Chapter 126

Author's POV When Helena returned home that evening, she immediately sensed something was off between Caesar and Sylvia. Scratch that—something was on fire. The air crackled with tension, thick enough to chew. The kind of silence that didn't just fill a room, it dragged furniture with it. Caesar sat at the counter, scrolling through his phone like it owed him money. Sylvia, across from him, was sipping her wine with the kind of casual venom that made Helena's skin prickle. No lingering glances. Just two people pretending the other didn't exist. Helena's heart gave a little flutter. Maybe—just maybe—they'd argued. She could practically smell the opportunity. She tilted her head, all faux-concern and wide-eyed innocence. "Cae? Why are you ignoring your mate like she stole your favorite whiskey?" Caesar didn't look up. "Eat your dinner." Sylvia, ever the queen of effortless destruction, didn't miss a beat. "Oh, we're fighting," she said sweetly, standing up and tossing her napkin onto the