Chapter Five

I pushed past the heavy, carved front doors and stepped into the grand foyer. The inside of the house was just as jaw-dropping as the outside. It was absolutely huge, with soaring ceilings, a massive crystal chandelier hanging overhead, and a grand curved staircase that looked like it belonged in a movie.

Trying to shake off the lingering warmth of Christian's breath on my cheek, I hurried past the long hallway and followed him straight to the dining room.

The dining table was long, made of dark, polished wood that reflected the soft light of the room. James and my mom were already sitting close together at one end, looking perfectly happy. Christian smoothly took a seat across from them, and I hesitated for a second before sitting right next to him. His massive frame instantly made the space feel smaller.

Dinner was served by quiet staff, and the plates looked like literal art. Almost immediately, Mom and James tried to break the ice, turning the dinner into a lively family conversation. Mom kept trying to make conversation with Christian, flashing her best smiles, while James turned his warm blue eyes to me.

"So, Hattie," James said gently, taking a sip of his drink. "How do you see the place so far? I know it's a big change from Utah."

"It's beautiful, James. Thank you," I replied politely, keeping my voice soft and steady. "It’s... much bigger than anything I’m used to."

James chuckled, clearly pleased. "Well, it’s your home now too. I also hope you love the college you’ll be going to this week.

Columbia is fantastic." He paused, glancing proudly toward his son. "Actually, it’s the exact same college Christian is in."

My fork froze halfway to my mouth. I blinked, looking up.

"Is it?" I managed to say.

"Yes," James nodded. "He’s a junior this year, studying Real Estate. But honestly, he spends half his life at the campus ice rink. He’s the star hockey player for the university team."

Hockey player, I thought, everything suddenly clicking into place.

I glanced sideways at Christian out of the corner of my eye. He was calmly cutting into his steak, looking entirely unbothered. In my mind, I couldn't help but think, Well, that explains the massive jersey at the airport.

"Oh, a hockey player!" my mom gushed, practically beaming at Christian. "That sounds so exciting and aggressive.

Christian, you'll have to show Hattie around the campus since you're already a junior there."

Christian slowly put his knife down. He turned his head toward me, those deadly, dark sea-blue eyes locking onto my face. A slow, knowing smirk played at the edge of his lips, meant only for me to see.

"I'd love to," Christian murmured, his deep voice sending a sudden, unwanted jolt right through me. "I can teach her a lot of things about how we handle things on and off the ice."

"In fact," Christian continued, his deep voice smooth as silk as he leaned back slightly in his leather chair, "there is a massive party coming up tomorrow night. It’s mostly to welcome the freshers to campus before classes officially start."

My mother practically gasped, her eyes lighting up instantly. She chimed in before I could even open my mouth. "Oh, that’s absolutely lovely! Hattie, you should definitely go. It’s the perfect chance for you to make new friends there."

New friends. I let out a dry, sarcastic laugh in my mind. Right, because making friends was so easy when your mother dragged you to a new city every single year. I had completely given up on the idea of long-term friends a long time ago.

"Nah, I'm fine," I said quickly, waving my hand dismissively. I tried to look as calm as possible, though my heart was starting to thud against my ribs again. "I will need to unpack all my stuff tomorrow, and I'll probably be way too tired. Besides, I'm really not a people person. I don’t like tight spaces or loud crowds."

"Oh, sweetie, don't worry about the unpacking," James cut in with a warm, easy smile. He waved a hand toward the kitchen. "We can have the maids do all of that for you tomorrow while you rest. What are they here for? You don't need to lift a finger."

I bit the inside of my cheek. "Well... I also have some prep reading I wanted to get a head start on for my courses. I really want to keep my grades up."

"One night won't hurt your grades, Hattie," my mom insisted, giving me a pointed, warning look that clearly told me to stop being difficult. "You need to get out of your shell. Christian is being so sweet to offer."

Every single excuse I tried to make was getting effortlessly countered by the two of them.

I was completely trapped.

