Evelyn navigated the bustling streets of Vespera City, stealing glances at Elias in the passenger seat. He wore headphones and a grim expression, clearly pissed off.
Growing up, Evelyn had always been her parents' least favored child, a convenient target for their frustrations. But things slowly changed when Elias turned six and began shielding her from their wrath, even to the extent of bearing their blows. And he had never once given up on that role.
To Elias, it didn't matter if Evelyn was his biological sister or not. Despite their eight-year age gap and step-sibling status, she had showered him with the love their parents hadn't. He would stand for her even if the world accused her of wrong. But the problem was she still treated him like a kid, despite his now imposing physique.
Evelyn's eyes lit up as she spotted his favorite ice cream shop. Slowly navigating through the traffic, she parked the car nearby.
"I'll be late for my first class," Elias grumbled. His school was just two streets away, but even sprinting wouldn't get him there on time.
"My little brother is angry," Evelyn commented, unbuckling her seatbelt. "How can I send him to school like this?" Ruffling his hair, she added, "Let me make it up to you with your favorite ice cream."
Elias scoffed, a reluctant smile tugging at his lips. He couldn't stay mad at her, especially when she was being so kind, allowing him to skip school for the day. They entered the shop together, and the bell above the door tinkled merrily.
The sweet aroma of freshly made waffles enveloped them, instantly lifting their mood. Elias settled into a chair near the glass wall, granting them a view of the bustling street outside. Meanwhile, Evelyn placed their order at the counter. Despite the early hour, a few other customers occupied the tables as the shop's popularity made securing seats a challenge in the evening.
Evelyn returned with a tray, and as they enjoyed the fresh ice cream, Elias couldn't resist asking about last night. He had missed the party to attend a school competition in Velara city, arriving home late to hear the rumors. "Did you really push that voodoo doll?"
"What do you think?" Evelyn replied nonchalantly, scooping a spoonful of chocolate sundae into her mouth.
"You would never," Elias murmured with a scowl. As much as he wished to see her beat that rat into a pulp, Evelyn would rather tolerate than entertain Annabelle's tricks.
"At least that loser finally dropped his act," Elias added, referring to Vincent. It had pained him to see her suffer, locking herself in her room for weeks as that jerk started acting differently ever since the birth swap news. And William had declined her pleas to break off the engagement for business reasons, leaving the power solely in Vincent's hands.
Evelyn shrugged, her expression wavering slightly at his mention. She had truly loved Vincent for four years, and his betrayal had shattered her heart. But now, she was eager to watch him make a clown out of himself when Annabelle showed her true colors. That would be the best show to watch with some cold drinks!
As they enjoyed their ice cream and engaged in light banter, a little girl suddenly approached their table.
"Can I sit here?" she asked, looking up at them adorably with two cups of ice cream in her hands. The girl was cute, with deep, doe-like brown eyes and medium-length hair tied into two pigtails. With a pink backpack on her back, she seemed ready for kindergarten in her light blue uniform.
Evelyn's face beamed with a smile. She loved kids and missed the adorable little Elias who used to cling to her, unlike the rebellious giant sitting beside her now. "Sure!" she replied, helping the girl sit on the empty chair beside her.
"Are you here alone?" Elias asked, skeptical as the little girl didn't seem to have any guardians. Even the worker at the counter seemed concerned, talking to his manager while pointing in their direction.
Kiana's bright smile turned into a pout at his question. Glancing at the watch on her hand, she replied, "Daddy will be here soon." Her teacher would have informed him that she hadn't come to class, and he would look for her through the tracker and come here soon, fuming that she had yet again skipped school.
Evelyn nodded, thinking that her parents might be in the parking lot and the girl had rushed into the shop, unable to hold her excitement. Elias also didn't question the girl further as she was keeping Evelyn distracted.
"It's good," Kiana mumbled with a mouthful of ice cream. A giggle escaped her lips in delight, making Evelyn smile.
"But you should have brought two different flavors instead of just strawberry. Chocolate and blueberry are great here too," Evelyn replied with a smile. Taking out a tissue, she passed it to the girl as the cream formed a cute mustache on her face.
Kiana blinked innocently at her suggestion. Her eyes quickly fell on Elias's cup, its blue color bringing little sparks to them. Gulping the ice cream in her mouth, she requested, "Then, can you get me one, big brother? My daddy will pay you later."
"Of course!" Evelyn replied instead, quickly shoving Elias to get one for this adorable girl.
As Elias walked away, Evelyn smiled at the girl and started a conversation. "What's your name, sweetie?"
"Kiana."
"Oh, that's a sweet name!" Evelyn replied, smiling and helping the girl wipe the cream. "How old are you, Kiana?" Kiana, still enjoying her ice cream, lifted four fingers to indicate her age, her mouth too full to speak.
Evelyn's smile widened, and as she was about to continue, the bell at the entrance door rang, signaling the arrival of a customer. Evelyn glanced up and her eyes widened to see a handsome man walking in with a worried face. It took a moment for her to register who it was, and when she did, a gasp escaped her lips.
What was the Zevian Reign doing here?
"Oh no! My daddy is here," Kiana's frightened voice added another layer to Evelyn's shock. The girl immediately jumped from her seat and went to hide behind Evelyn's chair. This lady was very sweet and kind, so she would definitely save her, right? Kiana thought, stealing glances at her father.
Evelyn looked at Kiana and then back at Zevian standing at the entrance. She subconsciously stood up from her seat, compelled by his midnight-black eyes. He was considered to be a god's gift to society, both in looks and skills, and she understood why.
Before Evelyn could even digest the surprise, gunfire erupted, bullets shattering the glass walls of the shop. Screams pierced the once serene atmosphere, and Evelyn stumbled back as three assailants covered in all black stood in front of the shattered walls, a meter away from them.
Her eyes locked with one of the attackers, his face obscured by a mask but the malice in his eyes panicked her. The man suddenly raised his gun to directly aim at her, and before Evelyn could react, he pulled the trigger.