CHAPTER 6

Blair’s POV

I wasn’t in the mood for another family show-off but, as always, I didn’t get to choose, because the moment Valor jingled his car keys and smiled that fake fatherly smile, I already knew what was coming.

“Blair,” he said, leaning against the sleek black Range Rover like he owned the world, “why don’t you ride with Dimitri? He knows the way better.”

I froze, clutching my phone a little tighter. “I can ride with you and Mom,” I said quickly, forcing a smile that probably looked as fake as hers, but Mom’s sweet sugary gaze shut me up before I could even try again, that same look that always meant behave or else.

“Go on, sweetheart,” she said, brushing invisible dust off my dress. “Spend some time with your brother.”

Brother. The word felt like acid on my tongue.

Dimitri didn’t say a word; he just slipped into his car, dark glasses on, jaw tight, like he’d rather drive through a minefield than have me sitting beside him. I bit the inside of my cheek, tossed my bag into the backseat, and climbed in, but he didn’t even glance at me, not once.

The silence was unbearable, only the sound of the engine humming and my heartbeat echoing in my ears. I kept stealing side glances at him, his hands gripping the steering wheel, veins standing out against his skin, his jaw clenched hard enough to crack, every inch of him screaming restraint.

“Do you always drive this quietly?” I finally asked, desperate to break the tension, but he didn’t respond, didn’t even flinch.

“Right,” I muttered, crossing my arms. “Silent treatment it is.”

The drive felt longer than it should have, every turn and every breath like being trapped in a cage with someone pretending not to feel you there.

When we finally pulled up to Vale’s house, I almost sighed in relief. It wasn’t as massive as ours but it had a kind of warmth the mansion never did ...cozy, welcoming, with flowers on the porch, wind chimes tinkling softly, and the faint smell of cinnamon in the air.

Before I could knock properly, the door swung open, revealing a tall guy with messy brown hair and blue eyes that sparkled like he’d just thought of something mischievous, a grin wide enough to melt any wall.

“Hey!” he said, voice bright and friendly. “You must be Blair.”

He extended his hand, grin widening. “I’m Vale, your brother ...or well, stepbrother-in-training. You can call me Vale or Val or maybe Vee, or even Blue if you like, some people call me that because of the eyes.”

I blinked, unsure how to respond to that avalanche of friendliness, but before I could decide, Dimitri scoffed loudly behind me, brushing past Vale like he wasn’t even there and muttering, “She’ll call you whatever she wants. Move.”

Vale laughed awkwardly. “He’s still grumpy in the mornings. Or afternoons. Or just… always.”

I couldn’t help it, I let out a small growl of annoyance. “I’ll just call you Vale.”

His grin faltered for a split second then returned brighter than ever. “Vale it is then. Come on in.”

The inside of the house smelled like home ...warm food, clean linen, something sweet baking in the kitchen. A lady, who I assumed was Vale’s girlfriend, appeared a few moments later wiping her hands on a towel.

She was the opposite of my mom in every way ...soft brown hair tied in a loose bun, gentle brown eyes that actually looked kind, and a bright easy smile that didn’t feel forced.

“Blair, right?” she asked, voice calm and pleasant. “It’s so good to finally meet you.”

Before I could respond, she set a tray on the table. “Water or juice?”

“Water’s fine, thank you,” I said, suddenly shy under her warm gaze.

Vale grabbed a glass of juice and plopped beside Dimitri on the couch like a kid who’d just found his favorite toy, leaning close to whisper something. I couldn’t hear what, but whatever it was made Dimitri’s expression harden, so I looked away, pretending not to notice, and took a slow sip of my water.

The conversation drifted into easy chatter about business, travel, and some upcoming charity event. I didn’t join in; their laughter sounded too perfect anyway. I just leaned back, eyes on the ceiling, trying not to think about Dad or how far away New York suddenly felt.

I missed him ...his quiet voice, his awkward hugs, even his bad jokes that no one laughed at but me.

A soft tap on my shoulder pulled me back, and when I turned, there was Jane, smiling that same sweet smile.

“Hey,” she said gently, “you look a little tired. Want to grab some ice cream? I know a little shop down the street. It’s peaceful there.”

I hesitated, glancing around. Dimitri was staring at his phone like the world annoyed him, and Vale was still talking, his hands flying as he laughed about something. No one seemed to notice us.

“Yeah,” I said quietly, standing up. “I’d like that.”

“Good,” Jane said softly. “Let’s go before anyone tries to stop us.”

