Chapter 41: Testing

Mornings at Scott Mansion were usually predictable.

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee drifted from the kitchen while sunlight poured through the tall dining room windows, bathing the polished table in a warm glow. Outside, gardeners trimmed the hedges, and the fountain in the courtyard murmured, creating the illusion that nothing could ever disturb the peace inside the estate.

Evie descended the staircase with unusual care.

Ever since their date two nights ago, she had become painfully aware of how easily her emotions betrayed her whenever Aiden was nearby. A smile. A lingering glance. The unconscious urge to reach for him. Those tiny moments suddenly felt dangerous.

She stepped into the dining room and greeted everyone with her usual politeness before deliberately choosing a chair farther down the table instead of the seat she had grown accustomed to.

Maria noticed immediately. Too far, she thought to herself.

Young love had a peculiar habit of overcorrecting whenever it feared being discovered.

Without saying a word, Maria continued arranging breakfast plates, though the faint smile tugging at her lips quickly disappeared when she remembered the shadow she had seen watching the rooftop only a few nights earlier.

Richard folded the newspaper resting beside his plate as Evie sat down. "Morning, sweetheart."

"Good morning, Dad."

Vivian acknowledged her with a brief nod before returning to the message on her phone.

Isabella entered moments later, graceful as ever, dressed in a cream blouse and tailored trousers that made her look effortlessly elegant. Her smile was warm. Almost too warm. "Good morning, everyone."

She greeted each person individually before taking her seat, her eyes briefly settling on Evie. Just for a second. Then she looked away.

The atmosphere remained pleasantly ordinary until footsteps echoed from the hallway. Aiden.

He walked into the dining room, adjusting the cuff of his shirt, looking every bit the composed CEO the world admired. His eyes instinctively searched the room. They found Evie.

She was seated at the opposite end of the table.

For the briefest moment, surprise flickered across his face before he quickly masked it. He understood immediately. She was trying to be careful.

Without drawing attention to himself, he took his usual seat near Richard. Not once did he look in her direction again. At least, that was the plan. Maria placed a plate before him.

As she straightened the cutlery, she leaned closer just enough to murmur, "You'll sprain your neck if you keep pretending not to look."

Aiden almost choked on the sip of coffee he'd just taken. "I don't know what you're talking about," he replied under his breath.

Maria's expression remained perfectly innocent. "Of course you don't."

She walked away before anyone noticed the exchange. Breakfast began with casual conversation.

Richard discussed an upcoming board meeting.

Vivian mentioned another charity luncheon she would be attending.

Evie answered a few questions about university, while Aiden contributed only when necessary.

To anyone else, it looked like a perfectly normal family breakfast. To Isabella...It looked rehearsed.

She quietly observed every tiny detail.

The way Aiden never looked at Evie.

The way Evie carefully avoided speaking to him unless someone else had already involved them both in the conversation. Most people would have called it distance.

Isabella saw caution. She decided it was time to test a theory.

Setting down her teacup, she turned toward Evie with a pleasant smile. "Evie."

Evie looked up. "Yes?"

"I was wondering if you'd like to come shopping with me this Saturday."

The room seemed to pause. Even the clinking of cutlery faded.

Evie's eyes widened ever so slightly. "Shopping?"

Isabella nodded. "I know things between us haven't always been... easy."

Her smile softened. "I thought it might be nice if we went shopping to get to know each other better.”

Across the table, Aiden's hand tightened around his coffee mug. He said nothing.

But the subtle movement didn't escape Maria. Neither did it escape Isabella.

Vivian smiled approvingly. "I think that's a wonderful idea."

She looked directly at Evie. "You should go."

"It'll be good for both of you."

Richard wiped his hands with his napkin before speaking.

"Don't feel obligated if you're uncomfortable," he said gently. "The decision is yours."

He offered Evie an encouraging smile. "That said, spending time together might help you understand one another better. Families aren't built overnight."

Every eye turned toward Evie. She hesitated.

A quiet voice in the back of her mind urged caution.

Another reminded her of Isabella's apology and how hard she seemed to be trying.

After a thoughtful pause, she nodded politely.

"Alright. I’ll come."

Isabella's smile brightened. "I'm glad."

She reached across the table and briefly squeezed Evie's hand. "Thank you."

The gesture looked affectionate. Almost sisterly.

Only Isabella knew she wasn't interested in shopping. She was interested in watching.

