"Hon," Cielo's voice was soft, tinged with sadness as she spoke to Evadne. "Why didn't you tell your Daddy and me that Cieryl has been harassing you at school?"
Evadne looked at her parents, then to her godparents who remained in the hospital room, refusing to leave even after midnight. Their presence lingered like a heavy curtain of worry in the sterile, dim-lit space.
Hades and Casadin had been sent home earlier, they had class the next morning. Evadne was kept overnight only for observation, scheduled to be discharged the next day. She'd rest at the Monteverde Estate for a day before returning to school.
"Well... to be honest, aside from what happened at school earlier, she never harassed me directly," Evadne finally said. "She always had someone else do it for her. So, I didn't really know it was her all this time. And I handled everything they threw at me. It wasn't a big deal."
"Not a big deal?" Angelina repeated, shaking her head in disbelief. "Sweetheart, a doctored sex video with your face on it circulated the school. That could have destroyed your reputation if it wasn't taken down quickly."
"Exactly, Mom," Evadne said calmly, smiling at her godmother. "But it was taken down. Hades handled it before things could escalate. So, no harm done."
"This is all that boy's fault," Jupiter growled, voice cold and cutting. "Those kids felt like they ruled NYE because he allowed them to. I'm sorry, Romos," he added, turning to Evadne's father.
"Dad, please don't be angry at Hades," Evadne quickly spoke up, trying to soften Jupiter's tone. "He already knows it's his fault, and he's owning up to it. That's why he took action."
"It's not enough," Jupiter snapped. "I'll make sure those kids learn their lesson the hard way."
Evadne's gaze moved to her father, Romos. She didn't need to read their thoughts to know exactly what all the adults were thinking. And so, she deployed her secret weapon, her voice, soft but filled with conviction.
"Dad, you wanted Hades to learn how to handle situations like this, right? That's why you had Casey train him. He's really trying. He told me he knows it's his fault, because he made friends with people who don't know what accountability means. But he's drawing the line now. He's cutting them off. And he's doing it because he wants to protect me… in his own way."
She got on her knees, inching closer on the hospital bed, and gently took Jupiter's hand in hers. "Please… give him a chance. Let him prove himself to you. I believe in him, Dad. You just need to believe in him too."
The adults exchanged looks. There was something raw and unwavering in Evadne's expression, in the way she defended Hades, not out of obligation, but out of choice. Out of trust. It was the first time any of them had seen her openly take his side like this.
"And besides," Evadne continued, flashing a small, tired smile, "I really don't think the video is what triggered my stress. I'm guessing I was just overwhelmed because the Community Immersion is right around the corner."
Romos leaned forward, brushing a hand over her hair, then cupping her cheek before planting a soft kiss on her forehead.
"Maybe you're right. Maybe the stress from preparing for that was too much," he murmured. "Which is why I retracted my consent, you're not joining the immersion anymore."
Evadne blinked. Her entire body tensed.
"What?!" she gasped. "But why?! Daddy…"
"You've worked so hard, I know," Romos said gently, trying to soothe her. "And we are so proud of you for organizing something this huge for NYE. But if something like this happens again in the middle of nowhere, far from the city, what then? I won't take that risk with your health."
"But that's not fair!" Evadne protested, her eyes glassy with disbelief. "I gave everything to make this immersion happen!"
Romos shook his head slowly, expression firm. "We're not punishing you, hon. We're protecting you. This decision is final."
Evadne bit her lip, holding back the wave of frustration rising in her chest.
No matter what Evadne said, no matter how she pleaded, her parents and godparents wouldn't budge. Their minds were made up, she wasn't going to be allowed to join the community immersion project, the very project she poured her heart into organizing.
And because they refused to listen, she stopped talking to them altogether.
She sulked in silence. Cold. Distant. Deliberately detached.
She made sure they felt every ounce of her disappointment. From the moment she was discharged and brought home, her silence screamed louder than any tantrum could.
