Chapter 21 — Suspicion And Bloodlines

Fractured Calm
On the other hand, Jenna stepped into the lounge, shopping bags in hand and a wide smile still playing on her lips, her purse hanging loosely from her shoulder, as her eyes swept the room, searching for Evan, but he was nowhere in sight.

Her gaze drifted toward the dining table. It was exactly as she had left it that morning. She frowned, her brows knitting together.

Didn’t Evan have dinner? she wondered. He never missed his routine, eight o’clock sharp, never later.

The silence pressed in on her. No one appeared, and the maids, as always, had retreated to their quarters after finishing dinner and cleaning the kitchen, their work for the day complete.

She entered the bedroom and found it empty as well. Everything seemed untouched. The neat bed, folded blanket, closed bath door and nothing disturbed there. Unease flickered across her features.

She set the shopping bags on the table, eased her purse off her shoulder, and opened the cabinet beside the mirror, a flicker of unease running through her as if he might materialize from the shadows.

One by one, she removed her jewelry, placing each piece carefully inside, stretching the calm routine to steady her nerves.

A sudden shift in the air made her fingers falter on the last earring, the room thickening as though someone unseen had entered.

She drew a quiet breath, shaking her head as if to dismiss the thought, yet the atmosphere felt heavier, like a storm waiting to break.

Suddenly, the door of the room flung open, striking the wall with such force that a jolt ran through her, and she whipped her head toward the doorway, eyes widening as the figure of Evan cut through the room.

He blocked the doorway, every line of his body taut with tension, his gaze searing her with a fury that seemed to ignite the air itself.

The door slammed behind him like a gunshot. His Adam’s apple jerked sharply as he swallowed down the rage threatening to spill.

He advanced slowly, silence trailing him like a living shadow, until he loomed over her, so close the atmosphere thickened.

She stepped back instinctively, knees shaking, honey-brown eyes wide as they locked with his storm-dark ones. Her chest constricted, and for a heartbeat, words abandoned her. Something catastrophic had triggered this.

“Where the hell have you been?” His voice rasped, low and dangerous, carrying more weight than a scream.

Her hands clenched nervously, moisture slicking her skin as his piercing gaze pinned her in place. “I… had gone shopping with my family,” she whispered, voice soft and hesitant.

“With whose permission did you go alone?” His words struck like a whip.

“I…I didn’t go alone, I had my parents, my family”

He stepped forward again, fury erupting. “With your parents? Who the hell allowed you to go there?! The veins in his neck corded as his roar shook the walls. You had permission to visit your family until six o’clock. Who let you go shopping and return at nine?!”

She flinched at his sudden outburst, and her lips trembled. “I didn’t go for that long. I had gone shopping for only two hours, but the car got a puncture, so we were delayed.”

“Fine!” he barked, slamming his palm onto the table, sending the shopping bags tumbling to the floor. “Do you even understand the risk? You’re the bride of a Mafia King! You’re surrounded by my bloody enemies. What would I do if something happened to you! I lectured you about this last night and you still still did the same damn thing!”

She shook her head and drew a deep breath, her eyes horrible and doubled in size and she only kept them running over the carpet.

He leaned nearer, the weight of his presence pressing down, his voice low and scorching as it cut through the tension between them. “Visiting them doesn’t mean risking yourself. Do you know how it feels knowing you’re out there, and I cannot protect you?”

She lifted her head slightly to meet his deadly gaze as he examined every detail. “And what the heck happened to your phone?”

His voice cracked like a lash. “I called you like a madman, over and over, and you did not give a damn. The guards tried reaching you several times too, but your phone was out of reach.”

Jenna’s eyes widened as she heard his words. “I didn’t get any calls there. Maybe it was a signal issue, but I didn’t know if you were trying to reach me.”

“You are three hours late from the given time and did not even bother to check your phone once. Didn't bother to inform me yourself.” His body tightened as he glared down at her. “Reckless. How should I treat you for that?”

Her lips parted, a silent plea caught within, and she stared at the floor, tears escaping despite the bite of her quivering lip.

“You threw yourself into that barren area where no one’s call could even reach,” he pressed on, relentless. “Which damn place was that?”

She sniffled, voice barely audible, whispering the mall’s name.

For a moment, Evan’s body stilled. His eyes flickered, breath catching, the same mall where he had first laid eyes on her in the café. His Adam’s apple bobbed harshly as memories collided with the present and he tightly shut his eyes clenching his jaw before opening them again.

His fury returned instantly. He leaned down until his face hovered over hers, words venomous.

“Whether your family is with you or not, you are completely alone until I or one of my men is with you. If you ever dare to pull a stunt like that again, I will chain you to the bed. You will not move and I will not have to worry about your safety.”

The air felt suffocating. She ran her eyes back and forth on his face, heart hammering like a drumbeat, tears streaming freely.

For the first time, she felt the full weight of his rage and the merciless edge of his protectiveness.

He spun on his heel and stormed out of the room. She glared at the door, disbelief rooting her to the spot, before forcing her legs to carry her to the bed.

She sank onto the bed, pressing her hands to her temples as a stabbing pulse throbbed through her skull. The room felt hollow without him, and the emptiness weighed on her lungs, making each breath shallow and ragged.

Suddenly, a hot sting flared in her nose. She froze, and a sharp drop of blood landed on her lap. Her eyes shot open in horror as she stared at her hands, crimson spreading across her palms.

A surge of panic gripped her. She clutched her mouth, stumbled from the bed, and dashed toward the bathroom, her heartbeat roaring in her ears and blood coursing violently through her veins.

Her steps were frantic, ears ringing, the blood flowing faster than she could stop. The world tilted around her, and a sharp, rising dread gripped her torso like a vice.