BRANDON

“Why are you back again?” I asked as soon as I saw Claire lounging in the living room after stepping into my apartment. “I thought you returned to the Caldwell mansion yesterday.”

A thought crossed my mind, and my brows furrowed. “You failed?”

She turned her head toward me, her expression calm. “Why don’t you guess?”

I caught the fleeting glint of smugness in her eyes and smirked, sinking onto the sofa opposite hers.

“So you succeeded after all. Not surprising—after all, even if the rest of that family abandons you, Aunt Evelyn never will.”

At my words, she no longer concealed her pride and glee.

“That’s right. As...