Reputation S Bloom
Chapter 20
Levi and Evie Everyone in the house seemed to be distracted by one thing or another. No one noticed as Evie excused herself politely from her finance's side and slipped into the kitchen. She wiped her hands on her dress as the kitchen staff smiled politely and stepped out of her way. Feeling uncomfortable and restless, Evie walked to the back door and stepped out onto the balcony. The rain had stopped and the cool breeze carried with it the scent of the evergreens Daisy had planted in her garden. Evie gripped the iron railings of the balcony and closed her eyes. She filled her lungs with air and listened to the sounds of the city. After some time, as her shoulders began to relax, she felt her skin prickle to life. Her chest tightened immediately as she caught the familiar scent she had known her whole life. "Stop staring," Evie said, her eyes still closed. "It's very odd to see you like this," Levi remarked, coming to stand on the balcony. "Like what?" Evie opened her eyes and looked toward him. Almost immediately, her heart contracted at how beautiful he was with his dark hair and green eyes. "In heels," Levi smiled. "And a dress." "I've worn dresses before, Levi," Evie said. "Not that you've noticed." "But back then it was a blue-moon occurrence," Levi said. "Now, it's two days in a row." "And it will stay that way," Evie said. "Harry's family has a stylist. She helped me pack for this trip." "A family stylist?" Levi chuckled, "Is that why you're dressed like this mother?" "Shut up," Evie rolled her eyes. "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. Besides, your opinion does not matter. Harry thinks I look beautiful now." Levi's smile faltered for a brief second, but he quickly masked it with a teasing grin."But you always looked beautiful," he said before reaching out and tugging at a strand of her perfectly blow-dried hair. "Escpailly with your curls." "Can you please go back inside?" Evie clicked her tongue and pulled her hair back. "No," Levi grinned. "I just need a minute to myself," Evie said slowly, her eyes fluttering toward Levi as he casually leaned against the railing. "Are you alright?" Levi asked, noticing the hesitation in her gaze. "You're pale." "I just needed some air," Evie sighed and looked back out over the backyard. "It's all a bit overwhelming.""Why didn't you say anything? You know I would have helped you escape sooner." Levi nudged her shoulder lightly with his own."Because, Levi," she said, turning to face him fully. "I can handle it. I'm not a kid anymore."Levi's eyes softened as he looked at her. "I know you're not. But do you want to tell me why you're feeling overwhelmed?" "No." "Why not?" "Because you're a boy." "Invalid argument." "You wouldn't understand." "Try me." "Leave it alone." "I can't." "Such a bad habit of yours." Levi's grin spread. He watched Evie fight to stop a smile before failing and rolling her eyes. She folded her arms over her chest as she stepped up to the spot beside him and leaned back against the railing. "It's......the wedding," she began slowly. "Call it off." Evie let out a short burst of laughter. "I'm serious," Levi said. Evie shook her head, her laughter fading as she looked out over the backyard again. "I can't call it off. That is insane"Levi raised an eyebrow, his teasing tone replaced by genuine concern. "Why not? If it's making you this unhappy, maybe it's not the right thing for you.""It's not that it makes me unhappy," Evie said, her voice softer. "It's just... a lot. The planning, the expectations, the press, the- ""The marrying a guy you don't love." Evie stopped. Her eyes settled on Levi as her face hardened. "You know just for a second I thought we could have a normal conversation," She said. "But I guess you're still a jerk." "And you're still just as stubborn." "You don't know me," Evie shook her head. "We spent every moment together growing up," Levi reminded her. Evie's eyes flashed with irritation. "That doesn't mean you know who I am now, Levi. People change."Levi took a step closer and took her hand. "You don't love him. I can see it in your eyes. I'm not going to let you marry him." Evie's face hardened, her voice shaking with anger. "You don't get to decide who makes me happy or who I marry." "Look me in the eyes and tell me you're in love," Levi gripped her arm. "Tell me he is the one you want to spend the rest of your life with." Evie's hands clenched into fists. "Stop it, Levi." Levi's jaw tightened. "No, I'm trying to make you see that you deserve