Twenty-two

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Auriella Everleigh Soleil

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Auriella Everleigh Soleil

Did I know what caused the hostility from my brothers toward our guests?

No

But was I going to dislike these strangers because my brothers didn't like them?

Absolutely.

I had learnt a thing or two about family grudges since being here and I was just happy to be included.

There was an older couple, obviously Lilliana's parents, and then there was another version of Liliana, just with brunette hair.

"Everleigh." Lilliana started the introductions. "These are my parents, Abel and Judith, and my sister Lauren and her kids and husband couldn't make it tonight."

"Nice to meet you." I offer, neither warm nor cold. Just because I disliked them doesn't mean I'm going to be rude. My grandmother might fly down and beat me with her slipper for that.

We were ushered to the dining room where a place was set for each of us and I luckily managed to snag a seat in between Eli and Ezra and opposite Gray.

We hadn't been bothered too much, we were all at one end of the table while the others were on the other, Emmeline and Gabriel being the middle barriers.

I take a sip of my drink and then almost choke at what Ezra said, the two of us spark a debate against each other about a very popular murder mystery from a show we had been forced by the others to watch the other day. The others don't try and stop us as we each give crazier and crazier explanations for why we were right.

"But Ez," I interject. "If the father had done it he would have shown any sort of emotion, he was blank but the grandfather was overselling his emotion. I can just imagine what that father was feeling and honestly going numb is a defence tactic the brain uses after going through trauma."

"But it was his kid, he should have shown something. The grandfather was showing he loved her."

"Emotion is easy to fake." I point out. "Once you learn the technique it's like a superpower, you can show what you want to show and to the normal human being then their brain will just accept it, only professionals who know what to see will see it, but numbness isn't easy to pretend, if he was faking it then you would see a glimpse of something, a slip up somewhere but he hadn't. His brain was trying to protect him from all the hurt he was going through."

I look up and realise everyone's eyes were on the two of us, some looked kind but most didn't. Instead of sinking into my seat like I noticed Ezra doing from the corner of my eye, instead, I raised an eyebrow in question.

"Got another loud one on your hands, don't you darling." Judith, my grandmother said to my mother. Then she looked at me, dark brown eyes drilling into me. "You know sweetheart, it's unladylike to be loud and outspoken, you won't find a boyfriend like that."

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