Chapter 232
Elle’s POV
Calista threw herself into Peter’s arms.
“Peter!‘ she sobbed, her voice perfectly pitched with just the right amount of trauma and relief. “Oh God, Peter, I was so scared!”
But even as she played her part, I caught Peter’s sharp intake of breath. His amber eyes, so similar to Calista’s yet infinitely warmer, immediately locked onto the fruit knife I’d dropped and the small trickle of blood at my ear where her claws had caught me during our struggle.
His muscles tensed, and I saw the Alpha instincts in his Hamilton bloodline flare to life. His hands moved toward Calista’s shoulders, ready to push her
away, ready to demand answers.
I shook my head frantically, catching his eye. Don’t, I mouthed silently. Play along.
Peter’s jaw tightened, but he understood instantly. The sharp intelligence I’d glimpsed during our conversation about anime was fully on display now. His hands stilled on Calista’s shoulders, and when he spoke, his voice was ice–cold.
“Elle,” he said, cutting through the room like a blade. “What exactly is the meaning of this? Are you planning to discipline my sister in my family’s home?”
She threatened me, Peter,” Calista whispered, pressing closer to him. “She said terrible things about our family, about my place here.”
I had to admire her performance. If I hadn’t just lived through the real version of events, I might have believed her myself.
“Is that so? Peter’s voice dropped another degree. He looked at me with what appeared to be genuine disgust. “And I suppose you think the Hamilton family should simply accept such… behavior… from our guests?”
“Perhaps it would be best if you explained this incident to Victoria personally.”
I caught the slight emphasis on ‘explained‘ and nodded curtly.
The girl was good. Really good. The tremor in her voice, the way she pressed her face against Peter’s shoulder – if I didn’t know better, I’d think she was genuinely trying to be the bigger person.
Peter’s expression softened as he looked down at his sister. “Calista, are you hurt?”
‘No, no, she whispered. “Just…, scared. The knife, and the things she said… I’ve never been spoken to like that before.”
I saw Peter’s hands clench into fists, and for a moment I wondered if our acting was about to fall apart. But then he looked at me with carefully controlled fury and said, “Elle, I think it’s time for you to leave.”
‘Gladly, I replied, my chin high.
“Come on,” Peter said, his voice still carrying that edge of controlled anger. ‘Let’s get you out of here before you do something else to upset my family.”
As we walked down the hallway, leaving Calista alone in her room.
The garden air hit my face like a slap, cold and clean after the suffocating tension of Calista’s room. Peter immediately pulled a thick winter coat from somewhere and draped it around my shoulders.
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Chapter 232
‘I’m sorry,” he said, his voice dropping back to its normal warmth the moment we were out of earshot. I’m so fucking sorry, Elle. This is all my fault.
The genuine anguish in his voice made my heart ache. “Peter, you couldn’t have known-
049
“What happened in there? Really?” His hands hovered near my ear where Calista’s claws had caught me. “Your acting was terrible, by the way. You’re lucky
Calista was too emotional to notice.”
Despite everything, I almost smiled. “Thanks for the feedback.”
He started to reach toward my injury, then caught himself and jerked his hand back like he’d been burned. “Sorry. I… I shouldn’t…”
‘Peter,‘ I said gently, taking a step back. “I can’t do this anymore. I can’t keep getting pulled into your family’s drama. Not when it puts my baby at risk.”
His face went pale. “The baby? Did she-”
“No,” I said quickly. “But she could have. And that’s the problem. I need to ask you something, and I need you to be honest with me.”
He nodded, his amber eyes serious.
Does Victoria care about Calista? I mean, really care about her?”
Peter’s expression grew complicated. “Calista… she’s not my parents‘ biological daughter. My mother lost a baby girl when I was five. The grief nearly destroyed her. When they found Calista at an orphanage a year later, about the same age our daughter would have been… Mom convinced herself it was
fate.”
I nodded slowly. That explained a lot.
‘She’s been spoiled her entire life,” Peter continued. “Given everything she ever wanted, told she was special, that she deserved the world. And now…”
“Now she wants something she can’t have,” I finished. “Peter, you know she’s in love with you, right?”
The words hung in the air between us like a physical thing. Peter’s face went through a series of expressions – shock, denial, and finally, a terrible
understanding.
“That’s why she hates me,” I continued. “Not because I’m human, not because of Blair family politics. Because you looked at me the way she wants you to
look at her.
Peter’s hands clenched at his sides. “I never… she’s my sister. I would never-‘
“I know that. But she doesn’t see it that way. And that’s why I can’t be around your family anymore. For everyone’s sake – yours, mine, even hers.” I pulled the coat tighter around myself. “I’m going to call Brad and ask him to pick me up. I’ll tell Victoria I’m not feeling well.
‘Elle, wait- Peter’s voice was pained. ‘You can’t just… we were becoming friends. I thought…”
“We are friends,” I said firmly. “But we can’t be anything more than that. We can’t even be close friends. You know I’m right.”
Before he could respond, I was walking away.
I fumbled for my phone, my hands shaking slightly as I dialed Brad’s number.
“Brad?” I said when he picked up. “I’m not feeling well. Can you come get me?‘
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Chapter 232
There was a pause, and then Brad’s voice, sharp with concern. I’ll be right there.”
349
After hanging up the phone, I realized with growing panic that I had absolutely no idea where I was. The Hamilton estate’s garden was enormous, with winding paths that seemed to branch off in every direction.
‘Shit, I muttered under my breath, pulling Brad’s coat tighter around my shoulders. The last thing I needed was to get lost and have to ask the Hamilton
family for help finding my way out.
‘Elle!‘
Peter’s voice called out behind me, and I turned to see him jogging toward me, slightly out of breath.
“Whatever you think you saw between Calista and me, whatever she might have said or implied, it’s not what you think. I swear to you, Elle. She’s my sister.
That’s all she’ll ever be.”
“Peter,” I said, my voice deliberately cold and distant. “If something had happened to me in Hamilton house today – if Calista had actually hurt me your family have covered for her?”
“What? No, of course not,” he said immediately, his response automatic. “How could you even think-”
“Really?” I cút him off.
Peter’s mouth opened, then closed. The confident denial died on his lips as the reality of my questions sank in.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
