Evelyn's POV"Will you be staying home tonight?"The question left my lips before I could overthink it. My voice was clear and surprisingly steady, hanging in the heavy air of the study. The butler, caught entirely off guard by my sudden, unprecedented directness, widened his eyes. He looked from my rigid posture to Sebastian's desk, instantly recognizing that the dynamic in the room had fundamentally shifted. Knowing his place, he bowed his head slightly. "I will leave you both to discuss your evening plans," he murmured, quickly stepping out and pulling the heavy mahogany door shut with a soft, final click.The silence that followed was electric, dense enough to cut with a knife. Sebastian slowly leaned back in his high-backed leather chair. The freezing, corporate dismissal from moments ago completely vanished. Instead, his dark eyes locked onto mine, his gaze transforming into something intensely gentle, yet incredibly probing."Do you want me to stay?" he asked. His voice had d
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