Chapter 127: Christmas Eve

Kieran's POV

"Give me the bag, Katty," I said, my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.

Katty did not hand it over. She held the rough paper tight, her eyes completely locked onto the leather bracelet on my wrist. "Why did Asher buy you a bracelet, Kieran?"

I shifted my weight, acting calm. turned around and began arranging the pillows on my bed. "Because it is Christmas, doll face. Everyone sends gifts to friends or loved ones during the holidays. Did nobody give you anything?"

"I feel like there is more to this charade," Katty hissed, stepping closer to the bed. Her face was twisted with anger. "Have you seen how you act around him? The way you look at him? Tell me the truth right now. Are you in love with him?"

I did not answer at first. The silence in the bedroom grew completely. I turned around slowly, staring her down until she took a step back. "This is none of your business, Katty. We are not in a real relationship. Stop acting like my actual girlfriend. It creeps me out."

Katty's face went red with pure rage. "I wanted more, Kieran! I am a human being!" She angrily dropped the wrinkled paper bag onto the floor, turned on her heel, and stormed straight out of my room, slamming the door behind her.

The next morning, the estate was completely quiet. The workers had finished the decorations. The house was filled with green garlands and twinkling lights. I walked down to the foyer just as my mother’s driver was loading her suitcases into the back of the car.

Amelia turned around, wrapping her arms around my neck for a tight holiday hug. She was traveling to Dublin for an urgent business meeting.

"Take good care of the house, merry Christmas, my love," my mother smiled, kissing my cheek. "I would absolutely love to celebrate the holidays with you guys as usual, but business calls. Thank God you have your friends here to celebrate with. Keep the party down, okay?"

"I will, Mom. Safe flight," I murmured, watching her car pull down the driveway.

The moment her car disappeared, the silence vanished. The house transformed instantly.

Students started arriving early, bringing wrapped presents inside and piling them by the tree.

Shoshanna and a few other cheerleaders were laughing as they tried to hang a branch of mistletoe over the entryway.

Milo nearly crashed straight into me in the hallway, carrying two massive stacks of pizza boxes. "Move, Captain! If these get cold, the party is over!"

Reed yelled from the game room down the hall, his voice echoing over the music. "Hampton! Tell your boys that someone is actively cheating at the tournament! Winners stay on doesn't mean you modify the controller!"

I walked through the crowded living room, trying to stay out of the way. Someone suddenly dragged Cassian into a group photo by the tree, and a cheerleader accidentally popped a Christmas cracker right next to my ear, sending silver confetti flying across the rug.

"Kieran! Where do we put the Secret Santa gifts?" a freshman hockey player asked, running up to me with a brightly wrapped box.

"By the tree," I muttered, pointing toward the foyer.

"Kieran! The speakers in the backyard stopped working!" another student shouted over the bass.

I just nodded, heading toward the kitchen island.

Every single time the front door opened, my head turned toward it before I could stop myself. A group of cheerleaders walked in. Not him. The door opened again. A couple of soccer players entered. Still not him.

Katty was standing right near the kitchen walkway, introducing herself to a group of university alumni as my girlfriend. Every time someone looked over, she stepped closer, standing right beside me and placing her hand on my arm to reclaim her territory.

She smiled brightly for a group photo, but the second the camera dropped and her eyes slid to my wrist, her gaze turned dead, cold, and highly venomous.

Milo walked back into the kitchen, tossing an empty pizza crust into the bin. He leaned against the counter next to Landon and me, and the three of us started laughing at a stupid story about Reed’s terrible video game defense.

Milo was making ridiculous hand gestures, pretending to be Reed missing a goal, and I threw my head back, laughing loudly along with Landon. For a few minutes, the heavy weight in my chest actually disappeared. I felt happy, just enjoying the noise with my best friends.

Then Landon went quiet. His laughter stopped instantly, his eyes fixing on the open front entryway.

The party was still going. A massive burst of laughter echoed from the dancing crowd in the living room. But the kitchen island went completely dead silent. Milo stopped talking next, his smile vanishing under his holiday hat as he looked up.

I followed their gaze, my heart hammering a frantic rhythm against my ribs.

Asher was standing just inside the front door, his winter coat covered in fresh white flurries. He looked quiet. But he wasn't alone. Standing right next to him, one hand resting casually on Asher's shoulder, was Theo.

My jaw clenched so tight my teeth ached. My eyes locked onto Theo's hand, a burning wave of anger slamming straight into my chest. Someone laughed loudly from the living room, but all I could hear was the heavy sound of my own heartbeat.

Landon took a slow, deep drink of his soda, his eyes widening as he witnessed the immediate drop in the room's temperature.

Milo slung his arm over Landon's shoulder, a wild grin slowly returning to his face as he stared at the front door. "Now, I definitely didn't see that coming."