better. That you should be with someone who loves the real you, not some version of you."Before Evie could respond, Harry's voice cut through the tension. "Evie?" He called out from the kitchen. Evie quickly pushed away from Levi and cleared her throat. She smoothed her hair and turned toward the door. "There you are," Harry smiled, finding her on the balcony. "Everyone's looking for my beautiful bride. Come along." Evie took a deep breath, forcing a smile. "Coming.""You too, Levi," Harry said. "I have a lot to talk about with you." Evie's eyes darted to the man beside her. She could feel his piercing gaze on the back of her neck as she raised her hand and rubbed her neck. Levi's eyes bore into hers as she started to walk away. Without another word, she followed Harry back inside, leaving Levi no choice but to follow behind. "You found them," Debbi smiled as the trio entered the dining room. "I told you the two peas would be together in a pod somewhere.""They've always been inseparable," Daisy added, turning toward Harry's mother, Jane. "Since the very first day they met." "If I had known, I would have asked Levi for Evie's hand instead of Jason," Harry laughed as he held Evie's hand and helped her into the chair beside him. "I would not have allowed such a thing to happen," Levi remarked, pulling back the chair directly across from the new couple. Harry paused and Evie's face flushed. Everyone around the table looked up as the sudden silence began to descend. "I would tell you to run for the hills and save yourself," Levi laughed. The tension broke as everyone chuckled. Harry smiled, though it didn't quite reach his eyes."Don't listen to him," Evie shook her head. She moved closer to Harry and placed her hand on his. "He's lost his mind." Levi's eyes stayed glued to the couple's intertwined fingers on the table. His jaw clenched and his own hand balled into a tight fist. The moment felt like an eternity, the room's warmth contrasting sharply with the cold knot tightening in his chest."What else would you tell me about Evie?" Harry asked, his friendly smile waiting on Levi. Levi forced a smile, though his eyes betrayed his unease. "Well, for starters, she's a terrible morning person. Needs at least two cups of coffee before she can even think about functioning."Evie rolled her eyes, a small smile playing on her lips. "He's exaggerating.""Am I?" Levi teased, leaning back in his chair. "Remember that camping trip when you accidentally used salt instead of sugar in your coffee?"Everyone laughed, and even Evie couldn't help but chuckle. "Okay, that was one time!"Harry's smile grew more genuine. "I'll keep that in mind. What else?"Levi's expression softened. "She has a heart of gold. She'll go out of her way to help anyone in need, even if it means putting herself last. And she's incredibly stubborn, as you've probably noticed."Evie's cheeks flushed slightly, and she looked down at the table. "Levi...""But she's also the most loyal person you'll ever meet," Levi continued, his tone more serious now. "Once she cares about someone, she's there for them no matter what."Harry nodded, squeezing Evie's hand. "I can see that. It's one of the things I love most about her."Levi's heart ached at Harry's words, but he forced himself to stay composed. He stared at Evie until she looked up and their eyes met. "She thinks I don't know her anymore," he continued. "But I know that when she's really stressed, she bites her nails. I know she sleeps with an old, worn-out teddy bear, Mr. Blues. She bought him on our fourth-grade class trip to the zoo. I know she secretly loves cheesy rom-coms, even though she pretends to hate them. I know she can't stand cilantro and always order her food without it."Evie's heart stumbled as she peered at Levi. She didn't care that she was sitting beside her fiance surrounded by her family and friends. She could not look away from him. "Shall I continue?" Levi asked, holding her gaze. "Stop..." Evie whispered. "I know that you hum to yourself when you're nervous," Levi's eyes bore into Evie. "You always tie your shoelaces twice because you're paranoid they'll come undone. And you never listen to me when I try to keep you out of trouble." "Levi..." Evie frowned. "And I know that deep down, you're scared of making the wrong choice. Scared that you'll wake up one day and realize you're living a life you never wanted."The room fell into an uncomfortable silence, the tension thick in the air. Evie's face was a mask of conflicted emotions—her cheeks flushed, eyes wide and unblinking