The next morning, the lodge was suffocating. Lili hadn't slept; her eyes were red-rimmed, and every time she heard a heavy footstep in the hallway, she flinched, fearing it was Leo. She was sitting on the porch, wrapped in a thick blanket and staring at the misty lake, when the door creaked open.
It was Luca. He didn't have his usual bright, birthday-boy grin. He looked older, his expression clouded with a seriousness that didn't fit his face. He sat down on the wooden bench beside her, letting out a long sigh that turned into a cloud of steam in the cold air.
"I heard you two last night," Luca said quietly, not looking at her. "In the library."
Lili stiffened, her heart dropping into her stomach. She stared at her lap, her fingers twisting the edge of the blanket. "Luca, I... I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to—"
"Don't apologize, Lili," Luca interrupted, finally turning to face her. His eyes were soft, filled with a mix of pity and frustration. "I heard everything. I heard how he talked to you. I heard the way he called you a 'responsibility.' It was brutal."
Lili bit her lip, a fresh tear stinging her eye. "He was right. It's none of my business. He has his life, and I'm just... I'm just your friend."
Luca shook his head vehemently. "That's a lie, and you know it. My brother is many things—arrogant, cold, a workaholic—but he isn't a cruel person. Not unless he's trying to push someone away for their own good."
He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "What I want to know is... why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell me you felt this way about him?"
Lili looked at him, her defenses finally crumbling. "Because it felt impossible, Luca! He's a CEO, and I'm... I'm the 'simple girl.' And then he showed up with Sienna, and it felt like I was waking up from a dream I shouldn't have had in the first place. I didn't want to ruin your birthday with my... my pathetic crush."
"It's not pathetic," Luca said firmly, reaching out to squeeze her hand. "And it's not a dream. I've seen the way he looks at you when he thinks no one is watching. Even last night, after you ran out... he looked like a man who had just destroyed his own world."
Lili wiped her eyes, a flicker of confusion crossing her face. "But Sienna... they're getting married, Luca. He chose her."
Luca let out a bitter laugh. "He didn't 'choose' her, Lili. That's the thing about being the 'Golden Son' of this family. You don't get to choose who you love. You choose who makes the stock price go up."
Lili froze. "What do you mean?"
Luca looked toward the house, ensuring neither Leo nor Sienna were within earshot. "There's a lot you don't know about how this family works, Lili. Leo is trapped. But don't let him convince you that he doesn't care. He's just a coward when it comes to his own happiness."
Luca looked at Lili, his eyes gleaming with a sudden, mischievous spark that replaced his serious tone. He leaned in closer, the cold mountain air whistling around them.
"If Leo wants to pretend you're just a 'responsibility' and a 'friend of the family,' fine," Luca whispered, a smirk playing on his lips. "Let's give him exactly what he asked for. Let's show him what it looks like when you're too close to the family."
Lili wiped a stray tear, her brow furrowing. "What are you talking about, Luca? He already thinks I'm just your friend."
"Exactly," Luca grinned. "But he's possessive, Lili. I've seen it since we were kids. He hates losing things that belong to him—or things he thinks belong to him. If he sees us getting a little too 'comfortable,' his ego mask is going to crack faster than thin ice."
Lili hesitated. The idea of playing with Leo's emotions felt dangerous—like poking a sleeping lion. But then she remembered the cold, dismissive way he had looked at her in the library. She remembered the way he had defended Sienna.
"What do we do?" she asked, her voice regaining a bit of its strength.
"We act... inseparable," Luca planned, counting off on his fingers. "Laugh at my jokes. Sit next to me at every meal. Let me walk you everywhere. And the most important part? Ignore him. Completely. Act like he's just my boring older brother who happens to be in the room."
That afternoon, the group gathered in the Great Room for a pre-birthday celebration. The fireplace was roaring, and the scent of expensive wine and cedar filled the air. Leo was standing by the window, a glass of scotch in his hand, looking out at the gray sky. Sienna was draped over the arm of his chair, scrolling through her phone.
"Lili! Come sit here!" Luca shouted, patting the spot on the sofa right next to him.
Lili walked in, looking radiant in a cream-colored sweater. She didn't even glance toward the window. She sat so close to Luca that their shoulders touched, and she let out a bright, genuine laugh at something he whispered in her ear.
"You're so ridiculous, Luca," she said loudly enough for the whole room to hear.
From the corner of her eye, she saw Leo's glass pause mid-air. He didn't turn around, but his shoulders tensed, the fabric of his black shirt straining against his muscles.
"I told you," Luca whispered to her, leaning in close so his breath brushed her ear. "He's listening to every word."
Throughout the afternoon, the "plan" was in full swing. When they moved to the game table, Lili teamed up with Luca against Maya and Rohan. She cheered for him, high-fived him, and at one point, Luca playfully ruffled her hair.
The atmosphere in the room shifted. It wasn't the happy, relaxed vibe of a birthday trip anymore. It was heavy, like the air before a lightning strike.
Leo had stopped looking at the window. He was now sitting in the armchair, his gaze fixed on the game table. He wasn't talking to Sienna. He wasn't checking his emails. He was watching Luca's hand linger on Lili's shoulder. His jaw was clenched so tight a vein was throbbing in his temple.
"Leo, darling, you haven't heard a word I said," Sienna complained, tapping his arm.
Leo didn't even look at her. "I'm tired, Sienna. Be quiet."
As the sun began to set, casting long, bloody shadows across the wooden floor, Luca stood up. "I think Lili and I are going to go check out the sunset from the boathouse. It's a bit crowded in here, don't you think, Lili?"
"I'd love to," Lili said, giving Luca a sweet, lingering smile.
As they walked toward the door, passing right by Leo's chair, Lili felt the sheer heat of his gaze. For the first time all day, she risked a look at him.
Leo wasn't the cold CEO anymore. He looked dangerous. His eyes were dark, burning with a mixture of jealousy and a possessive fury that made her breath hitch. He looked like he wanted to jump up and tear her away from Luca right then and there.
"Have fun," Leo said, his voice a low, terrifying growl that sounded nothing like a "big brother."
As they stepped out onto the porch and closed the door, Luca let out a suppressed laugh. "Did you see his face? He looks like he's about to explode."
Lili leaned against the railing, her heart racing. The plan was working, but as she looked back at the house, she wondered if they were playing with fire—and if they were both about to get burned.