?Chapter 19:


    Elliana swiftly pulled her phone out of Cole’s reach, clutching it to her chest like a lifeline. But the damage was done—Adah’s voice message started ying loud and clear in the tense silence of the car. “No way, Elliana! Did Cole steal your first kiss?”


    Mortified, Elliana froze. Her cheeks went up in mes as the words hung in the air. She didn’t have to look to know Cole had heard every syble.


    Sure enough, Cole’s grin was smug, his eyes dancing with delight. “Whoops. Didn’t mean to rob you of your first kiss. If you think it’s unfair, go ahead and reim it—kiss me.”


    With a searing look, Elliana snapped at Cole, “I’d rather dump a mug of steaming coffee on you!”


    Cole threw his head back andughed,pletely unbothered.


    By the time they pulled into the Evans family’s estate, Cole’s phone was ringing. He stepped aside to answer, leaving Elliana to walk into the mansion with the cat curled in her arms.


    Inside, Ruben’s voice rang out in the foyer mid-tirade. “Thank God we didn’t let Paige marry into the Evans family, or the Evans name would be dragged through the mud! Sure, Cole marrying Elliana might seem like a downgrade, but it’s actually a blessing in disguise.”


    Jarrett echoed his sentiment with a nod. “You’re absolutely right, Dad.” Irene, listening from the sidelines, simmered with frustration. She had counted on negative press to pile pressure on Elliana, but the scandal surrounding the Jones family had diverted attention.


    When Elliana entered the room with the cat, Irene’s expression shifted—her eyes glinting with satisfaction. She knew Cole had a pet fur allergy severe enough to warrant household restrictions. Ruben had explicitly banned furry animals from the premises after a past health scare. Irene was confident that Elliana had just made a critical mistake. The moment the cat was noticed, palpable tension settled over the room.


    Jeff, mid-conversation with Trinity, shot Elliana a disdainful look and remarked, “Seriously? Stirring up drama again? Can’t even handle yourself, and now you’re dragging in a stray? Who said that thing was allowed here?”


    Elliana eyed the rude kid and suddenly remembered he’d been the one who had pressured her to drink that ss of wine at the wedding. To be noted, she’d felt dizzy the next morning. That ss of wine must have been spiked. Jeff’s behavior, maniptive and calcting at such a young age, reminded her more of Paige’s bratty brother than what was expected from a member of the prominent Evans family. Still, with Ruben observing nearby, Elliana chose not to engage. She kept herposure and greeted the elders with polite restraint.


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    With Cole off the scene, Jeff stepped up his bravado. “Hey, you ignoring me? No furry critters allowed in this family—get that cat out of here this instant!”


    Jeff kept yapping about throwing the cat out like it was garbage, and Elliana finally snapped. Her eyes narrowed, her voiceced with frost. “So animals with fur are banned, huh? Why are the bald ones free to roam? Shaving doesn’t make them less of pets, does it?”


    Jeff, his hair recently shaved, stiffened, his mindgging behind.


    Everyone else caught on immediately. A few covered their mouths, struggling not tough. Word was Elliana was a little rough around the edges—no filter, no finesse—but that jab hit squarely.


    It took Jeff a solid five seconds to catch on. “Wait… You’re calling me names? How rude!”


    Elliana didn’t flinch. Watching the red creep up his neck, she felt a rush of smug satisfaction. She didn’t care about her image, and it had its perks.


    Trying to make her look nice with a fake attempt to break the tension, Trinity jumped in with a dryugh. “Come on, Jeff. Elliana didn’t mean anything by it. She probably just didn’t know about the no-pets rule.”


    Right on cue, Cole stepped through the doorway.


    Jeff sprang to life, pointing an using finger. “Cole! This woman brought a cat! I told her to get rid of it, but she refused—and then she insulted me!”


    Trinity bit her tongue and took a step back, silently hoping Cole would scold Elliana in front of everyone.


    Elliana faced Cole directly, the cat still nestled in her arms, her expression uncertain. “I didn’t know. Is raising a cat really not allowed?”


    “It is allowed,” Cole said with a subtle smile. “The butler has set up a special room for the cat, and we’ve arranged for someone to care for it.”


    A ripple of disbelief swept through the room. The no-pets policy existed because of Cole’s severe allergies—was he seriously tossing that rule aside?


    Trinity’s bitterness surged hot and sharp. She’d been smug when Elliana reced Paige and married into the Evans family, convinced that Elliana would get tossed out fast, clearing the path for her to be an item with Cole. But now Cole was treating Elliana like she mattered. Like she was the one worth making exceptions for.


    Trinity refused to ept this. That was supposed to be her role—the admired, irreceable woman in Cole’s orbit. No way was she letting Elliana steal that spotlight. She softened her features with a mock concerned look and turned to Ruben. “It’s sweet for Cole to dote on his wife, but his health shoulde first, don’t you think?”


    Ruben held absolute sway over the household, and everyone knew his soft spot for Cole ran deep.


    Trinity felt Elliana was dancing on andmine—and she was buzzing with anticipation to see Ruben explode.


    The room tensed as every gaze shifted to Ruben.


    As expected, Ruben’s expression darkened, thunder gathering behind his eyes.


    Jeff seized the moment, eager to stir the pot. “Grandpa, isn’t she putting Cole in danger by bringing that cat in?”


    Before anyone could answer, a sharp crack echoed through the room. Ruben had mmed his ceramic mug onto the marble table, the sound ringing like a gunshot.


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