Chapter Eleven

Alethia came into the living room where Ethan and Olivia sat laughing over whatever conversation they were having before she came down from her room. They both stopped and looked at her in unison, both going stiff as if they had been discussing her before her presence.

Olivia cleared her throat and sat right, smiling at Alethia. Alethia looked at her discerningly, then mouthed:

"You conniving bitch…"

Olivia winked at her and then turned towards Ethan. "So, Ethan, what do you think of Aleth as a stepdaughter?"

Alethia's eyes suddenly pooped out of their sockets in surprise.

"Oliv…" Olivia shushed her with a finger in the air, not particularly looking at her. Olivia's scrutinizing eyes were on Ethan.

Ethan breathed discomfortingly. He adjusted and drew back a bit to lessen the suffocation, but Olivia drew closer, still staring at him.

"Well…" he scratched his right brow and glimpsed at Alethia. Alethia swallowed hard -- somehow she had become interested in wanting to know what Ethan tho