[Carter Mansion — Morning]
The morning sun filtered gently into the dining room, casting a warm glow over the neatly laid breakfast table.
Gregory sat at his usual place, newspaper folded beside his plate and his coffee untouched.
Melissa moved around calmly, setting down a bowl of cut fruit before taking her seat across from him.
He glanced toward the staircase once and then again.
His brows knit together slightly. "Where is Evelyn?"
Melissa didn't even look up as she buttered her toast. "She stayed over at Alexander's last night."
Gregory froze.
The pause was so abrupt it was almost comical.
"She—what?" he asked slowly, as if repeating it at a safer volume might change the meaning.
Melissa finally looked up, perfectly composed. "She stayed at Alexander's."
Gregory straightened in his chair. "Since when is that acceptable?"
Melissa took a bite of her toast, chewed thoughtfully and then said, "Since she became an adult with her own judgment."
