Theresa''s words hung in the air, catching everyone by surprise.


    Finn didn''t pause, merely casting a brief nce over his shoulder before leading Evangeline to a seat at the dining table. Leo, unaware of Soren''s identity or the history between them, looked uncertain. Back home, he would have tried to mediate a conflict like this. But Theresa''s situation wasplicated, and he trusted she had her reasons, so he remained silent.


    With no one else speaking up, Soren''s gaze instinctively found Evangeline. She had been momentarily confused, but quickly understood: Theresa was defending her, getting revenge on her behalf. After a few seconds of deliberation, she decided not to interfere. Evangeline deliberately avoided Soren''s gaze and sat down next to Finn.


    "If you''ll excuse us, Mr. Fawkes," Theresa said, her voice polite but firm as she repeated her order for him to leave.


    Soren let out a bitterugh. A king dethroned. Back in Serenity City, no one would dare speak to him this way. The humiliation was a new and acrid taste.


    He certainly wasn''t going to beg to be let in. Soren stepped back from the doorway and turned to leave, but after a few steps, he stopped, a sense of injustice gnawing at him.


    He turned back, his voice low and cold. "Miss Carlisle, I know you and Evangeline are close, and you want to stick up for her. But don''t you think this is a little childish?"


    Theresa was unfazed. She smiled, a mocking glint in her eyes. "Childish?" she echoed. "And do you have any idea how long your Fawkes family has been tormenting her with your own ''childish'' methods?"


    "The Fawkes family tormented her?" Soren was genuinely baffled. He admitted he had treated Evangeline poorly, but how had the Fawkes family ever wronged her? His grandmother had loved her like her own granddaughter. His mother had been strict, yes, but only because she was grooming her to be the futuredy of the Fawkes estate. Flora... well, Flora had been difficult, but "torment" felt like a stretch.


    The thought spurred him to argue. He could ept Evangeline hating him, but he wouldn''t stand for her twisting the truth, ndering his family to outsiders.


    He expected Theresa to argue back, but she simply let out a short, derisiveugh, showing no interest in debating him.


    "If that''s what you truly believe," she said, her voice dropping to a low, serious tone, "then I suggest you stay far away from Evangeline. The pain you and your family have


    caused her is a nightmare you can''t even begin to imagine."


    With that, Theresa shut the door, leaving a stunned Soren outside.


    The kitchen wasrge, with some distance between the door and the dining table: Theresa and Soren had spoken quietly, so while those inside could hear their voices, the words were muffled Leo nced curiously, toward the door What''s with him?" he asked Theresa. "Is he going to be okay out there by himself?"


    "He''ll be fine." Theresa was certain. She scoffed. "They''re businessmen. They always make sure they''ll be fine. They talk about love and emotion, but their hearts are just calctors, weighing profits and losses."


    "I''ve seen plenty of his type," she said, turning her attention back to the table. “Don''t worry about him. Evangeline, eat up. You''re so much thinner than thest time I saw you. It breaks my heart."


    Throughout the meal, Theresa kept piling food onto Evangeline''s te. As for Finn, she had no particr affection for him, given that his is a member of the Lockridges. But she''d heard he treated Evangeline well and had ended up in this mess trying to save her Plus he was quiet and seemed to know his ce so


    Theresa mostly pretended he wasn''t


    there.


    After dinner, Evangeline saw Soren sitting on arge rock not far from the house, his


    head bowed, lost in thought.


    Later, while they were washing the dishes, Evangeline couldn''t help but bring him up, tentatively pleading his case to Theresa.