CHAPTER 28: A SUDDEN BROTHER?

(Evelina’s POV—After the Carnage, Casino One)

I still couldn’t believe it.

Theo Vinter? Yes—fine. Mafia king. Walking arsenal. Makes sense he’d be one of the strongest men.

But Rowan?

Rowan Arcturus? A quiet, stone-faced, kneels-when-I-tell-him-to bodyguard? He was just a mere—

No.

The glowing numbers above his head said otherwise. He wasn’t "mere" anything. He was one of the strongest men in this game.

The system hadn’t lied.

The reward wasn’t Kael’s flimsy, tissue-paper ego. It was power. Real, dangerous, world-shaping power.

Theo or Rowan.

And they both gained thirty damn percent.

I rubbed my temple.

"...Of course. Of course my life turns into a survival dating sim."

Before I could breathe—Whispers snapped through the ruined casino like sparks jumping across dry leaves.

"Did you see her? She killed all those men—without even flinching."

"A witch. Definitely a witch."

"—but like... wasn’t she actually kind of cool?"

Silence.

And then—

"...Right. She was SO cool."

More whispers. More awe. More fear. Honestly? Fine. Good. Let them think I was terrifying. It might keep me alive.

DING!

A bright window popped in front of me:

[System: Congratulations. Your reputation among the high society has risen to 90+.]

I sighed.

Before I could process the whispers—

"EVE!"

Mother practically flew at me, skirts swishing, hair wild, eyes wide. She wrapped me in a hug so tight I thought I’d die after surviving twelve assassins.

She pulled back, gripping my shoulders, scanning my face, neck, arms, and legs like a frantic surgeon. "Are you hurt? Are you bleeding? Are you dizzy? Are you—"

"Mother," I said flatly, prying her hands off me. "I’m fine."

Behind her, Lucein ran over, skidding to a dramatic stop like he forgot how to use feet. He looked me up and down, then squinted.

"...I didn’t know you were this cool—"

I raised a brow.

He coughed. Hard.

"AHEM—I-I mean—we should go to the hospital. Yes. Hospital. Just in case you were sliced or shot or... emotionally damaged—"

"Oh, do not worry," Theo’s voice cut in sharply from behind, smooth and cold. "I have already called our family doctor. He should arrive any minute."

Lucein turned slowly, like a malfunctioning robot, glaring daggers.

"Mr. Vinter," he said, voice bored but edged, "I understand your world is filled with danger, and I also understand why you walk around with half a military unit behind you..."

The bodyguards shifted awkwardly.

"...but tell me," Lucein continued, crossing his arms, "what’s the point of parading all these bulldozer-shaped men—if they can’t even save you from a dozen assassins?"

Mother pinched Lucein’s arm. Theo blinked.

Honestly? Valid point.

Even I turned to look at Theo’s men.

Why didn’t they do anything?

Before Theo could answer, one of the bodyguards stepped forward—trembling. Actually trembling.

"B-Boss..." he stammered, palms shaking as he bowed. "We—we are terribly sorry. But when the assassins attacked... o-our rifles... they... they didn’t work."

Theo’s head tilted. Very slowly. Very dangerously.

"...What do you mean," he asked in a low, silky voice that promised murder, "your rifles didn’t work?"

The man swallowed so loudly I heard it.

"I—don’t know, Boss," he whispered. "We tried—we tried everything—but the guns wouldn’t fire. It was like...like they were jammed by something."

Hmm...Jammed? All of them? At the exact same moment the event began?

...Game mechanics.

This was game mechanics.

Of course the NPC bodyguards wouldn’t act. The system wanted me to complete the quest. It was always designed that way.

But then—a harsh voice cut through the battered casino.

"—Mr. Vinter."

I froze. Arden stepped forward, jaw clenched, eyes blazing with fury so sharp even Theo tilted his head.

What now?

Arden pointed at Theo like an angry prosecutor.

"Because of you," he said coldly, "our lives were almost at risk today."

Out of nowhere, why did he?

Theo’s expression didn’t shift—but the room did. People whispered. Bodyguards stiffened.

Arden continued, stepping even closer, voice rising in righteous indignation:

"If my sister hadn’t learned self-defense—if she didn’t have a bodyguard—we would’ve LOST MY SISTER tonight."

