frostbite

Chapter 15: The Morning After

Eden woke up to the sound of the doorbell ringing incessantly. Her head throbbed, a dull, relentless ache pulsing at her temples. She groaned, pulling the blanket over her head in a weak attempt to block out the noise. Why was Amy so obsessed with the doorbell this early in the morning?

Then it hit her-she wasn't in her own apartment.

She groggily peeled the blanket off her face and blinked at her unfamiliar surroundings. Claire's apartment. Last night's events came rushing back-the club, dancing with Claire, getting way too drunk, and realizing she was locked out of her place. Right. Amy had ditched her for some random guy, and Eden had ended up here, passed out on Claire's couch.

The doorbell rang again, louder this time, echoing through the small apartment like an alarm.

"Ugh," Eden groaned, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. She glanced around, but Claire's bedroom door was still closed. Of course Claire wasn't getting the door. Eden was pretty sure she could sleep through a hurricane if she wanted to.

Eden stood up, wincing as the cold air hit her bare legs. She was still in the same short black dress she'd worn to the club, now wrinkled and slightly disheveled. Her hair was a mess, tangled from sleep, and her makeup had smudged during the night. She looked like she'd rolled out of a particularly wild night, and in a way, she had.

She shuffled toward the door, still half-asleep and not fully thinking about the fact that she wasn't in her own place. As the doorbell rang again-this time with an impatient, rapid succession of rings-Eden yanked it open with a huff, ready to tell whoever it was to calm down.

But the words died in her throat.

Standing in front of her, perfectly composed and with a sharp, unreadable expression, was Evelyn Winters.

Eden's heart stopped.

Her professor, the very woman who had occupied her every thought for the past few weeks, was standing right in front of her-and Eden was standing there, disheveled, hungover, and still wearing the short dress she'd worn to the club. It was as if the universe had set her up for the most humiliating moment of her life.

"Professor," Eden blurted out, her voice hoarse and cracked.

Evelyn's pale blue eyes scanned her slowly, taking in the full state of her appearance-the wrinkled dress, the tousled hair, the smudged eyeliner. Her lips pressed into a thin line, and her eyes narrowed, but her expression was as cold and unreadable as ever.

"Miss Graves," Evelyn said, her voice smooth and controlled, though there was a slight edge to it. "I wasn't expecting to find you here."

Eden's mind raced, trying to piece together what was happening. Why was Evelyn at Claire's apartment? What could possibly have brought her here at this ungodly hour? And why, of all moments, did this have to happen now, when she looked like she'd been dragged through a nightclub backwards?

"I-uh-" Eden stammered, feeling her cheeks flush with heat. "I was... staying with Claire. I got locked out of my apartment last night."

Evelyn's eyes flicked toward the closed bedroom door, her expression unreadable, though Eden could have sworn she saw something flicker behind her eyes-something sharp and almost disapproving. But it vanished as quickly as it had appeared, and Evelyn's cool, detached mask remained firmly in place.

"I see," Evelyn said, her tone crisp. "I'm here to speak with Claire. Is she available?"

Eden, still reeling from the shock of seeing Evelyn in Claire's apartment, managed a weak nod. "Uh, yeah. She's, um... still asleep."

Evelyn's eyes lingered on Eden for a moment longer, making her feel even more exposed and out of place. She'd never felt this vulnerable in front of anyone, and the fact that it was Evelyn standing there, watching her with that icy gaze, only made it worse.

"Well," Evelyn said, her voice tight. "When she wakes, please inform her I stopped by. I'll be waiting for her call."

With that, Evelyn turned on her heel, her movements as precise and controlled as ever, and started to walk away.

But before she could leave, Claire's voice called out from behind Eden.

"Evelyn? What the hell are you doing here?"

Eden turned to see Claire standing in the hallway, dressed in an oversized T-shirt and sweats, her hair still tousled from sleep. She looked as surprised as Eden felt, though her surprise was mixed with something closer to irritation.

Evelyn stopped, turning back to face her sister. "I needed to speak with you," she said, her tone colder than usual, her gaze flicking briefly to Eden. "But I see you've been preoccupied."

Claire crossed her arms, leaning against the doorframe. "I wasn't expecting a surprise visit. What's going on?"

Evelyn's jaw tightened slightly, but she didn't respond right away. Eden stood awkwardly between them, feeling like she was intruding on something intensely personal.

After a long pause, Evelyn finally spoke. "It's about the estate. We need to make some decisions, and I've been trying to reach you."

Claire sighed, running a hand through her messy hair. "The estate can wait, Evelyn. You didn't need to track me down at-" she glanced at the clock on the wall, "-8 a.m."

Evelyn's gaze hardened slightly. "Clearly."

There was a tension in the air now, one that Eden hadn't felt before-a tension between the Winters sisters that was more than just the usual family bickering. It was deeper, sharper, and Eden could see the way it weighed on Claire's shoulders.

Claire sighed again, softer this time. "I'll call you later, okay? We can talk about it then."

Evelyn nodded, though her expression remained distant. "Very well." She turned to leave once more, but not before casting one last glance at Eden-an unreadable, piercing look that made Eden's heart race all over again.

As soon as the door closed behind Evelyn, the tension in the room seemed to deflate. Claire groaned, slumping against the wall. "God, she's intense."

Eden let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. "That was... unexpected."

Claire chuckled, though there was a hint of exhaustion in her voice. "Yeah, welcome to the Winters family. Drama at every turn."

Eden smiled weakly, still feeling the weight of Evelyn's cold gaze on her. "I don't think I've ever been that terrified in my life."

Claire laughed, shaking her head. "She has that effect on people."

They stood in silence for a moment before Claire gave Eden a playful nudge. "Come on, let's get some coffee. You look like you need it."

Eden nodded, grateful for the distraction. But even as she followed Claire to the kitchen, her mind couldn't stop replaying the image of Evelyn Winters standing at the door, sharp and controlled, her gaze cutting through Eden like ice.

Something had shifted between them, and Eden wasn't sure she was ready for whatever came next.