I glanced back over at Christian, feeling a flush of heat creep up my neck. He hadn't said a word while our parents argued on his behalf. He just picked up his glass of water, taking a slow, deliberate sip while his dark blue eyes locked onto mine over the rim. The wicked, knowing smirk on his lips told me he had planned this exact trap the moment he opened his mouth.

Realizing there was absolutely no way out of this without causing a massive scene on my very first night, I let out a sharp, defeated breath.

"Fine," I forcefully agreed, my voice tighter than I meant it to be. "I'll go."

"Perfect!" my mom beamed, completely oblivious to the silent warfare happening across the table.

"Great," Christian murmured, setting his glass back down on the polished wood with a soft click. His piercing gaze scanned my frustrated face, his voice dropping into that low, dangerous register that made my skin prickle. "Don't worry, Chanelle. I'll make sure my new little sister gets a very... proper introduction to college life."

Dinner ended shortly after that. I barely tasted the rest of my food, too busy feeling the heavy, suffocating weight of Christian’s eyes on me from across the table.

As soon as the parents started chatting about some high-society event happening later in the week, I stood up. I was completely exhausted, my body aching from the five-hour flight and the sheer mental drain of dealing with my new stepbrother.

Out of habit, I stacked my plate on top of my glass, about to clear them from the table.

"Oh, Hattie, no need for that," James said gently, stopping me with a warm smile. "We have the maids, remember? You don't have to worry about cleaning up here."

"Oh. Right, I forgot," I murmured, feeling a sudden flush of embarrassment. I carefully set the dishes back down. Old habits from our tiny, temporary apartments in Utah died hard.

James turned slightly and called for the staff. Two maids appeared almost instantly from the kitchen doors, moving with quiet, practiced efficiency.

"Please clear the table," James instructed the first one, before turning his eyes to the second maid, a kind-looking woman in a neat uniform. "And please show Hattie up to her new room."

"Right this way, miss," the woman said softly.

I gave James a small, grateful nod, completely avoiding Christian’s direction as I walked out of the dining room. I followed the maid back into the grand foyer and up the massive, winding marble staircase. The higher we climbed, the more the house felt like a labyrinth of endless hallways, expensive paintings, and closed doors.

Finally, we stopped down a long, thickly carpeted corridor on the second floor. The maid opened a large white door, revealing a bedroom that was easily three times the size of my entire old apartment. It had a massive king-sized bed, a walk-in closet, and huge arched windows overlooking the manicured gardens.

"If you need anything else, just press the button by the nightstand," the maid said warmly.

"Thank you so much," I replied, offering her a genuine smile.

She bowed her head and walked back down the hallway. I let out a massive, relieved sigh and turned around, about to step into my room and lock the world out for the night.

But my luck had completely run out for the day.

A shadow fell over the doorway, and the faint, familiar scent of clean linen and crisp air filled the space. I looked up sharply and saw Christian strolling by, his large hands shoved deep into the pockets of his dark designer hoodie.

He stopped right in front of my door, leaning his massive, broad-shouldered frame against the wooden casing. His dark sea-blue eyes swept over my room before locking right back onto my face.

"Well, look at that," Christian murmured, a slow, lazy smirk stretching across his handsome face. "Guess we're neighbors, Snow."

My stomach did a violent, frustrated flip. Great. In my mind, I couldn't help but scream. Haven't I had enough torture for one single day? Having him in the same city was bad enough, but having his bedroom just a few feet away from mine was a complete nightmare.

"Don't call me that," I snapped, keeping my voice low but packing it with as much venom as possible.

Christian tilted his head, his dark eyes glinting with amusement as he watched me flare up. "Why not?"

"Because you don't have the right," I argued, crossing my arms defensively over my chest. "Only my dad could call me that name."

The second the words left my mouth, Christian’s smirk changed. The lazy amusement vanished, replaced by a sudden, intense heat that made my breath hitch. He straightened up, stepping away from the doorframe and moving just an inch closer to me. The space between us completely vanished, his massive 6'3ft height completely blocking out the light from the hallway.

He leaned down slightly, his voice dropping into a deep, rough whisper that vibrated right against my skin.

"Guess I'm your new daddy then."