"Mom? I'm here!"
The voice was bright. Young. Familiar.
Elena.
She froze—club still raised mid-swing, eyes going comically wide.
"Shit," Phei muttered under his breath.
She dropped the club like it was suddenly molten and bolted toward the scattered remnants of her shoes near the couch. One heel snagged on the carpet; she stumbled, caught herself, snatched both shoes up in one frantic grab, and jammed her feet into them while hopping toward the door.
Phei cursed again—quiet, resigned.
"These princesses are getting entirely too good at ruining my best moments."
The door opened.
Elena Ashford stepped inside—school blazer slung over one shoulder, hair in a loose braid, eyes already bright with whatever teenage chaos she'd brought with her.
They landed on Phei.
Her entire face lit up like sunrise.
"PHEIIIIII!!!!"
Oh boy.
Kill me already.
Yet another obsessed princess.
Elena Ashford collided with him like a guided missile launched from a sugar-high teenage warhead.
