The heavy thud of the duffel bag echoed against the pink walls, shattering the brief silence in the room.
Augustus looked at the icy hostility radiating from Eleonora's eyes. A strange flicker of panic sparked in his chest. He decided to soften his approach.
He took a step forward and opened his arms, offering a warm, familiar hug to calm her down.
"Elly," Augustus said, his voice dropping an octave, dripping with manufactured tenderness. "Welcome home. We really missed you."
Eleonora watched him approach. Her mind flashed to the nightmare-the memory of Augustus standing by coldly while the internet tore her to shreds. Her stomach twisted into a tight, nauseating knot.
Just as his hands were about to brush the fabric of her trench coat, Eleonora took a sharp, massive step to the right.
Augustus grabbed nothing but empty air. His arms hung awkwardly in the space between them. The mask of tenderness on his face cracked instantly.
He stared at her in disbelief. The girl who used to follow him around, desperate for his attention, now looked at him like he was a disease.
Isaac frowned deeply, disgusted by her behavior. He thought she was being incredibly cruel, trampling all over Augustus's goodwill.
Eleonora brushed her shoulder with her hand, a physical gesture of absolute revulsion. "Stay away from me. I feel dirty."
The words hit Augustus like a physical slap across the face. The light in his eyes died, replaced by a dark, simmering anger.
He dropped his arms and shoved his hands deep into his tailored pockets. His voice turned hard. "What is your problem, Eleonora? Why are you throwing a tantrum?"
He pointed toward the hallway. "The guest rooms in the south wing are empty. You need rest. Go sleep there tonight so we don't ruin the party."
Addisyn peeked out from behind Isaac, her voice small and sweet. "Yes, sister. The guest rooms are very quiet. I promise I'll move out of the master bedroom tomorrow."
Eleonora let out a sharp, mocking laugh. The sound was entirely devoid of humor; it was pure, concentrated ridicule.
She locked her piercing gaze onto Augustus, looking at him as if he were completely brain-dead. "You want me, the only legal heir to the Carlisle family, to sleep in a guest room?"
She raised a finger and pointed it straight at Addisyn. "And leave the master bedroom to a parasite with no blood ties and no legal adoption papers?"
The word "parasite" hit Addisyn like a bullet. All the color drained from her face, and fat tears began to roll rapidly down her cheeks.
Isaac took an angry step forward. "Your words are disgusting, Eleonora. You have absolutely no class."
Eleonora didn't flinch. She met Isaac's furious glare head-on. "Class is reserved for human beings. Not for thieves who steal other people's property."
Augustus tried to use logic to crush her rebellion. "This house is legally under your father's name. Clyde has the right to decide who sleeps in which room."
Eleonora looked at Augustus with deep pity. "It seems your pre-law classes at the Ivy League were a complete waste of money."
She reached into the deep pocket of her trench coat, pulled out a neatly folded legal document, and whipped it directly at Augustus's chest.
The papers hit him with a sharp smack and fluttered open. Augustus instinctively caught the top page and glanced down.
His pupils contracted violently.
The document clearly stated that the entire estate was held in an irrevocable trust established by the late Eleonora Sr.
And upon turning eighteen, Eleonora had automatically assumed absolute, unchallengeable ownership of the property.
"Clyde only has residency rights," Eleonora stated, her voice ringing with absolute authority. "I am the sole owner of this estate."
Augustus's hand trembled slightly as he gripped the paper. His arrogant logic and biased defense were instantly pulverized by hard legal proof.
Isaac saw the look of defeat on Augustus's face and realized immediately that they had lost. His aggressive posture deflated.
Eleonora crossed her arms over her chest, delivering her final verdict. "Now. Get the hell out of my room."
