Chapter 5: DEVIL'S DEN/UNKNOWN NUMBER

Hearing her words, I didn't tremble, because she was only making assumptions and wasn't sure of her words.

“Are you even okay in the head?” I asked her straight, and her smile fell.

“What do you mean?” she asked, stepping closer in anger, but my left hand stretched out, stopping her midway.

“You don't seem right in the head though! Who welcomes their cousin who has gone missing in such a way...” I said and stepped closer, letting go of Cassidy's hands.

“Or do you perhaps know something I shouldn't? Maybe even orchestrated my disappearance?” I asked, pinning her to the wall. She trembled, avoiding my gaze.

“I would never,” she said, and I chuckled. “Bu—”

“No need to dwell on that today,” I heard Vincent's voice and paused in my actions. I tilted my head to the side, and he came into view. He walked towards me and gently placed his hands on my waist. I felt goosebumps the moment his hands landed on my them.

“Let's eat,” he said softly and pulled me closer towards him. I swallowed a huge lump but kept a composed look on my face. Cassidy held his hand, and Vincent gave her a soft caress on her hair. We walked off. He said nothing throughout the walk, but I felt his eyes telling me to stay away from Sasha for now...

Once we arrived at the table, I gently took my place beside Evelyn, and she gently placed in some smashed eggs and pancakes on my plate. I smiled at her.

“Thank you,” I said and ate softly, chewing and letting the taste linger in my mouth. It tasted heavenly and divine...I ate again, but softly and poised like I always had.

The dining room was silent, and no one dared say a thing, Vincent was busy peeling shrimps for Cassidy and gently placing them onto her plate.

“Thanks,” she said and ate softly...

I smiled, seeing the way she ate happily, but then froze as Sloane's gaze landed on me. Seeing I had caught her, she didn't look away but kept staring. I didn't look away too, I wasn't intimidated. She narrowed her eyes as if trying to figure out something. She looked away at the next minute, and I breathed out a sigh of relief. Looks like even at this dinner I wouldn't eat in peace.

“So Mia...” Evelyn trailed off and gently placed my hands in hers. “How have you been? Where were you all this while? How did you survive?” she asked, gazing at me with motherly eyes that made me almost choke on my meal.

“I really don't want to relive through that. Can I just eat for now?” I said, and she smiled, nodding, but Caspian opened his lips.

“Or perhaps you have no lies to spread,” he said, and Evelyn's eyes darkened.

“Shut your child, Dorian,” she snapped, yet Dorian said no word and continued to eat, trying hard to calm down his raging anger.

“I just have to ask. What if she's an imposter?” he snarled, eyeing me angrily and continued eating.

“Perhaps you just have sent those men that night!” I said, and he froze. The knife that was moving earlier stopped, and he gazed at his meal, not saying a word or replying back.

“Oh, cat got your tongue now?” I said and gently added some more shrimps into Cassidy's plate. “Eat more,” I muttered, and she flashed me a warm smile. Her eyes carried faint suspicion though, but it wavered as she ate.

“What are you hinting at?” he snapped, slamming his hands on the table and standing up. Everyone paused on their meal. I sighed and tore my gaze to him.

“You see? Overreacting,” I said, and he gritted his teeth. “So now you want to lie that I murdered you?” he yelled, and I laughed.

“Murdered? Caspian, I'm right here before you. So how did you murder me?” I asked, and he froze. The realization hit him, and he lowered his finger at me.

“Did you try to harm my daughter?” Evelyn asked coldly, and Caspian turned to her.

“Hurt? If I wanted her dead, she wouldn't be alive,” he snapped and.....

CLASH

The plate in Dorian's hand landed on Caspian's face. It was fast, no one saw it coming except the blood that dropped down from his cheeks.

“Your sister just got back. Be respectful!” he snapped.

I just stared in shock. Earlier he had let him say all those words, and didn't Dorian favor Caspian? Why would he hurt him in such a way...something definitely wasn't right, especially when I had just made up some scenarios and he was already trembling.

I remembered Vincent's words at the car before I arrived at the mansion.

“Someone killed Mia then, so you have to watch your back,” he said, and my lips parted.

“But? Aren't you Mr. Noir? There is nothing you can't obviously find,” I said, and he chuckled.

"Hmmm, if I had a lead, you wouldn't be here. Laura, you are about to enter into the devil's den....be careful” he said.

Caspian didn't say a thing and calmed down instantly. He licked his lips and walked off angrily....I watched him leave and then turn to stare at Dorian, he looked away and that made me know, he was hiding something.

His phone rang, and my eyes lingered on it. His eyes panicked, and he immediately picked it up and walked off instantly.