The Next Morning…
Ethan calmly walked down the stairs, fully dressed in a three-piece suit and ready to leave.
Percival followed behind, sliding one hand into an ash-colored overcoat as he adjusted the collar with the other.
As they reached the base of the staircase, the entrance door swung open and Eduardo walked in, with Hayley following close behind.
Ethan's heart skipped for just a second. Not in the way it did when Isabella walked into a room. This was different.
More like his body system recognizing someone it had once been conditioned to react to.
And Hayley had that teasing grin on her face as she walked toward them, her eyes staying fixed on Ethan's the entire time. There was something about the way her tail swayed around as she moved, easily captivating anyone who looked.
Percival quickly said, "Sorry, I forgot to tell you, Hayley, but I'm not going today anymore."
Hayley barely glanced at him. "You think I really came here just because I wanted to get you?"
