Suspicious Shade

Chapter 12: After Party

As the night wore on, Yve found herself feeling increasingly overwhelmed by the artificial nature of the celebration.

Felix stayed glued to her side, keeping up a facade of happiness and affection, but Yve could see the possessiveness in his eyes.

Yve's friends tried to steal her away for a moment, but Felix always appeared, finding reasons to keep her close.

The hours passed, the evening grew late, and the party started to wind down.

Yve tried to keep a smile on her face, but by the end, she was emotionally and mentally exhausted.

Finally, the last guest had said their goodbyes, and Felix's family had gone to bed. Yve stood alone in the garden pavilion, the night air cool against her skin.

As Yve took a moment to catch her breath, Felix appeared beside her.

"Looks like the party was a success," he said, his voice smooth and charming.

Yve tried to act indifferent, pretending to admire the now-empty garden pavilion. "I guess so," she responded half-heartedly.

Felix stepped closer to Yve, his eyes locking on hers.

"You don't sound very enthusiastic," he said, a tinge of disappointment in his tone.

Yve suppressed a sigh, wondering why she was even trying to hide her true feelings.

Yve met Felix’s gaze, her own eyes meeting his.

"It's been a long night," she said wearily.

Felix reached out and gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, his touch annoyingly intimate. "And it's still not over, dear."

Yve tried to ignore the shiver that went down her spine at Felix's touch.

"What do you mean?" she asked, her voice betraying a hint of suspicion.

Felix leaned in closer, his mouth almost touching her ear. "You didn't think the night was over, did you?" he whispered, his breath warm against her skin.

Yve stiffened, trying to suppress the wave of uneasiness that washed over her.

She took a small step back, putting some distance between them. "I thought everyone had gone home," she replied, her voice tinged with annoyance.

Felix chuckled, his eyes glittering with a mixture of amusement and irritation.

"I meant everyone except us," he clarified, not bothering to hide the possessive undertone in his voice.

Yve suppressed a sigh, feeling trapped by his words. She knew what he was insinuating, and it was the last thing she wanted.

"I'm exhausted, Felix," she said, her voice tinged with exhaustion and frustration. "Can't we just call it a night?"

Felix's grin widened, amused by Yve's assumptions.

"Who said anything about spending the night here?" he teased. "There's one more stop on our agenda."

Yve raised an eyebrow, curious but still wary of his intentions.

"And where would that be?"

Felix offered her his arm, a gesture both charming and commanding. "You'll see," he said cryptically.

Sighing, Yve placed her hand on his arm, reluctantly playing along.

"Lead the way, then," she said, trying to conceal her growing irritation.

Felix led Yve to a waiting car parked outside the garden pavilion. He opened the door for her, gesturing for her to get in.

Yve got into the backseat, her mind swirling with questions about their unexpected destination.