Chapter 9 She visibly flinched , and for some reason , the nagging feeling that she might have been the girl I thought she was became very unsettling . " No. I'm certain we haven't met , " she said quickly , eyes darting toward the crowd as if looking for an escape . " Your face doesn't ring a bell at all . " I tilted my head slightly , watching her squirm like something caught in a snare . " Hm ... " I studied her unstable reaction . She was panicking . It made me even more suspicious of her . So , I leaned in slightly , just enough to make her a bit uncomfortable , and said , " I could swear we met at The Vanity . " There it was . That barely - there twitch of her fingers tightening around the glass . She masked it fast , tossing out a laugh so brittle it might've shattered if I looked at it too hard . " Ha ... that's absurd . Never been there . It's uhm ... " She swallowed again and took a sip from her drink . " I don't go to such places . " Liar . But before I could press again , Hazer chimed in . " The Vanity ? Are you kidding ? " she gasped like Eve had just confessed to being a virgin at an orgy . " It's literally the best place to indulge in sin ! You can't tell me you're from Lanry Side and you've never been there ! " Her voice grated down my spine . Eve's face had drained of color . I clenched my jaw , tired and irritated . Hazer's timing was always shit . " Leave , Hazer , " I growled through gritted teeth , still not looking at her . She blinked , startled by the sharpness in my voice , and scurried away like the overpainted rodent she was . 1/3 } 7:23 Sun , Sep 21 Chapter 9 Good , Now , back to the real problem standing in front of me . I opened my mouth to speak again , ready to press harder , just enough to watch her crack at the seams , when the atmosphere around us shifted . That chill that clings just before a storm rolls in . Like the oxygen itself had suddenly gone still . I didn't need to turn to know he was there . Saint . The devil himself in black . That fucker carried that fucking depressing aura like a perfume . " Is there a problem here ? " He asked , and she flinched the second he spoke . I saw it as clear as day . Whatever expression she'd been trying to hold onto crumbled . Her hand tightened around the stem of her glass like she might throw it just to make an escape . " No , " I said , turning slowly to face Saint , " We were just talking . Getting to know your new stepsister . And to think that she looks too familiar got me more interested . " Saint's gaze flicked from me to her ... Deadpan and cold , dissecting her without mercy . And her reaction ? She trembled . But before she could make that move , she tried . " If you'll excuse me , I ... " Saint caught her wrist with that iron grip of his . " Why the hurry ... sister ? " There was venom in the way he said it , like it tasted like rot in his mouth . Her hand had started to tremble . Fuck . This wasn't normal . 2/3 7:23 Sun , Sep 21 Chapter 9 8963 I knew Saint , I knew the way he handled disrespect , disobedience , and even annoyance . But this ? This cold , patient , poison ? It wasn't casual. It wasn't just discomfort from a stranger in his territory . No. This was personal . Eve forced a breath and lowered her gaze . " I just needed to catch my breath , " she muttered . Her voice was small , brittle , and almost defeated . Saint held her wrist a second longer before releasing her like she'd contaminated his skin . " Don't let me stop you , then , " he said flatly . She stepped back immediately , nearly stumbling over her heels , trying to escape . And when she disappeared into the crowd , I didn't miss the way she avoided every corner Saint might see her from . I stayed quiet for a moment , watching her vanish . " She seemed nervous , " I said . Saint didn't answer as usual . He always acted like he saved his voice for emergencies . I ran a tongue acro my teeth , watching the last glimpse of her dress disappear around the corner . The eve Wh more interesting because now more than ever , I'd do anything to find out mments е Write Comments LIKE Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!