as she struggled to process Levi's words. Her fingers gripped the edge of her chair, knuckles white, as if bracing herself for whatever he might decide to do next. Across the table, Theo, Mason, Lily, and Rose exchanged uneasy glances. Debbi stared at her wine glass while Daisy and Luca stared at their son. Harry's smile faltered, his gaze flickering from Levi to Evie, while Jane frowned deeply. Mason cleared his throat, trying to break the oppressive silence with a joke, "I swear he's not usually this weird." "He only brings out his many personalities during special occasions," Lily added. "Yeah," Rose nodded. "Levi is like the weird kid at an orphanage that never gets adopted." "Except in this case, our parents would have adopted him," Theo chuckled. "But he looks exactly like Mason so we can't use that excuse for his odd personality." "He was dropped on his head as a baby," Evie jumped in. "And I may have pushed him off the swings one too many times when we were younger." "Explains so much," Harry laughed. To everyone's relief, the tension around the table was dispelled as Harry's lively laugh filled the room. Daisy and Luca stole one last glance at one another before they returned their attention to their guests. "Jesus," Rose whispered as she leaned over and nudged Levi's knee with her leg. "Why not just jump over the table and claim her like some Neanderthal?" Levi let out a sigh and sat up, ignoring his cousin's comment. He tore his eyes away from Evie for the rest of the afternoon as she stayed glued to Harry's side. The sting of Evie's proximity to Harry lingered until Levi excused himself and slipped out of the room. Grabbing his car keys, Levi headed for the door when he suddenly heard Evie calling him. "Hey," she followed him to the foyer. "Levi." "Oh, she's able to breathe without him?" Levi jeered, his voice dripping with sarcasm."What is wrong with you?" Evie demanded, her eyes flashing with anger. "Why are you behaving like this?""Go back inside," Levi said, his tone flat."Don't tell me what to do," Evie shot back. "What the hell was that inside? What are you trying to prove?"Levi turned to face her, frustration etched into his features. "I'm not trying to prove anything. I just—" He stopped himself, struggling to find the right words. "I just don't see why you're doing this. Why you're going through with all of this when it's so clear you're not happy."Evie's eyes narrowed. "It's not your place to decide what makes me happy, Levi. I don't know what the fuck you think you know about me but please for the love of god, stop this right now. We're not kids anymore. I'm about to get married and you are not going to ruin this for me." "What do you want me to do then?" "Just be happy for me!" Evie yelled, her voice shaking with a mixture of desperation and hurt. "Is that too much to ask?"Levi's face twisted with a mix of anger and pain. "It's not that simple. I can't let you do thi-""This isn't about you!" Evie said through her teeth, her eyes brimming with tears. "It's my life, my choices. I need you to respect that, even if you don't agree with them!"Levi's jaw tightened, his own anger boiling over. "I'm trying to help you." "I don't need your help!" Evie said. "I need you to stop acting like you know everything about me. I need you to stop pretending you're the one who has all the answers!"Levi's face turned red with frustration. "Fine." Without another word, Levi turned on his heel and stormed out of the foyer, the slam of the door reverberating through the house. The room fell into stunned silence as Evie stood there, her chest heaving with the force of her emotions.______________________Theo "Sir,"Theo, lost in his thoughts, looked up as the flight attendant flashed him a smile. "We will be landing in New York in thirty minutes," she said, her voice carrying a hint of warmth as she leaned in closer.Theo's gaze flicked to her, his expression impassive, eyes cool and detached. "Alright," he responded curtly, his tone clipped and devoid of any warmth.Undeterred, the girl lingered, her hand lightly touching the edge of his seat. "Can I get you anything else before we land?" she asked, her voice softening as she tried to engage him.Theo's jaw tightened slightly, his patience wearing thin. "No, I'm fine," he replied, the words sharp and dismissive, as if cutting off any further interaction.The attendant's smile faltered, and she quickly straightened up, the playful glint in her eyes vanishing as she realized he wasn't interested. She nodded briefly and moved