal’ with her. Just as you’re about to close the deal, Nathan and I can trap her with a special sigil and strip her of her powers. She’ll become human. No one has to die.”

My mouth hung open. Bait? Sigils? Human? Was he serious? “How do you know this would work?” I found myself blurting out.

“I had a run-in with a witch many years ago,” Edward explained with a heavy sigh, his eyes falling down to his plate. “Let’s just say that it was a bad deal that almost cost me dearly. But I was saved by a good witch who happened to be in the area. She taught me what to do. It worked.”

It was a lot to digest. I looked at Nathan. He was silent, his eyes shifting between Edward and me, clearly mulling over the heavy proposition.

“I’d… have to think about this,” Nathan finally said, his eyes flickering to my belly. “And Olivia would too.”

“Of course,” Edward agreed. “But don’t take too long deciding. The witch isn’t going to wait for us. And you never know what she has up her sleeves.”

My fingers found the amulet that Layla had given me, hanging around my neck.

It wasn’t tingling, but an uneasy feeling washed over me. For a brief moment, Edward’s eyes locked onto mine, and a shiver raced down my spine.

Was it caution? Suspicion? I couldn’t tell. But one thing was certain: the dynamics at this dinner table had shifted, and something wasn’t right.

…

After dinner, the tension was palpable, hanging heavily over us like a 1000-pound weight. We cleaned up, the clatter of dishes louder than usual, filling the silence that none of us wanted to break.

Finally, once everything was put away, Edward thanked me profusely for the meal and retreated to his room for the night. Nathan and I headed to our own room, and I sank down onto the bed and watched as he began taking off his work clothes.

“So, about Edward’s plan with the witch,” Nathan said quietly as he unfastened his tie. “What do you think?”

I took a deep breath, ready to speak, but then I hesitated.

My mind kept flashing back to the dinner conversation, to Edward’s piercing eyes, so similar to Nathan’s in a way that made no sense. Finally, I spoke, but my voice came out softer than I had intended.

“Have you ever noticed how Edward has the same eye color as you?” I asked.

Nathan furrowed his brow. “Erm, I guess. What does that have to do with anything?”

I sighed. “They’re blue-green, just like yours. But you got your eyes from your mother, didn’t you? And he’s from your father’s side of the family. You don’t find that weird?”

Nathan looked puzzled. “I mean, blue-green eyes aren’t that rare, Liv. Maybe it’s a coincidence. What are you getting at?”

“And the woman at the store,” I continued, unable to shake off my unease. “She said Edward used to be taller. What if he’s not who he says he is? What if he’s an imposter?”

Nathan sighed, clearly frustrated. “Come on, Olivia. Was it Mary? The cashier?”

I nodded.

“Then there’s your answer,” Nathan replied, slipping his tie off and working at the buttons on his shirt now. “Mary’s memory isn’t great. She’s a little… flighty, you know? Maybe she remembered wrong.”

“Maybe,” I said with a sigh. “But don’t you think it could be something to consider, at least?”

“Not really, Liv.” Nathan chuckled. “I think you’re just on edge.”

My blood heated up. “Well, one of us should be on edge. You’re certainly not.”

“I am,” Nathan snapped back. “But you’re being overly cautious. Edward’s story lines up. He has my grandmother’s locket. I believe him. What’s your problem?”

“I don’t know,” I fired back, “but something feels off. I don’t want him living here anymore.”

Nathan’s eyebrows shot up. “You want to kick my uncle out of our house? Where is he supposed to go?”

“He can go back to the hotel. He can go anywhere. Anywhere but here.”

Nathan’s face reddened. “A hotel? Liv, that’s not fair. Look, I know you’re worried, but he’s been here for less than a day now. You just need time to adjust. He’s family.”

“But what if he’s not?” I pressed. “What if he’s someone else, pretending to be your uncle? Shouldn’t you at least get a blood test to confirm it’s really him? It’s not like you’ve ever met him before, so how would you know?”

“A blood test? Are you hearing yourself right now?” Nathan’s voice was a low hiss, barely more than a whisper. “We’re not running a spy operation here, Olivia.”

I scowled. “I’m serious, Nathan. I have a weird feeling about him, and you know I don’t get weird feelings for no reason.”

“And what if your weird feeling is just that—a feeling?” Nathan countered, his voice tinged with skepticism. “What then?”

I stood up, abruptly. “Listen. This house is legally mine, Nathan. At the end of the day, it’s my choice to have Edward leave. And if he won’t, then I will.”

Nathan stared at me, his mouth opening but no words coming out. We both stared at each other, each of us too stunned to speak.