The visit was just beginning to settle into a comfortable rhythm when both Evan and Elliot suddenly froze mid-laugh. Their phones buzzed simultaneously, and within seconds, their expressions darkened.
"We have to go," Evan said abruptly, standing from the couch.
Xander stood as well, eyebrows furrowed. "What is it?"
Evan didn't answer. He simply gave his twin a curt nod and then turned to Xander. "Just something urgent. We'll talk later."
As they reached the hallway, Elliot lingered a second longer. He grabbed Erin's wrist gently and pulled her aside.
"Keep a close eye on our brother," he said quietly, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear in a casual but brotherly gesture. "He's not as good at pretending as he thinks he is."
Erin blinked. "Why? What's going on?"
"Just… do it. Please."
There was a soft sincerity in his tone that caught her off guard. She nodded slowly. "Okay."
Elliot gave her a small, tired smile and squeezed her shoulder before following his brother out the door. Erin stood there in silence, staring at the closed door long after they were gone. It hurt more than it should—that they trusted her. That they were silently hoping she could help Xander, when in reality, she was the one who might bring everything crashing down.
Her chest tightened.
The words were nothing damning—nothing overt—but somehow, they struck deeper than she expected. There was faith in Elliot's voice. Quiet, unspoken trust.
They were rooting for her.
And it stung more than she could admit.
Because they didn't know who she really was. What she was doing here. What she was planning.
What would they think if they knew she was only pretending?
What would Xander think?
A throat cleared, pulling her from her thoughts. She turned to find him standing in the archway of the hall, hands in his pockets.
"I need to talk to you. In my study."
She walked in cautiously. He was standing by the wide desk, arms crossed, a box sitting before him.
"Open it," he said.
She stepped forward and slowly lifted the lid. Inside was a gown—deep emerald green, sleeveless, with shimmering embroidery across the waistline. It was delicate, elegant, and stunning.
"It's for the gala," he said, voice nonchalant. "I figured I'd choose this time."
She looked up, her heart skipping.
"Xander—"
"There's more," he interrupted, and handed her a slim velvet case. Inside, a silver bracelet glinted, adorned with a single jade gem.
"It matches the necklace I gave you," he said. "Thought it made sense to complete the set."
He said it like it was no big deal, like he was tossing her something trivial. But his eyes said otherwise. There was a quiet intensity behind them, a kind of yearning he wasn't ready to admit.
Erin started to push the box back. "You don't have to—"
"Just take it," he cut her off. "Please."
There was no teasing in his voice. Just quiet insistence.
She swallowed and nodded, murmuring a faint, "Thank you."
Later, when the house had quieted and she was alone, something tugged at her. A pull. An instinct.
Her eyes drifted to the hallway. To the slightly crooked portrait in the east wing. Her feet moved before her brain fully registered it.
She knelt before the wall, pushed the frame aside, and revealed the keypad.
The safe.
She stared at it for a long moment.
They hadn't put much effort into securing it. It was simple—likely because they assumed it was well-hidden. But to someone with Erin's background, the code was almost laughable.
Her fingers flew across the keypad. A soft beep echoed, and the latch clicked open.
Inside were files. Identical to the ones she'd found in the warehouse, except these looked untouched. Original.
She pulled them out slowly, her heart hammering.
At the top of the stack was a document with a red stamp—"To be released at Winter Gala."
He was going to expose them.
Everything.
Her hands trembled. If Xander revealed the evidence himself, his parents would go down. Yes. But her family… they'd have no leverage left. No way to force the truth out of the shadows. No way to clear their names.
This was her moment. Her one chance to take the files, run, and end it.
She stared at the documents, her heart a battlefield of loyalty and mission.
Then her phone buzzed.
She jumped.
Unknown Caller.
She answered.
"Erin?"
The voice was soft but urgent. Familiar.
"Talia?" she breathed.
Her best friend. It had been weeks since they last spoke.
"Yeah. Listen, I wasn't supposed to call, but I had to."
"Why now?"
"Your mother's starting to doubt you," Talia said, not unkindly. "She's hearing things. Says her people saw you and Xander getting close."
Erin went silent.
"I told her it's not true," Talia continued. "But I'm not stupid. You sound different."
Erin gripped the phone. "I'm doing my best."
"That didn't answer the question."
Silence.
Talia's voice softened. "Look, Erin… you don't have to do this. No one is forcing you. If you want to back out, you can. You're not a weapon."
"But I want to help," Erin whispered. "They destroyed my family. Yours too. I have to do this."
"Then don't fall for him," Talia said, sharper now. "Don't let the enemy become your weakness. Who knows—maybe he's playing you. Just like his parents."
Erin's voice rose before she could stop it. "He's not like them!"
Silence.
Talia sighed. "That's what I'm afraid of. I always thought you'd never fall for anyone. But when you did… it had to be him."
Erin's throat closed. "I haven't fallen for him."
"Okay," Talia said simply. "Just… be careful. Because this? It's not possible. Even if we want it to be."
The call ended.
Erin slowly lowered the phone. Her hand shook as she returned the files to the safe and shut it.
She turned—
—and froze.
Xander was standing at the door.
He looked calm. Casual, even.
Like he hadn't just overheard everything.
Her heart stopped. "How long have you been there?"
He stepped inside, leaning slightly against the doorframe.
"Long enough."
Panic gripped her. Her mind raced. She waited for him to yell. Accuse. Demand answers.
But he didn't.
He simply walked over and placed a hand gently on her shoulder.
"I'm not going to ask," he said softly. "Tell me when you're ready."
And then he left the room.
Erin just stood there, breathless. Confused. Heart aching.
He wasn't supposed to be like this.
He wasn't supposed to trust her.
And she wasn't supposed to feel anything at all.