away, feeling the coldness of his response linger in the air. Theo sighed deeply, sinking further into his seat as he tried to calm the restlessness gnawing at him. His thoughts kept circling back to Daphne, the tight knot of worry in his chest growing tighter with each passing moment. He ran a hand through his hair, frustrated by the endless loop of concern that wouldn't let him breathe easily.He had called her several times already, each one going straight to voicemail. His phone rested in his hand, the screen dark, as he stared at it, willing it to light up with her name. The silence on the other end was unnerving, fueling his anxiety.When they finally landed, Theo's hand pulled out his phone one more time to dial her number as he descended the stairs of the jet. The light rain colored the skies gray as he selected her name and brought the phone to his ear. The familiar dial tone rang, echoing in his ear as he walked across the tarmac, raindrops dampening his hair and clothes. But then, instead of her voice or even the automated voicemail, he was met with an unfamiliar, automated message."The number you are trying to reach is unavailable. Please check the number and try again."Theo froze mid-step, the words hitting him like a punch to the gut. His hand tightened around the phone as the realization sank in. Daphne hadn't just missed his calls—she had blocked him.For a moment, he stood there, motionless, the cold rain mingling with the chill that spread through his veins. His mind raced, trying to make sense of it, to understand why she would go to such lengths. The restlessness that had plagued him throughout the flight intensified, twisting into something sharper, more painful.Theo's jaw clenched, his breath coming out in uneven bursts as he lowered the phone, the screen now dark in his hand. A wave of anger surged through him. His fingers tightened around the phone until his knuckles turned white, the coldness of the rain now matching the icy fury rising within him.Blocked. The word rang in his head, sharp and stinging. Daphne had shut him out completely, severing any line of communication without a word of explanation. The thought of her making that decision—so final, so deliberate—made his blood boil.
God help the Silvano boys.
Levi and Evie Everyone in the house seemed to be distracted by one thing or another. No one noticed as Evie excused herself politely from her finance's side and slipped into the kitchen. She wiped her hands on her dress as the kitchen staff smiled politely and stepped out of her way. Feeling uncomfortable and restless, Evie walked to the back door and stepped out onto the balcony. The rain had stopped and the cool breeze carried with it the scent of the evergreens Daisy had planted in her garden. Evie gripped the iron railings of the balcony and closed her eyes. She filled her lungs with air and listened to the sounds of the city. After some time, as her shoulders began to relax, she felt her skin prickle to life. Her chest tightened immediately as she caught the familiar scent she had known her whole life. "Stop staring," Evie said, her eyes still closed. "It's very odd to see you like this," Levi remarked, coming to stand on the balcony. "Like what?" Evie opened her eyes and looked toward him. Almost immediately, her heart contracted at how beautiful he was with his dark hair and green eyes. "In heels," Levi smiled. "And a dress." "I've worn dresses before, Levi," Evie said. "Not that you've noticed." "But back then it was a blue-moon occurrence," Levi said. "Now, it's two days in a row." "And it will stay that way," Evie said. "Harry's family has a stylist. She helped me pack for this trip." "A family stylist?" Levi chuckled, "Is that why you're dressed like this mother?" "Shut up," Evie rolled her eyes. "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. Besides, your opinion does not matter. Harry thinks I look beautiful now." Levi's smile faltered for a brief second, but he quickly masked it with a teasing grin."But you always looked beautiful," he said before reaching out and tugging at a strand of her perfectly blow-dried hair. "Escpailly with your curls." "Can you please go back inside?" Evie clicked her tongue and pulled her hair back. "No," Levi grinned. "I just need a minute to myself," Evie said slowly, her eyes fluttering toward Levi as he casually leaned against the railing. "Are you alright?" Levi asked, noticing the hesitation in her gaze. "You're pale." "I just needed some air," Evie sighed and looked back out over the backyard. "It's