Evan was winding things up with Finn when Finn turned to him. “Hey, you free for lunch?” he asked, slinging his bag over one shoulder.

  Evan’s stomach gave an enthusiastic rumble at the idea. “Yeah, sure. Let me just check the time.” He pulled out his phone and saw a text from his chauffeur, a polite yet firm reminder: Etiquette lessons today. Pn accordingly. Evan groaned internally. Those lessons were his least favorite part of the week, but skipping wasn’t an option.

  “Actually, I’ve got to keep it quick,” Evan said, slipping the phone back into his pocket. “But yeah, let’s grab something.”

  The two of them made their way to the cafeteria, weaving through the noisy crowd. Finn chatted about _, his words tumbling out in an excited rush, while Evan nodded along, offering the occasional comment. Lunch was a quick affair—sandwiches and soda devoured in minutes. They parted ways at the gate, Finn waving as Evan climbed into the waiting car.

  The drive home was uneventful, the city blurring past the tinted windows. As soon as he stepped inside the mansion, Evan headed upstairs to his room to change into something casual. Dropping onto the couch in the drawing room, he gnced at the clock. Mr. Merriweather would arrive soon for the dreaded etiquette lesson.

  Just as he was about to pull out his phone to kill some time, the door swung open, and Sienna walked in without knocking. Her usually composed face was marred by a faint frown, her phone gripped tightly in one hand.

  “Hey,” Evan said, sitting up. “What’s up?”

  She didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she thrust the phone at him. On the screen was a social media post: a candid shot of him and Finn walking towards the robotics club. The photo itself was harmless, but the caption read, Robotics club has these two hotties. Are applications still open? Below it was a flood of comments, most of them crude and objectifying. Some explicitly detailed what they’d like to do to Evan, making his stomach churn.

  Her lips pressed into a thin line. “You think this kind of attention is normal? Do you have any idea what people are saying about you? And this club... it’s—” She stopped herself, gncing away for a split second before fixing him with a hard stare. “You’re better than wasting your time on something like this.”

  Evan raised an eyebrow. “Something like what?”

  Sienna didn’t answer directly, but the way her jaw tightened and her gaze flicked toward the floor spoke volumes. “It’s just... unnecessary. You already have enough on your pte, and that club is filled with—” Her words trailed off, but the implication lingered in the air.

  Evan let out a short ugh, though there was no humor in it. “You mean because it’s mostly women in the club?”

  Her eyes snapped back to his, narrowing slightly. “I didn’t say that.”

  “You didn’t have to,” he replied, his tone calm but firm. “Sienna, this is about me wanting to do something I enjoy. Not about anything—or anyone—else.”

  Her expression hardened, though her silence said more than her words ever could. After a moment, she sighed sharply, frustration etched into every line of her face. “I’m trying to protect you, Evan,” she said, her voice quieter now but still insistent. “You don’t know what people are capable of.”

  “I know enough,” Evan said, meeting her gaze. “And I’m not going to quit just because of a few jerks online. Bad people exist everywhere. I’m not letting them, or you, decide what I can and can’t do.”

  For a long moment, neither of them spoke, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. Finally, Sienna’s hands fell to her sides, and she let out a frustrated breath. “Fine,” she snapped, turning toward the door. “Do whatever you want.”

  The door smmed shut behind her, and Evan let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. His shoulders sagged as the adrenaline faded, but a flicker of conflict lingered in his chest. He hated seeing Sienna so dissatisfied, especially now that he’d come to realize he liked her. Yet, his pride wouldn’t let him give in. He wanted to make his own decisions, even if it meant pushing back against her controlling nature. Today, he’d stood his ground, and that mattered more than anything.

  He gnced at the clock again. Mr. Merriweather would be there any minute. Shaking off the lingering tension, Evan straightened up. There was no time to dwell. The day wasn’t over yet.

  ***

  After the grueling etiquette lesson, Evan slumped onto his bed, his muscles sore from the rigid postures and repetitive drills. His mind, however, wasn’t on the lesson. He wondered where Sienna was and if she was still angry. Grabbing his phone, he sent a quick text to one of the house staff, asking about her.

  The reply came swiftly: Miss Sienna has gone out with her friends to a pub.

  Evan sighed, a mix of guilt and determination settling in his chest. He knew this was her way of showing her displeasure. Sienna always had a fir for dramatic gestures, and storming off to spend time with her friends was just another example. Still, he told himself, he couldn’t let her reaction sway him. If he wanted to stand his ground, he had to give her space and let her come around on her own terms.

  To distract himself, Evan decided to check in on his dad. He’d heard earlier that his father had been out with friends, but one of the maids mentioned he’d be back soon. Sure enough, after some time had passed, Evan heard the telltale sound of the front door opening and soft footsteps in the hall.

  Knocking on the door to his parents’ bedroom, Evan called out softly, “Dad, you in?”

  “Come in,” came the gentle reply.

  Evan stepped inside and took in the room for a moment. It was a rge, modern bedroom with sleek, minimalist furniture. The walls were painted in a crisp, neutral tone, and the rge windows let in plenty of natural light. Everything was impeccably organized, from the spotless gss desk in the corner to the perfectly aligned cushions on the bed. The faint scent of vanil lingered in the air, likely from one of the candles on the bedside table, adding a subtle touch of warmth to the otherwise structured space.

  Charles was seated near the dresser, carefully arranging some skincare items and tidying up a few accessories. Hearing the door open, he looked up and smiled warmly. “Hey, kiddo. How’d the lesson go?”

  “Grueling as always,” Evan said, sitting on the edge of the bed. “But I survived.”

  Charles chuckled. “That’s the spirit. Want some tea? I was just about to make a cup.”

  “I’m good, thanks.” Evan hesitated, then added, “Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something.”

  Setting the clothes aside, Charles sat down in the armchair by the window, his expression shifting to one of quiet attentiveness. “I’m all ears.”

  “It’s about Sienna,” Evan began, his hands fidgeting. “I… I think I like her. More than I thought I did, anyway. But I don’t want my future to revolve entirely around someone else’s pns. I want to make my own decisions and stand on my own. What do you think I should do?”

  His dad’s face softened, and a knowing smile tugged at his lips. “I’ve been waiting for you to bring this up. Honestly, I saw it coming. You’ve never wanted to take the same path I did, and that’s okay. I’ve always admired your independence.”

  Evan’s shoulders rexed slightly. “So, do you agree?”

  “Of course,” Charles said with a warm chuckle. “I’m proud of you. I know my decision to remarry didn’t sit well with you back then. You thought I was just looking for an easy life by marrying someone wealthy, but that wasn’t true. Still, I could see how much it hurt you because you didn’t understand that at the time. It strained things between us, but I’m so gd we’ve been able to mend that.”

  Evan nodded, a small pang of guilt tugging at his chest. He remembered how cold he’d been to his dad after hearing about the remarriage. It had taken years to understand that their retionship was built on love, not convenience, and he was grateful they’d managed to move past it.

  “Thanks, Dad,” Evan said quietly. “I’m going to talk to her during dinner tonight. I just wanted you to know in case… you know, I need backup or something.”

  Charles’ eyes twinkled with warmth. “Of course. You’ve got my full support, no matter what. But I think you’ll handle it just fine.”

  LunarEcho