Mara remained silent, her jaw clenched. She could feel the weight of the room's attention on her, Steve and Stefan standing next to her, their expressions wary; Stanford and Stanley, who had always been closer to Philip, and their grandfather, his sharp eyes narrowing as he watched the exchange.
"Uncle Philly!" Stanford and Stanley broke the tension, stepping forward to hug him tightly. Philip chuckled, patting their backs with a familiarity that made Mara's skin crawl. He had always been the fun uncle, the one who bailed them out of trouble, who let them get away with things their parents never would. But now Mara doesn't trust him. There was something about him, something off.
Steve and Stefan, on the other hand, kept their distance. Steve's arms were crossed, his jaw tight, while Stefan's expression was unreadable, though his eyes flicked to Mara, silently checking on her. They had never been close to Philip, and the way he was speaking to Mara now only deepened their unease.