all a bit overwhelming.""Why didn't you say anything? You know I would have helped you escape sooner." Levi nudged her shoulder lightly with his own."Because, Levi," she said, turning to face him fully. "I can handle it. I'm not a kid anymore."Levi's eyes softened as he looked at her. "I know you're not. But do you want to tell me why you're feeling overwhelmed?" "No." "Why not?" "Because you're a boy." "Invalid argument." "You wouldn't understand." "Try me." "Leave it alone." "I can't." "Such a bad habit of yours." Levi's grin spread. He watched Evie fight to stop a smile before failing and rolling her eyes. She folded her arms over her chest as she stepped up to the spot beside him and leaned back against the railing. "It's......the wedding," she began slowly. "Call it off." Evie let out a short burst of laughter. "I'm serious," Levi said. Evie shook her head, her laughter fading as she looked out over the backyard again. "I can't call it off. That is insane"Levi raised an eyebrow, his teasing tone replaced by genuine concern. "Why not? If it's making you this unhappy, maybe it's not the right thing for you.""It's not that it makes me unhappy," Evie said, her voice softer. "It's just... a lot. The planning, the expectations, the press, the- ""The marrying a guy you don't love." Evie stopped. Her eyes settled on Levi as her face hardened. "You know just for a second I thought we could have a normal conversation," She said. "But I guess you're still a jerk." "And you're still just as stubborn." "You don't know me," Evie shook her head. "We spent every moment together growing up," Levi reminded her. Evie's eyes flashed with irritation. "That doesn't mean you know who I am now, Levi. People change."Levi took a step closer and took her hand. "You don't love him. I can see it in your eyes. I'm not going to let you marry him." Evie's face hardened, her voice shaking with anger. "You don't get to decide who makes me happy or who I marry." "Look me in the eyes and tell me you're in love," Levi gripped her arm. "Tell me he is the one you want to spend the rest of your life with." Evie's hands clenched into fists. "Stop it, Levi." Levi's jaw tightened. "No, I'm trying to make you see that you deserve better. That you should be with someone who loves the real you, not some version of you."Before Evie could respond, Harry's voice cut through the tension. "Evie?" He called out from the kitchen. Evie quickly pushed away from Levi and cleared her throat. She smoothed her hair and turned toward the door. "There you are," Harry smiled, finding her on the balcony. "Everyone's looking for my beautiful bride. Come along." Evie took a deep breath, forcing a smile. "Coming.""You too, Levi," Harry said. "I have a lot to talk about with you." Evie's eyes darted to the man beside her. She could feel his piercing gaze on the back of her neck as she raised her hand and rubbed her neck. Levi's eyes bore into hers as she started to walk away. Without another word, she followed Harry back inside, leaving Levi no choice but to follow behind. "You found them," Debbi smiled as the trio entered the dining room. "I told you the two peas would be together in a pod somewhere.""They've always been inseparable," Daisy added, turning toward Harry's mother, Jane. "Since the very first day they met." "If I had known, I would have asked Levi for Evie's hand instead of Jason," Harry laughed as he held Evie's hand and helped her into the chair beside him. "I would not have allowed such a thing to happen," Levi remarked, pulling back the chair directly across from the new couple. Harry paused and Evie's face flushed. Everyone around the table looked up as the sudden silence began to descend. "I would tell you to run for the hills and save yourself," Levi laughed. The tension broke as everyone chuckled. Harry smiled, though it didn't quite reach his eyes."Don't listen to him," Evie shook her head. She moved closer to Harry and placed her hand on his. "He's lost his mind." Levi's eyes stayed glued to the couple's intertwined fingers on the table. His jaw clenched and his own hand balled into a tight fist. The moment felt like an eternity, the room's warmth contrasting sharply with the cold knot tightening in his chest."What else would you tell me about Evie?" Harry asked, his friendly smile waiting on Levi. Levi forced a smile, though his eyes betrayed his unease. "Well, for starters, she's a terrible morning person. Needs at least two cups of coffee before she can even think about functioning."Evie rolled her eyes, a