Under the Veil I Rule

Chapter 20

With that, Amara shoved Keith out the door just at the moment when Keith got all riled up.

At the Everly family estate, Kevin sat in a plush leather armchair, deep in thought. When Lisa came by with a cup of coffee, he stopped her and asked, "Are Finn and Ama still the same way these days?"

By "the same way", he meant that they were living in separate rooms, both busy with their own lives, hardly ever crossing paths.

Lisa nodded. "Yes, living under the same roof but hardly seeing each other. How's that supposed to work?" Kevin slammed his hand on the armrest. "That useless boy, he's really hopeless!"

Lisa's eyes darted around, and she leaned in with a whisper. "Ama seems like a good kid. If they spend more time together, Finn is bound to like her. Maybe we should give them a little nudge."

Unbeknownst to Amara, things were stirring at the Everly estate. She had been busy observing film shoots on set, filling her free time with reading and writing screenplays. She was content.

That afternoon, Finnian approached her. "Got time tonight? I need you to come with me to a dinner party." Amara was surprised. "What kind of dinner party?"

was a secret, and Finnian usually attended these events solo or with

at Peter's place, just

situation. They mocked her behind closed doors, whispering about her scars and her invisible husband of

excitement of being asked to accompany Finnian vanished as quickly as it appeared once she realized she'd have to face the

she responded, lowering

of a wife she felt obligated to fulfill. But a voice inside

alarm. This was not what she needed, not when divorce

obliterate at once the thoughts she

they drove to a small countryside manor. After parking, they were led into a banquet hall

of the Everly family. Among them were Peter Everly and Bess

middle-aged man with a wandering eye that often settled on Amara's body when no one noticed, making Amara's skin crawl. Bess was a vitriolic opportunist who once tried to personally take her niece to Finnian's bed, only to be rebuffed by him,

came time for greetings, Amara simply nodded at Peter and Bess, making

today Peter and Bess were acting unusually friendly, almost as if they

a young handsome man in his early twenties approached, his expression openly disdainful towards