Payback's A Nightmare | ✔

CHAPTER THE TWELFTH

Look at what position it's put me into.

Can't a girl enjoy the Celestial Festival without any boys interfering?

She hoped that they weren't still talking, as they water cum shadow show performed by Tam and Linh was about to initiate. In the corner of her eye, Evelina could see the two twins walk onto the high stage, the effect of the appearance of the shimmering silver tips of their jet-black hair enhanced by the brilliant bright glow of the full moon, which shone radiantly on Moonglade, illuminating the darkening sky along with a gorgeous display of all the stars.

At last, Evelina found them. Faking a bright smile and hoping Keefe couldn't sense her angry feelings, she ran up to them, clutching Sophie's arm like a small kid. "Hey, Dad. Hey, Mum." She was proud that her voice didn't tremble.

Evelina saw Sophie's eyes dart down to eye Evelina's hand that was wrapped around her arm for a split second, then dart up again to meet Evelina's eyes, forcing a smile that looked more like a grimace to her. "Evelina," she said, obviously making an attempt to instill some happiness into her voice.

"Hey, kiddo," Keefe greeted, his voice casual and cheery. "Nice to see you back here with us again. Bangs Boy and Linh are about to start-let's see what they got, after so many years."

Sophie rolled her eyes, her stiff shoulders relaxing a little. "Still refusing to call Tam by his real name?"

"Hey, don't be like that, Foster. You know, some things should never change."

In the corner of her eye, Evelina saw her mother stiffen a little, her jittery and bittersweet feelings mixing into her heart. Maybe this "mother's girl act" worked better than she thought. She could always have an excuse to read her emotions, and better find out what exactly her mother was thinking about.

Some things should never change, huh?

Thinking of Fitz again, are you, Mother?

Are you guilty of rejecting his offer to get back together again? Anyway, that way, you could have avoided a lot of trouble. You also won't have to deal with me, this troublemaker detective that always tries to probe your secrets of the past.

Bitter, Evelina loosened her hold on Sophie's arm, and visibly she could see Sophie relax again, as if Evelina's touch and presence made her that uncomfortable. She was her daughter. Related by flesh and blood. Blood might be thicker than water, but desire was stronger. If Sophie was scared of, or didn't like Evelina, it probably meant that her heart wasn't with her. Or Keefe, for that matter. She wasn't sure about Fitz, but she knew that he missed Sophie too. And sometimes, he didn't really show that he and Aurelia were a loving couple, and sometimes, he did favour Ailill over Brennus.

Despite her mother's coldness and stiffness toward her in all of her lifetime, Evelina had always brushed it off, enduring it and making excuses for her, letting her off, as she did truly love her mother. She even swore to take revenge on the Vackers one by one, because Sophie let her on that Fitz Vacker had been the one to shatter her heart into itty-bitty pieces. She also wanted to find out what exactly had happened with their past, as she wanted to understand her mother better and help her and guide her. Anyway, wasn't that what a good daughter should do?

But now? What had all of Evelina's snooping and hard work paid off to become? She'd discovered that Sophie was disloyal to Keefe and her, even having a child with Fitz after she and Brennus had been born. She'd discovered that Fitz had been a jerk, sending a random ring with a lousy break-up message in it. She'd discovered that both of them probably still loved each other after all this time, after all this years. They had always loved each other.