small smile playing on her lips. "He's exaggerating.""Am I?" Levi teased, leaning back in his chair. "Remember that camping trip when you accidentally used salt instead of sugar in your coffee?"Everyone laughed, and even Evie couldn't help but chuckle. "Okay, that was one time!"Harry's smile grew more genuine. "I'll keep that in mind. What else?"Levi's expression softened. "She has a heart of gold. She'll go out of her way to help anyone in need, even if it means putting herself last. And she's incredibly stubborn, as you've probably noticed."Evie's cheeks flushed slightly, and she looked down at the table. "Levi...""But she's also the most loyal person you'll ever meet," Levi continued, his tone more serious now. "Once she cares about someone, she's there for them no matter what."Harry nodded, squeezing Evie's hand. "I can see that. It's one of the things I love most about her."Levi's heart ached at Harry's words, but he forced himself to stay composed. He stared at Evie until she looked up and their eyes met. "She thinks I don't know her anymore," he continued. "But I know that when she's really stressed, she bites her nails. I know she sleeps with an old, worn-out teddy bear, Mr. Blues. She bought him on our fourth-grade class trip to the zoo. I know she secretly loves cheesy rom-coms, even though she pretends to hate them. I know she can't stand cilantro and always order her food without it."Evie's heart stumbled as she peered at Levi. She didn't care that she was sitting beside her fiance surrounded by her family and friends. She could not look away from him. "Shall I continue?" Levi asked, holding her gaze. "Stop..." Evie whispered. "I know that you hum to yourself when you're nervous," Levi's eyes bore into Evie. "You always tie your shoelaces twice because you're paranoid they'll come undone. And you never listen to me when I try to keep you out of trouble." "Levi..." Evie frowned. "And I know that deep down, you're scared of making the wrong choice. Scared that you'll wake up one day and realize you're living a life you never wanted."The room fell into an uncomfortable silence, the tension thick in the air. Evie's face was a mask of conflicted emotions—her cheeks flushed, eyes wide and unblinking as she struggled to process Levi's words. Her fingers gripped the edge of her chair, knuckles white, as if bracing herself for whatever he might decide to do next. Across the table, Theo, Mason, Lily, and Rose exchanged uneasy glances. Debbi stared at her wine glass while Daisy and Luca stared at their son. Harry's smile faltered, his gaze flickering from Levi to Evie, while Jane frowned deeply. Mason cleared his throat, trying to break the oppressive silence with a joke, "I swear he's not usually this weird." "He only brings out his many personalities during special occasions," Lily added. "Yeah," Rose nodded. "Levi is like the weird kid at an orphanage that never gets adopted." "Except in this case, our parents would have adopted him," Theo chuckled. "But he looks exactly like Mason so we can't use that excuse for his odd personality." "He was dropped on his head as a baby," Evie jumped in. "And I may have pushed him off the swings one too many times when we were younger." "Explains so much," Harry laughed. To everyone's relief, the tension around the table was dispelled as Harry's lively laugh filled the room. Daisy and Luca stole one last glance at one another before they returned their attention to their guests. "Jesus," Rose whispered as she leaned over and nudged Levi's knee with her leg. "Why not just jump over the table and claim her like some Neanderthal?" Levi let out a sigh and sat up, ignoring his cousin's comment. He tore his eyes away from Evie for the rest of the afternoon as she stayed glued to Harry's side. The sting of Evie's proximity to Harry lingered until Levi excused himself and slipped out of the room. Grabbing his car keys, Levi headed for the door when he suddenly heard Evie calling him. "Hey," she followed him to the foyer. "Levi." "Oh, she's able to breathe without him?" Levi jeered, his voice dripping with sarcasm."What is wrong with you?" Evie demanded, her eyes flashing with anger. "Why are you behaving like this?""Go back inside," Levi said, his tone flat."Don't tell me what to do," Evie shot back. "What the hell was that inside? What are you trying to prove?"Levi turned to face her, frustration etched into his features. "I'm not trying to prove anything. I just—" He stopped himself, struggling to find the right words. "I just don't see why