Chapter 32

Nicholas

"Thank you so much for looking after Eliana; I can't imagine what would have happened if you weren't here," Eliana's mother spoke in a shaky voice, my brother's arm holding her around her waist.

"He had already le—" I nudged Eliana on her side gently with my elbow to stop her from talking further.

"No need to thank me; she is safe now." I cut her off. Her mother and my brother didn't need to know that she had kicked me out earlier. For the sake of them not finding out about our feelings, we didn't need to give them more reasons to start digging about why we supposedly hated each other. I was relieved when Eliana just scoffed but made no move to discredit my lie.

"This needs the involvement of the state, honey," Robert addressed Nora, fishing out his phone while he glanced at Eliana, who was quietly seated beside me.

"No!" I was caught off guard by her outburst, my eyebrows creasing.

"I mean, um, I don't want Eliana to go