The Saturday afternoon sunlight filters through our living room blinds, casting tiger stripes across the TV screen where some mindless reality show plays at low volume. I'm barely paying attention to it, too aware of the palpable tension radiating between Rose and Evelyn on either side of me.

We've maintained an uneasy peace all day, mostly by avoiding direct interaction. Now we're all pretending to watch TV while Lilly's voice drifts in from the kitchen, patient and methodical as she works through Chris's math problems.

"No, try again. What's seven times eight?"

"Fifty...six?" Chris's uncertain voice carries through the doorway.

"That's right! See? You've got this."

The pride in Lilly's voice makes me smile. She's been working with Chris for over an hour, and I can already hear the difference in his confidence.

Rose shifts beside me on the couch, her thigh pressing warmly against mine. She's been uncharacteristically quiet, scrolling through her phone and occasionally shooting daggers at Evelyn with her eyes when she thinks I'm not looking.

Evelyn sits rigidly on my other side, her back straight as a board, fingers tapping an irritated rhythm on the armrest. She hasn't said more than ten words since she arrived this morning, her usual chatty demeanor replaced by cold silence.

A commercial break interrupts whatever show we're pretending to watch. Rose suddenly puts down her phone and stretches, her movements deliberately languid and catlike. I feel Evelyn stiffen beside me.

Rose leans close to me, her lips nearly brushing my ear. I think she's going to whisper something sweet or dirty, but instead, she turns slightly, making sure Evelyn can hear her.

"Hey," Rose says with a smile that doesn't reach her eyes, her voice pitched just loud enough for Evelyn to catch every word. "Guess who has two thumbs, is full of Seth's cum, and has permission from his mom to date him?"

My entire body freezes as Rose points both thumbs at herself, her smile morphing into something predatory and triumphant.

"Come on, Rose," I hiss, mortification burning through me like wildfire.

Evelyn makes a strangled sound beside me, like she's being choked. When I dare to glance at her, her face has gone completely white, her knuckles matching as she grips the armrest.

"What did you just say?" Evelyn's voice comes out barely above a whisper, trembling with something dark and dangerous.

Rose leans forward, making sure to catch Evelyn's gaze over my lap. "You heard me," she purrs. "Seth is ours now. Officially approved by Mommy Dearest."

I shoot Rose a glare, my jaw clenching so tight I can feel a muscle twitching in my cheek. "Not around Chris," I hiss through gritted teeth.

"Yeah, yeah," Rose waves dismissively, still smirking at Evelyn.

"No, I'm not joking around, Rose." My voice drops lower, deadly serious now. "I take Chris very seriously. His well-being matters more to me than anything."

The sharpness in my tone must carry through the house because suddenly Chris's head pops up from the kitchen, his eyes wide with curiosity.

"Did you call me, Seth?" he asks, pencil still clutched in his small hand.

My expression softens instantly, the tension melting from my face as I turn toward him. "I was just saying how awesome it is to see you with a smile on your face while doing math problems, little buddy," I say, genuinely meaning it.

Chris's face lights up even brighter, his grin spreading from ear to ear. "Lilly's a much better teacher than you and Evelyn," he announces with the brutal honesty only a nine-year-old can deliver.

The comment hangs in the air for a moment. I catch Evelyn's face tightening from the corner of my eye, but strangely, the remark doesn't sting me as much as it probably should. Maybe because seeing my little brother actually enjoying math feels like a miracle worth any price.

"I'm happy to hear we found someone more compatible for your way of learning," I tell him with a genuine smile. "Everyone does it differently."

"Yes," Evelyn says, her voice strained as she forces the words out. "Lilly seems to be... Far better than us"

The reluctant agreement clearly costs her something, her fingers now digging into the armrest like she's trying to tear through the fabric. I can practically feel the admission of failure radiating from her.

Chris gives Evelyn a quick nod before scampering back to the kitchen table, his little head disappearing from view as he returns to his math problems. The moment he's gone, Evelyn clears her throat, her posture somehow becoming even more rigid.

"Rose," she says, her voice unnaturally controlled, "may I speak with you and Lilly alone for a moment?"

I sit up straighter, immediately on alert. "Why?"

Evelyn's eyes meet mine, and I'm struck by how defeated she looks, the fight suddenly drained from her face. "Just some womanly matters, Seth," she says with a dismissive wave. "Nothing a man needs to concern himself with."

Something about her tone makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

Rose looks equally suspicious, her eyes narrowing as she studies Evelyn's face. She lets out an exhausted sigh before pushing herself up from the couch.

"Lilly!" she calls toward the kitchen, her voice cutting through the quiet house. "Evelyn wants to talk to us. Alone."

I hear the scrape of a chair from the kitchen, followed by Lilly's measured footsteps. She appears in the doorway, her expression questioning as she takes in the scene.

"Chris," she says without taking her eyes off us, "why don't you go over those last few problems on your own? I'll check them when I come back."

"Okay!" Chris's cheerful voice floats from the kitchen, blissfully unaware of the tension crackling through the living room.

Lilly steps fully into the room, her eyes darting between Rose and Evelyn. "What's this about?"

"I have no idea," Rose mutters, crossing her arms defensively across her chest.

I start to stand up, not liking where this is headed. "Maybe I should…"

"No," Evelyn cuts me off, her hand shooting out to grip my wrist with surprising strength. "Stay with Chris. Make sure he's doing his work properly." Her fingers tighten briefly before releasing me. "This won't take long."

I hesitate, torn between wanting to stay with the twins and following Evelyn's instruction to remain with Chris. Lilly notices my uncertainty and steps toward me. She cups my face between her palms, her touch gentle yet firm. Her green eyes lock with mine, radiating a warmth that instantly soothes my frayed nerves.

"Don't worry, honey," she murmurs, her voice like silk. "She's not going to try anything stupid. We'll handle this."

The tenderness in her gaze makes my heart skip. Something about her eyes captivates me completely, reminding me of last night when she looked at me with that same intensity while I had her underwear.

"Okay," I breathe, tension releasing from my shoulders. "Just... be careful."

Lilly presses a soft kiss to my lips before pulling away, leaving me slightly dazed. I sink back onto the couch, watching as the three women disappear outside.