you're doing this. Why you're going through with all of this when it's so clear you're not happy."Evie's eyes narrowed. "It's not your place to decide what makes me happy, Levi. I don't know what the fuck you think you know about me but please for the love of god, stop this right now. We're not kids anymore. I'm about to get married and you are not going to ruin this for me." "What do you want me to do then?" "Just be happy for me!" Evie yelled, her voice shaking with a mixture of desperation and hurt. "Is that too much to ask?"Levi's face twisted with a mix of anger and pain. "It's not that simple. I can't let you do thi-""This isn't about you!" Evie said through her teeth, her eyes brimming with tears. "It's my life, my choices. I need you to respect that, even if you don't agree with them!"Levi's jaw tightened, his own anger boiling over. "I'm trying to help you." "I don't need your help!" Evie said. "I need you to stop acting like you know everything about me. I need you to stop pretending you're the one who has all the answers!"Levi's face turned red with frustration. "Fine." Without another word, Levi turned on his heel and stormed out of the foyer, the slam of the door reverberating through the house. The room fell into stunned silence as Evie stood there, her chest heaving with the force of her emotions.______________________Theo "Sir,"Theo, lost in his thoughts, looked up as the flight attendant flashed him a smile. "We will be landing in New York in thirty minutes," she said, her voice carrying a hint of warmth as she leaned in closer.Theo's gaze flicked to her, his expression impassive, eyes cool and detached. "Alright," he responded curtly, his tone clipped and devoid of any warmth.Undeterred, the girl lingered, her hand lightly touching the edge of his seat. "Can I get you anything else before we land?" she asked, her voice softening as she tried to engage him.Theo's jaw tightened slightly, his patience wearing thin. "No, I'm fine," he replied, the words sharp and dismissive, as if cutting off any further interaction.The attendant's smile faltered, and she quickly straightened up, the playful glint in her eyes vanishing as she realized he wasn't interested. She nodded briefly and moved away, feeling the coldness of his response linger in the air. Theo sighed deeply, sinking further into his seat as he tried to calm the restlessness gnawing at him. His thoughts kept circling back to Daphne, the tight knot of worry in his chest growing tighter with each passing moment. He ran a hand through his hair, frustrated by the endless loop of concern that wouldn't let him breathe easily.He had called her several times already, each one going straight to voicemail. His phone rested in his hand, the screen dark, as he stared at it, willing it to light up with her name. The silence on the other end was unnerving, fueling his anxiety.When they finally landed, Theo's hand pulled out his phone one more time to dial her number as he descended the stairs of the jet. The light rain colored the skies gray as he selected her name and brought the phone to his ear. The familiar dial tone rang, echoing in his ear as he walked across the tarmac, raindrops dampening his hair and clothes. But then, instead of her voice or even the automated voicemail, he was met with an unfamiliar, automated message."The number you are trying to reach is unavailable. Please check the number and try again."Theo froze mid-step, the words hitting him like a punch to the gut. His hand tightened around the phone as the realization sank in. Daphne hadn't just missed his calls—she had blocked him.For a moment, he stood there, motionless, the cold rain mingling with the chill that spread through his veins. His mind raced, trying to make sense of it, to understand why she would go to such lengths. The restlessness that had plagued him throughout the flight intensified, twisting into something sharper, more painful.Theo's jaw clenched, his breath coming out in uneven bursts as he lowered the phone, the screen now dark in his hand. A wave of anger surged through him. His fingers tightened around the phone until his knuckles turned white, the coldness of the rain now matching the icy fury rising within him.Blocked. The word rang in his head, sharp and stinging. Daphne had shut him out completely, severing any line of communication without a word of explanation. The thought of her making that decision—so final, so deliberate—made his blood boil.
God help the Silvano boys.
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