That morning, as sunlight filtered gently through her bedroom curtains, Cielo appeared by her doorway with a warm but weary smile.
"Hon," her mother said softly, "please don't be mad at us, at your Daddy. You know all we care about is your safety, right?"
"Okay," Evadne replied tonelessly without even turning her head.
Cielo sighed, her shoulders slumping a little at her daughter's clipped response.
"We're heading to the office. If you need anything, Horace is downstairs. Don't skip breakfast, okay?" Cielo leaned in, brushing a kiss to Evadne's forehead. "We love you."
"Love you," Evadne muttered flatly, eyes fixed on the wall.
Romos stepped in next, briefcase in one hand, worry written on his face. Just one look at Evadne, still curled under the blanket, refusing to face them, told him enough.
"Darling," he said to his wife gently, "let's go."
Then he walked over to Evadne and crouched down beside the bed. He pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead and whispered, "I love you, hon. I know you're upset. You feel like we don't understand. But please believe me when I say we're only doing what we think is best for you."
Evadne didn't respond. She only pulled a pillow into her arms, curling tighter against it, her back turned to them both.
A few seconds later, she heard the soft click of the door shutting behind them.
Silence.
The moment she was sure they were gone, she sat up abruptly. Her expression sharpened, calculating.
Then her gaze drifted toward the breakfast tray left on her side table. She swallowed hard. She was so hungry.
But no. She couldn't eat yet.
Not until they really felt guilty. Not until they really believed she was heartbroken and devastated enough to reconsider their decision.
She would weaponize her silence, her sulking, her suffering. If they weren't going to listen to reason, then she would tug at their consciences.
Yes, maybe it was manipulative.
But desperate times called for strategic measures.
And truth be told, she wasn't just upset about being excluded from something she worked hard to build.
What was she supposed to do stuck at home for two weeks while all her friends, Amanda, Bea, Delvin, Flynn, even Hades and Casadin, were away living their best lives? Every single high school member of the three clubs she was in, was going.
She'd go crazy with boredom. She would combust.
But her father, in his infinite paranoia, had even confiscated her iPad. Apparently, to keep her from tracking any updates on the immersion and spiraling into deeper stress.
Which, of course, only made her more miserable.
She stared at the ceiling for what felt like forever, resisting the temptation to scream into her pillow. She wanted to talk to someone. She needed a distraction. Preferably one involving both Hades and Casadin.
But talking to one without the other?
Disaster. Their relationship status was already so twisted that favoring one even by accident could spark another round of jealousy and chaos.
And then, she had a spark of brilliance.
She could talk to both of them at once.
A smile curled on her lips as she grabbed her phone and created a new group chat, her fingers flying over the screen.
♥️♥️♥️TROIS♥️♥️♥️
Evadne: I'm bored.
Prince Charming Casadin: School is boring without you, Princess 😗
Casadin immediately renamed her in the chat.
Prince Charming Casadin changed Evadne's name to 'Princess.'
Husband: What do you want to do, baby? 👩❤️👨
Husband changed Princess's name to 'Baby.'
Prince Charming Casadin changed 'Baby's name to 'Princess.'
Husband changed Princess's name to 'Baby.'
Prince Charming Casadin changed 'Baby's name to 'Princess.'
Evadne blinked at her screen.
Every notification was them, Hades and Casadin, bickering silently through username changes. Her phone buzzed repeatedly as they kept editing her contact name, as if each one was staking a claim.
She shook her head, rolling onto her stomach, face flushed with amusement despite herself.
Evadne rolled her eyes at the ridiculous back-and-forth happening in the group chat.
A second later, she changed her own name.
'Princess' changed her name to 'I love you 🫦'.
The chat fell silent.
Finally.
"My God. So predictable," Evadne murmured with a smirk, amused by the reaction she already knew was coming.
Husband: I love you too, baby 😙
Prince Charming Casadin: I love you more, Princess 😘
And just like that, the name war exploded into another SMS battle, only this time, it was about who loved her more.
