Chapter 368 The Evening Meeting

The drive back to the estate passed in a heavy, charged silence. Outside the tinted windows of the SUV, the late afternoon sun cast long shadows over the pavement, a quiet reminder of the ticking clock.

?Samuel kept his eyes fixed on the road, his grip on the leather steering wheel firm and precise. Yet every few moments, his gaze flicked to the rearview mirror, meeting April’s eyes. And each time he would recall the light peck she had landed on his cheek.

?When they finally pulled up the winding driveway of the estate, Samuel stepped out swiftly, circling the vehicle to open her door. He extended his hand, his touch steady as he helped her alight.

?"Everything has been arranged, Miss April," Samuel murmured, his raspy voice dropping into that smooth, low cadence as they walked through the front glass doors. "The dining hall is set for eight o’clock. I have personally summoned all four men. They will all be present."

?"Good," April replied softly, pausing at the foot of the grand staircase. She turned to look at him, her eyes sharp and composed. "Make sure they are all seated before I enter, Samuel. I want them waiting."

?"As you command," Samuel bowed his head, a faint, proud smile touching his lips.

?Upstairs in her quarters, April spent the next hour preparing herself. She smoothed down her dress, checking her reflection in the full-length mirror.

Then when she knew she could walk out at any time, she sat back, and played some games on her phone to while the time.

?When the grandfather clock in the hall struck eight, April stepped out of her room and descended the stairs.

As she approached the dining room, the low, tense hum of voices inside abruptly died down. Samuel was standing near the head of the long dining table, immaculate as always, serving as the silent anchor of the room.

?Seated along the sides of the table were the four men.

?On the left sat Nat, leaning back in his chair with his usual arrogant, casual posture, a faint, mocking smirk playing on his lips—though his eyes tracked April the second she crossed the threshold.

Beside him sat Alexander, sitting upright, his broad shoulders squared, looking attentive.

?On the right sat Xavier, perfectly composed, his golden aura radiating a calm, saintly patience that seemed completely unbothered by Nat’s presence across from him.

Next to Xavier was Oliver, his wire-rimmed glasses gleaming under the chandelier light, his posture clinical and steady, though his dark gaze locked onto April with a quiet, lingering warmth.

?As April walked to the head of the table, every pair of eyes followed her every move. The atmosphere in the room was suffocatingly tight—a delicate web of possessiveness, rivalry, and intense focus all converging on a single point.

?April didn’t sit right away. Instead, she rested her hands lightly on the back of her carved wooden chair, her dark eyes sweeping over each of them slowly, taking in their distinct expressions.

?"I suppose you are all wondering why I gathered you here tonight," April began, her voice calm, clear, and carrying an unyielding weight that instantly commanded the quiet room.

?Nat let out a quiet, raspy chuckle, resting his chin on his palm. "I assumed you missed us, sweetheart. Or perhaps you just wanted to watch us glare at each other over expensive wine?"

?April’s eyes locked onto Nat. She didn’t smile, nor did she offer a playful retort. The cold look in her eyes made Nat’s smirk falter just a fraction.

?"Not now, Nat," April said, her words slicing through the silence like a blade. "In fact, the way all of you interact when you’re next to me is going to change, starting right now."

?Xavier tilted his head slightly, his quiet eyes sharpening with interest. Alexander sat up even straighter, his breath holding, while Oliver simply watched her with a faint nod of quiet approval.

?"I don’t like the way you fight," April continued, her voice dropping into a low, firm register. "I can’t handle the way you look at each other like you want to squash a bug or wipe out a rival. And more than anything, I need all of you to understand one simple truth."

?She leaned forward slightly, resting her palms flat against the polished mahogany table.

?"Inside this house, beside me, every single one of you stands as an absolute equal," April declared, her gaze sweeping from Nat to Xavier, then to Alexander and Oliver. "I do not care about your titles, your wealth, your power, or your status outside these walls. None of it gives you seniority over the man sitting next to you. You are all here because I reciprocated your feelings."

Nat narrowed his eyes, his tongue tracing the inside of his cheek as he processed her words. The habitual arrogance in his posture stiffened into something far more dangerous—a quiet, unyielding focus.

?"Reciprocated our feelings, hm?" Nat repeated softly, his voice cutting through the heavy silence.

He sat up, resting his forearms on the polished table and leaning into her space. "So that’s the game tonight, sweetheart? You’re putting us all on the same pedestal?"

?"It’s not a game, Nat," April replied, her voice remaining smooth, steady, and entirely unfazed by his looming presence.

?"There will be no more talking down to one another," she continued, her dark eyes flashing with sharp resolve as she locked eyes with each of them in turn. "No more petty dominance displays, no more jabs, and no more attempting to undermine each other’s standing. Disrespecting one another is no longer just a rivalry between men—it will be treated as a direct insult to me."

?Alexander’s throat worked as he swallowed, his shoulders rigid. He looked between Xavier and Nat before his gaze snapped back to April.

?"And if any of you cross that line," April added softly, her lips curving into a subtle, dangerous smile that held the entire room captive, "you won’t just be scolded. You will lose access to me. No private dinners, no quiet evenings, no physical proximity. You will be completely exiled from my presence until you learn how to behave."

?A heavy, breathless stillness descended over the dining hall.

?Xavier was the first to break the quiet. He offered a slow, graceful nod, his saintly composure softening into a look of quiet admiration. "If it brings you peace, April... then your word is absolute."

?Oliver adjusted his glasses with a single finger, his dark eyes gleaming with quiet satisfaction from where he sat beside Xavier. "A logical boundary. I have no objections."

?Nat stared at her for a long, agonizing second, his jaw clenching as her threat settled in.

The thought of being barred from her touch while another man enjoyed her private favor was a torment he couldn’t tolerate. A low, dark chuckle escaped his throat as he finally leaned back in his chair, raising his wine glass in a mock, reluctant toast.

?"Well played, sweetheart," Nat murmured, his eyes burning with a fiery, possessive intensity. "You’ve got us right where you want us."