Eveline was staring at the wall in a daze.

Maybe I had underestimated the situation. Watching your twin try to mutilate her face could be hard to accept for some people. And Eveline had always been soft hearted.

"Why did you come here?" I asked in an attempt to gain her attention.

"Oh, Ezra is calling everyone for dinner." She said recalling her intention of coming here.

"Go ahead, I'll join you in a second." I still had to bandage the small wound on my cheek.

"Eveline, remember you can't tell anyone." I reminded her before she could leave.

Now that she was gone, I finally looked at the remnants of my mistake.

My unevenly cut hair was lying in the floor, I gathered them and threw them in the dustbin. Picking up the scissor, I tried to even my hair.

Even though I never really cared for my hair, I still felt bad parting with it.

'Don't be sad.Now you look less like that witch.'the voices tried to console.

I sighed. Eve's not a witch.

Opening the cabinets in the bathroom, I looked for some first aid. I was glad to find a mini first aid box in one of the compartments.

The wound on my forehead hadn't healed yet and a new one had already formed. I inspected my cheek. It was still bleeding slightly. The cut wasn't deep so it shouldn't leave a scar.

Now I have to make up a lie to say during dinner. I wanted to skip dinner but it would only make my brothers suspicious.

When I arrived in the dining hall everyone had already started eating. Good, less attention on me.

"Sorry for being late," I apologized lightly before occupying the empty seat next to Ezra. No one seemed to mind my tardiness. I thought Stephen would at least scold me a little.

"Did you cut your hair?" Ezra asked, surprised.

At Ezra's question, everyone looked up from their food to me. Kai looked at me with wide eyes as if realizing something.

"Yeah, I thought a new look wouldn't be bad." I nervously laughed.

"You look cute." Noah commented.

"Thanks," I blushed at the compliment.

"What happened to your cheek?" Stephen questioned.

"Oh this," I touched my bandaged cheek. "I accidentally cut myself with the scissor while cutting my hair." I lied effortlessly.

What followed my lie was a deadly silence.

I knew Stephen might not believe just any lie I conjured up. Thats why I gave the half truth. He shouldn't be doubting me after that. Even if he did, the rest of my brothers shouldn't be able to detect my lie.

Had Eveline ratted me out already?

I looked at Eveline to find her staring down. Her eyes never wavering from her plate.

"Do you remember what I told you about telling lies?" I knew Stephen was giving me an opportunity to tell the truth.

"I'm not lying." I didn't want the opportunity.

"I wonder," Stephen put down his fork, placing his chin on his fisted hands, "Why would Eve say you hurt your face because you slipped in the bathroom?"

Slipped in the bathroom? Really? You couldn't find a better excuse, Eve?

How do you even cut your face by falling on a smooth surface?

"Uh-that's what I told her so she wouldn't panic." What's done is done, I had to fix things while I still can.

My brothers seemed to have believed me. Except Stephen.

"Eve, meet me in my study after dinner." Stephen commanded while looking at me the whole time. I didn't let the panic show in my face but deep down I knew I was doomed for sure.

Eve was a terrible liar, she would surely succumb to Stephen's interrogation.

Eve slowly nodded her head, not looking up.

The rest of the dinner went too fast for me. I stopped Eve before she could go to Stephen's study, I demanded, "Why did you tell them that?"

"Stephen asked me what was taking so long. I had to say something!"

"And you couldn't come up with a better lie?" I exasperated.

"I don't know. I panicked. I have to tell Stephen the truth. He would know anyway." She fidgeted with a loose strand of her hair. A habit she often did when nervous.

"You can't, Eve. Please." Seeing the desperation in my eyes she sighed.

I followed her to the third floor. Unlucky for me, all the walls were sound proof and I couldn't hear a word of what they were discussing.

After ten agonizing minutes, she came out. "Did you tell him?" I quickly asked.

"He didn't ask me anything. He just discussed some school matters with me." She gave me a relieved smile.

Maybe Stephen believed the lie.

'How naive, little Lili.' The voice snickered.

I ignored it like I always do. But maybe I shouldn't have.

... ... ...

I was reading a book, more specifically the book Kai was reading in the evening. He had left leaving the book in the sofa. The bookmark placed in the middle of book told me he wasn't finished reading the entire story.

I don't know why but I decided to bring it back to my room with me. I just wanted to take a look at what type of books he liked but I ended up finishing the whole book staying up the whole night.

It was after midnight when Eveline knocked and came inside my room.

"Do you need anything?" I raised a brow at her night visit.

"I was thinking about what you said to me before." Eve sat in the bed beside me. "About how you said Kai hates you."

"What about it?"

"Kai doesn't hate you." She stated.

"He said and I quote, 'you disgust me'." I told her simply.

Eve looked taken aback for a moment, "I don't know why he would say that but I know he doesn't hate you."

Her resolute voice had me doubting whether what she was telling was actually true.

"Why do you say that? Did he ever personally tell you that?" I asked wanting to know her reasoning.

"No, he didn't. But I just know."

Not good enough.

I felt a bit disappointed for I had almost believed her words.

Eve saw the train of my thoughts and she continued, "When you left or rather dad sent you to the boarding school, Kai stopped talking."

I narrowed my eyes at her, "What do you mean?"

"Kai didn't talk to us for a whole year. He stopped interacting with us. I was only seven so I don't remember much. He started talking after a year or so. Even until now he wouldn't say more than a few words."

"He never liked talking in the first place." I don't see what she's trying to prove.

"I know. But it was different. He sort of gave up on everything. When dad was in his deathbed he wanted to see Kai for one last time but Kai refused. He would rarely come home, opting to stay in his university. Even when he would be home, he would stay in the library or his room working with his art."

"But all that changed when you came back. I saw Kai smiling for the first time in years. He started to eat meals with us which would be an impossible scenario in the past. He even stays home. I don't think he would even go to the funeral if not for you."

"You are thinking too much." Kai was just antisocial. It didn't mean anything.

"I always knew I'm dumber than all of you. But after everything I just told you if you still think Kai hates you then maybe I'm not the dumbest sibling after all." Eve smiled at me.

"I want to sleep." I closed the book in my hand, letting her know she should go now.

A part of me desperately clung to the idea that maybe Kai didn't hate me. That he never did.

But the rational part of me knew it was too good to be true.