She stared at the screen, shaking her head as the messages poured in like a petty, possessive storm. These two idiots. Always competing. Always trying to outdo each other for her attention.
God, why do I like this?
Her amusement faded the moment her stomach growled. A glance at the clock told her it was already a quarter to eleven. She'd been holding out for hours, and the untouched breakfast sitting cold on the tray beside her was starting to look tragic.
Still, a hunger strike was a hunger strike. Pride came first.
So she tapped back into the chat.
I love you 🫦: I'm on a hunger strike but I'm starving already. Bring me fast food. Discreetly. No one can see it.
After sending it, Evadne lay back on the bed with a sigh, her phone still in hand.
She didn't even notice when her eyes fluttered shut until a voice stirred her.
"Just put it there, Horace. I'll try to feed her," Hades's voice murmured.
Evadne's lashes fluttered as she slowly woke.
"Is this the same breakfast from this morning?" he asked, nodding toward the untouched tray held by one of the maids.
"Yes, young Master. It looks like she didn't even take a single bite," Horace, the old butler, replied with a frown.
"We'll take it from here, Gramps," Casadin added, stepping into the room with a box in hand. "I'm sure she won't say no to this one. It's her favorite."
They waited until the butler and maid were fully gone before locking the door behind them.
At the soft click of the lock, Evadne sat up excitedly.
"Oh my gosh, cake!" she exclaimed, both hands reaching toward Casadin like a child begging for a gift.
But Casadin only smirked. "Sorry, Princess. This is for your eyes only."
He walked past her and placed the cake neatly on the coffee table by the window, out of reach.
"What?" Evadne stared at him in disbelief, mouth half open. "You're kidding, right?"
Hades simply sat on the edge of her bed, calm and deliberate. From a newly bought backpack, he pulled out boxes and wrappers, burgers, fries, fried chicken, setting them out like a feast. His brows furrowed briefly at the calorie count, but he said nothing.
"You're on a hunger strike, remember?" he said, brushing his lips against her temple. "Wouldn't it be more effective if you could even resist your favorite cake?"
"That's right," Casadin chimed in with a grin, hopping onto the bed beside her and casually popping a fry into cheese sauce. He leaned in and offered it to her mouth. "So… why exactly are you on a hunger strike, hmm?"
Evadne pouted, accepting the burger Hades had already unwrapped for her.
"Wait, Dad didn't tell you?" she asked Hades, brows furrowing.
"No. He just said I should take over your responsibilities with the SBO so you don't get too stressed," Hades replied, watching her carefully.
Evadne sighed. "Daddy revoked his consent for me to join the community immersion."
"What?!" both boys exclaimed in unison, voices echoing with disbelief.
"That can't happen," Hades snapped. "You're the main contact with the community chief. Everything will fall apart without you, and you'll be left behind for two weeks?"
"I can stay behind with you, Princess," Casadin offered immediately, flashing her a wink. "I'll keep you company. Suffer with you."
"Keep her company or keep her for yourself?" Hades growled.
"Whatever works," Casadin replied smugly.
"Enough!" Evadne cut in before they could start again. She reached for a handful of fries and shoved one into each of their mouths, laughing. "Before you two kill each other again."
She leaned back, crossing her legs on the bed as she took a greedy bite of her burger. "And I never said I'll obey them. I will find a way to come with you guys. If I have to sneak away, I will. But for now... we start with this."
"Hunger strike," Casadin nodded sagely, reaching for another fry.
"And emotional guilt trap," Hades added with a smile, surprisingly approving.
Instead of scolding her, they both started giving ideas, actual tactics, to make her rebellion even more effective.
From handwritten letters to dramatic silence to visual deterioration strategies.
"Don't brush your hair. Look tragic," Casadin suggested.
The planning session became its own twisted little war room.
They were her devils in disguise, her favorite enablers.
And she loved every second of it.