. . .

. . .

I lost all functioning neurons.

My mouth physically dropped open. Mother blinked like someone slapped her with a fish. Lucien coughed so hard he nearly choked. Sera covered her mouth in shock.

...did that demon just say ’sister’?

I trembled.

Actually trembled.

Did—did I hear that right? Did that bastard Arden—call me his sister?

I checked his affection meter on reflex. [Arden Hartgrave — 10%]

WHAT. THE. HELL.

His affection had been NEGATIVE. Negative. As in ’I hope you die in Chapter two’ negative.

Now ten.TEN?

I stared at him, more horrified than if he’d grown horns.

Why the hell is his affection rising?! I didn’t even want him in the affection list!!!

I couldn’t adapt to this. I couldn’t process this. My brain officially filed resignation papers.

"Rowan..." I whispered.

"Yes, Miss?" he responded immediately—steady, calm, a perfect anchor to my spiraling sanity.

"Let’s go," I said firmly, before Arden’s sudden family love causes my will to live to malfunction.

He nodded and stepped behind me. I turned toward Theo, forcing my voice to stay civil.

"Mr. Vinter," I said, "I shall take my leave now."

Theo’s eyes darkened, unreadable. "The doctor is on the way—"

"We have a family doctor too," I cut in sharply.

Before Theo could speak again, Arden stepped in front of me like some overprotective bulldog on steroids.

"We can take care of her," he snapped at Theo. "You’ve done enough."

. . .

. . .

I blinked.

Mother blinked.

Lucien looked like he was witnessing a miracle.

Theo raised a brow—slowly—like he was trying to decide whether to laugh, punch Arden, or erase him completely.

The tension in the air thickened, dangerous.

"Miss," Rowan murmured, "we should leave now."

Yes. Yes, we absolutely should. Before I lose the rest of my surviving brain cells.

I straightened my spine, lifted my chin, and walked away with Rowan like the world wasn’t collapsing behind me in emotional chaos.

***

(Later—Outside Casino One, Near the Car)

Rowan opened the car door with that composed, silent efficiency he had mastered. I stepped toward it—ready to escape this hellscape of bullets, family drama, and affection meters—

When a tiny voice pierced through the night.

"No... I want to meet the uncle!"

I froze.

Uncle?

I turned.

A small girl—no more than six—stood with her fists balled, black hair in soft waves, and golden eyes glinting under the casino lights like molten metal.

Golden eyes.

The same shade as Theo Vinter’s.

She was breathtaking and terrifying all at once—a little doll carved from shadows and royalty.

The woman beside her sighed wearily. "Aah... Little miss, we already talked about this. First we eat, then you can see your uncle. If you go to him hungry, he’ll be upset."

The girl pouted but nodded, saying, "Alright...we eat first."

Then she turned—and those molten-gold eyes locked on me for one eerie, too-long second.

Curious.Innocent.

And then she walked away with the woman, disappearing into the gold-lit corridors.

Such a cute child.

Rowan’s voice broke the stillness. "Miss."

I blinked. "...Right."

I slid into the backseat of the car, the door shutting with a heavy thud that felt like the end of a game—or the beginning of something worse.

Rowan took the front seat. The engine hummed to life. Lights blurred outside the window.

I leaned back, letting exhaustion crash through me like a wave, exhaling for what felt like the first time since the massacre.

"At least," I muttered slowly, closing my eyes, "I won the damn task."

The system’s reward hung in my mind like a lantern in darkness.

I can finally choose my own route.

My own path.My own ending.No more scripted tragedy.No more dying for someone else’s plot.

But... that didn’t mean ease.

This world was still a game. Every route was still planned. Every danger was still real.

Affection meters rise.Death flags appear.Male leads collide like tectonic plates.

And now that I’ve chosen freedom... the system will only make the next steps harder.

"I can’t relax," I whispered to myself, staring at my reflection in the window. "Not yet. Not even close."

Rowan glanced at me through the rearview mirror—eyes sharp, calculating.

I inhaled.

Steady.

Focused.

I just have to be careful, careful enough to survive my own story.

Because no matter what route I chose next... I was still Evelina Hartgrave.

And Evelina Hartgrave still had enemies.