Chapter 118: Erasing Aveline

Aveline’s pov

The mountain trip was finally over, and everyone packed up to leave the cabin. The mood was incredibly awkward after Katty’s failed plan from the night before. Katty tried her best to stay close to Kieran, but he kept his distance. Theo barely spoke a single word to anyone, but his eyes never stopped watching me. I did not care about any of it. I just wanted to go home and forget everything.

Katty followed Kieran to the side of the vehicle.

"Kieran, you're taking me home, right?"

"No," Kieran said flatly.

Katty blinked, her smile disappearing. "...What do you mean no?"

"I'm not going home."

Landon glanced over at him from the driver's door. Milo raised an eyebrow. Even Theo finally looked up from his boots to listen.

Kieran turned his back on Katty and looked directly at me. "I'm taking Asher home." Everyone froze in surprise.

Landon drove into the city and pulled over near a busy bus stop. The snow on the sidewalks was thick and messy. I immediately reached for my bag. "Thanks for the ride," I said to Landon, quickly opening the back door.

I started getting out into the cold, but Kieran’s hand shot out and caught my wrist. His grip was tight and firm. "Where are you going?" he asked.

"Home."

"On a bus?"

"Yes, what are you thinking?"

"No."

I sighed, looking back at him. "Kieran..." "Get back in the car," he said frustrated

Theo finally spoke up from the back seat, his voice sharp with annoyance. "Asher said he's fine, Kieran."

Kieran didn't even look at Theo. "I wasn't asking."

Theo's jaw tightened.

Katty let out a loud, sarcastic laugh from the other side of the car. "Wow. Didn't know captains doubled as chauffeurs."

Kieran answered her calmly, his voice dropping to absolute zero. "I have things to take care of, Katty. Go home with Landon." The car went completely silent. Nobody said another word as I climbed into the front seat of Kieran's car.

The drive across the city was quiet. Only Kieran and I remained in the vehicle. The heater blew warm air against my frozen fingers, but my stomach was turning into knots. Kieran kept his eyes on the road, but he noticed how tight my shoulders were. "You're nervous."

"No, I'm not".

"You're lying, clearly this is the first time I am coming to your house."

I turned my head and looked out the window. "Please... just drop me off and leave."

"Why?"

"Because I said so."

Kieran pulled his car up to the curb outside the Carter house. The front yard was covered in clean, untouched snow.

The house itself looked beautiful and perfect from the outside. Kieran looked at the elegant front doors and smiled. "See? You were worried over nothing."

I looked at him and almost laughed bitterly. "You don't know my family." Before I could stop him, Kieran turned off the engine and got out to carry my bag. At that exact moment, the front door opened. My mother appeared in the entryway.

Evelyn Carter stood on the porch. She looked perfectly elegant, warm, and polite. "Asher," she called out sweetly. Then, her eyes shifted past me and noticed Kieran standing by the trunk. "Oh." Her smile grew wider as she walked closer. "You brought a friend."

Kieran introduced himself politely. "Hi, Mrs Carter. I'm Kieran. I'm the team captain."

Evelyn’s face lit up. "You must stay for dinner, Kieran. I just finished preparing it."

I stepped between them quickly. "He can't, Mom."

Evelyn completely ignored me. "Nonsense. There is always enough room for Asher's friends."

Kieran looked down at my panicked face, but he thought I was just being defensive. He smiled politely at my mother. "I'd love to stay. Thank you." I felt my heart drop into my stomach. I died inside.

The dinner began normally. The dining room was bright, and the table was filled with food. Until the silence started to stretch. Evelyn sat at the head of the table, serving the food. "Asher, pass the salt," she said, and I passed it without looking up. "Asher, did the mountain holiday go well as there was a storm?" she asked. Never once did she say the name Aveline.

Kieran sat right next to me, watching the exchange. He assumed she was using the name Asher because everyone on the team knew me as a guy, to keep the secret. Then, the air in the room changed.

Evelyn set her fork down neatly on her plate. She looked across the table, her eyes distant. "I always wanted two children," she said into the quiet room. Dead silence followed. "A son..." She smiled proudly at me. "...and a daughter."

Kieran frowned, looking between my mother and me. "Aveline..."

Evelyn gently interrupted him. "My daughter died years ago." The room went completely ice-cold. I gripped my fork so tightly my fingers began to shake, but I kept my eyes locked onto my plate.

Kieran slowly turned his head toward me, his face full of complete disbelief. I didn't react. I sat there like a statue because I had heard this a thousand times already.

Evelyn picked up her fork again and continued eating. "After that... all I had left was Asher." Kieran sat frozen. He could not believe what he was hearing.

Finally, Kieran broke. He slammed his hands flat against the table, making the glasses rattle. "Mrs Carter..."

My mother looked up, completely confused. "Yes, dear?"

Kieran stared her down, his jaw clenching tightly. "Her name is Aveline." Dead silence filled the room again. Evelyn didn't get angry. She just smiled politely. "No." Another long pause stretched between us. "You must have misunderstood," Evelyn said softly. She looked directly at me. "Isn't that right... Asher?"

I lowered my head, my throat burning as I forced the words out. "...Yes, Mom." Kieran looked at me, his eyes wide with pure horror.

The dinner ended in complete silence. The moment we could leave the table, I walked Kieran to the front door and stepped outside with him onto the porch.

Kieran turned on me instantly. He was absolutely furious. "That isn't normal, Aveline! What the fuck is wrong with her?"

I didn't answer. I just stared at him.

"Come with me. You don't have to stay here."

I looked up at him, and the wall inside me finally broke. I pushed his hands away with all my strength. "Stop trying to save me!" Kieran froze. Tears finally spilt over my eyelashes. "You saw one dinner, Kieran! I have lived this every single day for years!" He stared at me, completely speechless.

"You don't understand," I sobbed, shaking my head as I backed away. "You never will. Stay out of my family." I turned around, walked back inside the house, and slammed the door shut. I locked it from the inside, leaving Kieran standing completely alone in the freezing snow.

Outside, Kieran stood on the pavement and looked back at the Carter house. From the street, it looked like the most perfect, beautiful home on the block. But all he could think as he entered his car was the truth. That isn't a home. It's a prison.