Chapter 236: The Black Dress

Words : 1513 Updated : Oct 1st, 2025

Evaline: The soft click of the door echoed behind me as I twisted the lock and leaned against the polished wood, finally alone. I turned away and walked toward the couches, brushing my fingers over the torn wraps from earlier. I gathered the mess into a bag, smiling to myself at the memory of the beautiful and thoughtful presents I had received from my friends. With the room tidied and the chaos of wrapping paper cleared, I turned back to the remaining three boxes sitting atop the low table. My hand hovered over them before settling on the biggest one to the left. It had sleek, matte black paper with a red velvet ribbon tied in a clean bow. No tag. No name. But I didn’t need one. As I lifted the extremely heavy box into my lap, the faintest trace of spicy sandalwood and black amber met my nose. It was Draven’s favorite perfume - rich, subtle, grounding. I could recognize it in my sleep. My lips curved into a smile, and I carefully untied the ribbon, peeling back the wrapping to reveal a pristine white box beneath. Lifting the lid, I let out a soft gasp. Inside was sitting the most elegant glass tea set I had ever seen. Crystal-clear cups with gold detailing at the rim and base, a sleek teapot with delicate patterns etched in silver, and a matching tray. Nestled beside the set was a large velvet pouch filled with my favorite herbal tea - raspberry leaf, blended with hints of lemon balm and rose petals. It was safe for my pregnancy, calming for the nerves, and sweet on the tongue. He was so thoughtful. My chest warmed with affection, my fingers lightly brushing the rim of the teacup. The present was thoughtful, useful, elegant. Just like him. I set the tea set aside carefully and turned to the next gift. This one was smaller, wrapped in forest green paper and tied with twine. There was no scent this time. No name. Just a box and a mystery. The moment I opened it, my breath hitched. Inside, nestled on a velvet cushion, was a pendant. A simple chain, but the charm caught the light like starlight on snow. A delicate crescent moon intertwined with a single rose made of deep crimson stone, glowing faintly against the silver. My heart skipped. Oscar. There was no mistaking it. This pendant... it felt like a piece of him. Like the way he looked at me when he thought I wasn’t watching. Quiet reverence. Protective pride. That deep, endless tenderness he never spoke but always showed. I traced the crescent moon, resisting the urge to clasp it around my neck. No, I wanted him to do that. His fingers brushing my skin. His warmth so close. I set the box aside with a reverence I didn’t quite understand. Only one box was left. My hands moved more slowly as I reached for the final package. It had sleek silver wrapping - minimalistic, pristine. No ribbon. No card. No scent. But my gut already whispered the answer. River. I peeled the paper away with care, and when the box opened, the breath was knocked from my lungs. There it was. The black dress. The same sleek, off-shoulder one with the high slit and the dangerously low back. I hadn’t seen it since that evening - when I accompanied River to a business party. I thought I would never see this dress again, let alone receive it as a present from him. I sat there frozen for a moment, my fingers trembling slightly on the fabric. The shimmer was subtle, the fabric soft and luxurious. Elegant. Seductive. Dangerous. Before I could talk myself out of it, I stood and tugged off my sweater, unzipping my comfortable trousers. My skin shivered against the air, and then... I slipped the dress on. The fabric hugged me like silk and moonlight. I made my way inside the walk-in closet and stood in front of the full-length mirror and... stopped. Stars. My silver hair was spilling over my bare shoulders like liquid starlight. The black dress hugged my frame perfectly - curves that hadn’t been there months ago were now filling out the fabric just right. My amber eyes caught the glow of the warm lamp, and for a moment, I didn’t recognize the woman in the mirror. I looked... beautiful. Powerful. Desired. I remembered the way River’s eyes had darkened that evening when I stepped out to show him this dress, how his jaw had tightened, how his hands had curled slightly as if restraining something. And now... he had given it to me. Why? What did it mean? I shook my head, snapping myself from the spiral. Stop it, Eva. I was overthinking. Again. I quickly slipped out of the dress and changed back into my soft, warm clothes. I folded the dress carefully, my hands lingering for a second too long, before I placed it back in its box. I carried it to the walk-in closet and slid it into the bottom compartment, covering it with a throw blanket. Out of sight, out of mind. Sort of. I sat on the bed for a moment, breathing deeply, before grabbing my phone. I texted Draven and Oscar, thanking them for their thoughtful gifts. Both replied quickly - Oscar with a voice note that made me smile, and Draven with a short message: I’m glad you liked it. I’ll make tea with you next time. My heart fluttered. I stayed in my room until it was dinner time. When I entered the dining hall, the soft glow of Christmas lights and the comforting aroma of roasted vegetables greeted me. Jasper and Lily were already there, the little girl beaming when she saw me. "Eva!" she chirped, running up with her tiny arms. "Merry Christmas, Lily," I laughed, crouching to hug her and handing her a neatly wrapped gift. She squealed when she saw the set of colors and markers. "Thank you! I’m gonna draw you!" "That’s a high honor," I said with mock seriousness. Dinner passed with warm laughter and delicious food. Everyone was in good spirits. Draven and Oscar flanked me at the table, each stealing quiet moments with me when they knew no one was watching. Draven gently rested his hand against mine beneath the table, while Oscar sneaked me an extra slice of dessert when no one was looking. Once dinner was over, everyone moved to the living room. River immediately got engaged in low, serious conversation with Jasper and Kieran on the far side of the room. I stayed back with Lily, Draven, and Oscar for board games. Lily dominated the game, giggling every time she beat one of us. After two hours and seven rounds of game, Jasper scooped the sleepy girl into his arms, and I pressed a kiss to her forehead as I wished her goodnight. She mumbled, "Eva and I win everything," before curling into her father’s chest. I grinned as they left, then turned to the brothers. River was deep in conversation again. Kieran met my gaze across the room and nodded slightly, as if silently checking on me. I gave him a soft smile. Then I stood, yawning. "I think I’m going to head to bed." Oscar opened his mouth, then stopped. Draven just gave me a small nod, his gaze unreadable. I walked out of the living room and headed toward the stairs. My heart was thudding softly as I sensed the presence of the person following me. I reached my door and stepped inside, glancing back just once. No one was there. But just as I was about to push the door closed, a hand caught it. My heart jumped... not from fear but from sheer thrill. It made me realize just how much these men were spoiling me to make me enjoy these sneak-ins. A tall frame slipped inside the room before I could react, and the door clicked shut behind him. Then he turned the lock. I looked up, and met the eyes of the man who was looking me with so much intensity in his eyes that I almost forgot to breathe for a second. "What if River or Kieran noticed your absence from... wherever you lied about going?" I asked, my hand reaching out to grab the front of his sweater. "Well... that’s why I have asked for your other mate’s help. Now it’s his duty to make sure those two don’t come looking before me before morning." He replied while taking a step closer. I arched my eyebrows at him. "What makes you think I’ll allow you to stay the night here?" His lips curved and his gaze darkened ever so slightly as he took another step closer, removing almost all the space between us. When he spoke, his voice was just above a whisper. "And what makes you think I can’t smell that thick arousal of yours that’s begging me to spend the night right here... with you?"

Chapter 236: The Black Dress

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