Chapter 26. Devil’s Back

Evelyn

Clara had given me a bunch of tips as she came downstairs, whilst I was still blushing from the moment Jacob had fed me fruit salad. Within the hour, both she and Dad left, and suddenly, the house felt too quiet.

The silence had been comforting when they were around. Even though Jacob worked from home most days now, we both craved the presence of familiar company—especially me. I loved when Bianca visited, or when Rosaline and Enzo surprised us with bags full of pastries and endless stories.

But now, it was just me and Jacob. And the quiet felt… hollow.

Jacob glanced up from his laptop, noticing the bored expression I wore as I absentmindedly picked at the snacks in my lap. Without hesitation, he closed his laptop and made his way over to me.

“Done already?” I asked, surprised as he plopped down beside me and effortlessly pulled me onto his lap. These days, I wouldn’t be surprised when he did that—he’d been doing it that fucking often.