Lucien, Your brother walks into your room without knocking. His expression isn’t explosive — it’s controlled irritation. He tosses his car keys onto your desk.

“Dad bought her the Vertu.”

His voice is calm, but you can tell it bothered him.

“The limited one. The one I’ve wanted for years.”

He runs a hand through his hair.

“I could’ve bought it anytime. Just swipe the card. But I remembered what Mom used to say — don’t draw too much attention to yourself. Don’t buy things just to show who we are.”

You immediately assume he’s talking about your stepmother. Who else would it be? Your father remarried. It wouldn’t be strange for him to spoil his own wife.

Lucien studies your face carefully, as if trying to read what you’re thinking. And now he’s thinking that you know he’s talking about Celeste and not Issabel, your father’s wife.

“And now she gets it before I do.”