As I walked back to the Alcove mansion, the day's schoolwork weighing heavily on my shoulders, but with Ethan by my side, I felt a sense of comfort.
We had made plans to study together in the Alcove study. I could already picture the quiet, studious atmosphere that usually helped me focus—just me, Ethan, and the endless rows of books that lined the walls of the grand room.
As we stepped inside, though, the usual serenity of the lobby was replaced by a more serious, almost suffocating tension.
As we passed through the hallway, I could hear the low murmur of voices coming from the study. It was a familiar sound, but there was something different about it today.
It wasn't the casual bickering or casual chats I was used to hearing from my brothers. This was… serious.
I nudged Ethan. "Do you hear that?"
He glanced at me, his brow furrowing slightly. "Yeah. Sounds like Marcus and Dante are deep in conversation."
