friends on the other side

chapter ten

Oscar watched from a safe distance, hidden behind a thick oak tree as he observed Lucy and Evelyn's encounter in the moonlit garden. He had expected Lucy to hand Evelyn another gift—another trinket to seal her devotion and, if he played his cards right, lay the groundwork for the perfect setup. But to his surprise, Evelyn held an assortment of things, neatly bundled in her arms, as if she were... returning them.

Oscar frowned, leaning forward ever so slightly to catch a clearer glimpse of the exchange. Evelyn looked nervous, glancing down at the pile of jewelry and silks as she handed them back. She was speaking to Lucy in a hushed, almost anxious tone, her brows knit together as if trying to explain herself.

Oscar scowled. Was Evelyn breaking things off?

He couldn't quite make sense of it. Originally this romance had been an accident. But Her fixation would be his path toward manipulating her wishes and, eventually, her soul. But watching Evelyn's nervousness and Lucy's own crestfallen expression, he wondered if things were already slipping out of his control. The balance was delicate—if Evelyn left, Lucy's attachment could crumble, and all his plans would be for nothing.

Then, just as he was starting to imagine how he might salvage this mess, the scene shifted before his eyes.

Evelyn, looking relieved now, stepped closer, her eyes locked on Lucy's with a new softness. They hesitated a moment, and then, suddenly, Evelyn leaned in, brushing her lips against Lucy's in a kiss that quickly deepened. Lucy's arms wrapped around her, holding her close, and they were entirely lost in each other.

Oscar's confusion deepened. The air around them had shifted from tension to tenderness. This was not the detachment he'd feared, nor the icy rejection he had half-expected. *They were closer now.*

Oscar leaned back, a new plan taking shape in his mind, even as doubts lingered around the edges. If he wanted Lucy to desire a family, she'd need to feel stable, secure—like Evelyn would always be by her side. But it was clear Evelyn had her own mind, her own heart. She wasn't as easily manipulated as the others had been. She cared for Lucy, but she didn't want to be bought or controlled.

He muttered under his breath, frustration curling through his words. "If I want them truly bound to each other, I'll have to be clever... They must be inseparable, but Evelyn is slipping through the cracks."

His dark thoughts turned to the voices on the other side of the silver door, and he remembered the conditions they had set—the impossible requests that bound his fate. A McAlister soul, or his own would be forfeited. And of course he'd have to kill an angel, but he can figure that out later

But tonight's strange scene had opened up new possibilities. He didn't need Lucy trapped; he needed her to want something she couldn't have alone, something only he could give her. And if Evelyn was the one Lucy wanted by her side, it would mean nothing without someone to tempt her with the one thing Evelyn could never provide: a child.

For now, Oscar's eyes narrowed on the couple, calculating his next steps.