Watching how Evie behaved. Watching how Aiden reacted to know how best to handle them when the time comes. For now, she was testing the waters.

As breakfast came to an end and everyone began leaving for the day, Isabella lingered behind for a moment, watching Aiden hold the dining room door open—not for her, but unconsciously waiting until Evie had walked through first.

It lasted less than a second. So subtle that no one else seemed to notice. Isabella did.

A faint smile curved across her lips. Her little experiment had already begun.

Scott Corporation stood as imposing as ever, its glass exterior reflecting the busy streets below. Employees moved through the lobby with purpose, exchanging greetings as another workday settled into its familiar rhythm.

Aiden walked through the revolving doors with his usual composed expression. No one looking at him would have guessed that his thoughts had remained at the breakfast table.

The shopping invitation lingered in the back of his mind. Isabella had sounded sincere. Too sincere.

He stepped into the executive elevator, straightening his tie as the doors slid shut. The moment they reopened on the top floor, his professional mask was firmly in place. "Good morning, Mr Scott."

"Morning."

His assistant followed closely behind, handing him a tablet already filled with the day's schedule.

"Your ten o'clock board meeting has been moved to eleven. The legal department needs your approval on the Henderson contracts, and the cybersecurity team has requested fifteen minutes of your time."

Aiden paused. "The cybersecurity team?"

"Yes, sir. They said it's important."

His expression grew serious. "Tell them I'll see them first."

Within minutes, he entered the conference room where several members of the cybersecurity department were already waiting. Large monitors displayed streams of code, network diagrams, and security reports.

The head of the department stood as Aiden entered.

"We detected another intrusion attempt around three this morning."

"Another one?"

The technician nodded. "It wasn't a full breach. Whoever is behind it never got past the outer firewall."

Aiden folded his arms. "But?"

The room fell quiet. "They're learning."

One of the engineers switched to another screen.

"The pattern is different from the previous attempts. They're mapping our defences rather than forcing their way in."

Aiden studied the report without speaking.

Whoever was responsible wasn't acting recklessly.

They were patient. Methodical. Dangerous.

"Could it be the same group?" he asked.

"We believe so."

"Any indication of what they're after?"

The technician shook his head. "Not yet."

Aiden remained silent for several moments before giving his instructions. "Increase monitoring on every internal server."

"Double authentication for executive accounts."

"I want hourly reports until we know exactly what we're dealing with."

"Yes, sir."

As the meeting ended, Lucas stepped into the room carrying two cups of coffee. "I figured you'd still be hiding in here."

He handed one to Aiden before taking a seat on the edge of the conference table. "You've looked distracted all morning."

"I'm fine."

Lucas chuckled. "That's the biggest lie you've told me this year."

Aiden raised an eyebrow. "So now you're an expert?"

"I don't need to be." Lucas took a sip of coffee.

"Your mind hasn't been in the office for weeks."

Aiden looked out through the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city. "There are... a lot of things happening."

Lucas followed his gaze. "Business?"

Aiden hesitated. "Not all of it."

Lucas smiled knowingly but didn't press further.

Instead, he lightly bumped Aiden's shoulder.

"Whatever it is, don't carry it alone."

Before Aiden could respond, his assistant knocked on the open door. "Sir, the Henderson contracts are ready for your signature."

Aiden nodded and stood. The conversation ended there.

Yet as he walked toward his office, he couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that the attempted cyberattack and the growing tension at home were somehow chapters of the same story—a story whose ending he still couldn't see.

*******

The university campus buzzed with its usual energy as students hurried from one lecture hall to another. Conversations overlapped across the walkways, laughter echoed from nearby benches, and the afternoon sun cast long shadows beneath the towering trees.

Evie stepped out of her lecture with a notebook hugged against her chest, mentally replaying everything the professor had covered. The lecture had been demanding, but she found herself smiling anyway. She wasn't thinking about grades.

She was thinking about breakfast.

About how difficult it had been to pretend Aiden was just another member of the family sitting across the table.

"You've been smiling all day."

Lila's voice pulled her back to reality.

Evie blinked innocently.

"Have I?"

Lila folded her arms.

"You've asked me that three times this week." "Maybe I'm just in a good mood."

"Mhm." Lila narrowed her eyes dramatically. "I know that look."

"What look?"

"The one that says you're hiding something."

Evie laughed and gently nudged her shoulder.

"You imagine too much."

"No, I observe too much."