We slipped out through the side door, and the moment the cool air hit my skin, I felt like I could finally breathe again. The house faded behind us and for a second, when I looked up at the sky ...clear, endless, blue ...it almost felt like freedom.

I just wanted to forget everything for a little while, especially those green eyes that haunted me even when I closed mine.

The taxi pulled up to the curb and before I could even question where we were, Jane grabbed my wrist and tugged me along like an excited kid. The smell of popcorn and cotton candy hit my nose first, thick and sweet, sticking to the air like sugar, and that was when I realized this wasn’t an ice cream shop at all.

I blinked at the bright banners fluttering in the breeze, the flashing lights chasing one another in endless circles, the laughter of children spilling into the air like confetti.

“Uh, Jane,” I said slowly, glancing around at the towering Ferris wheel, the carousel horses glimmering gold under the sun, and the rows of game booths screaming Win Me! with oversized teddy bears dangling from ropes. “This doesn’t look like a place that sells ice cream.”

Jane stopped dead, her brown curls bouncing as she turned to me with wide eyes in a guilty, playful, and completely unapologetic way, then threw both hands up in surrender. “Okay, okay, you caught me,” she said with that sheepish grin that definitely meant trouble. “I lied, but in my defense, it was a good lie.”

I crossed my arms, pretending to glare even though a smile was already creeping across my lips. “A good lie?”

“Yes,” she said, looping her arm through mine. “Because you’ve been frowning around like a zombie since you came, Blair, just all gloom and storm clouds. Dunno about Dimitri or your dad or even your mom ...they’re too busy or too blind to notice it ...but I did.”

Her voice softened as she nudged me gently. “You needed this, a distraction, and after all, we’re both girls. We deserve some fun before life decides to slap us again.”

I stared at her, unsure whether to laugh or roll my eyes, and I almost corrected her when she said your dad because that word always sat wrong when used for Valor, but I let it slide. The sight of children running past us with balloons and wild smiles tugged something loose inside me, something I didn’t even realize I’d been holding too tight.

I sighed, the tension leaving my shoulders as a small smile tugged at my lips. “Thank you, Jane.”

She brushed my hand playfully. “It’s nothing, but don’t thank me yet. Come on, before I change my mind and drag you to the roller coaster instead.”

Before I could respond, she was already pulling me toward the Ferris wheel, her laughter echoing above the music.

We went from one game to another like maniacs, throwing darts, shooting hoops, tossing rings that somehow never landed on the bottles no matter how close they seemed. We shrieked when the ride dipped too fast, cursed when we lost, and cheered like idiots when we won a stuffed bunny the size of a toddler.

At one booth, Jane convinced me to try the water gun race. “Aim for the bullseye,” the vendor shouted, “first one to fill the balloon wins!”

“Easy,” Jane said confidently, grabbing her gun like she was born for it.

“Famous last words,” I teased, adjusting mine.

The whistle blew, and suddenly we were shooting water like our lives depended on it. Jane’s balloon grew faster but I refused to lose.

“Ha! You’re going down,” she taunted.

“Not today, Satan,” I fired back, leaning forward.

The balloon exploded on my side first, water splashing my face as the vendor raised his arm dramatically. “Winner!”

I threw my hands up like I’d just conquered the world while Jane gaped at me. “No way! I demand a rematch!”

“Denied,” I said, grinning as I handed her the prize ...a small plush duck. “Consolation gift. You can name him Loser.”

She shoved my shoulder, laughing. “You’re such a brat.”

We played ring toss next but Jane’s coordination was tragic, her rings bouncing off the pegs and landing on the floor while I somehow managed to land two. “See?” I teased. “Watching those YouTube carnival hacks wasn’t a waste of time.”

Jane rolled her eyes. “No one actually uses those hacks in real life, Blair.”

“Well, maybe they should.”

Jane frowned, grabbed the gun, and shot the water at me instead. My mouth fell open as I stared at her laughing hysterically, so I growled, grabbed my own gun, and soon we were in a full-on water gun fight. Before long we were so drenched we couldn’t stop laughing, not even when Jane paid the store owner who wore a deep frown ...and maybe that made us laugh even harder.

“Okay,” Jane wheezed, bending over. “I think I’ve aged ten years. My stomach’s in knots.”

I wiped the sweat from my forehead, still giggling. “Then I’m officially twelve again.”

We looked at each other and burst out laughing all over again, almost falling over.

I couldn’t remember the last time I’d laughed like that ...maybe before the divorce, before Mom’s constant pretending, before the nights Dimitri’s eyes haunted me and guilt gnawed at my chest.