Chương 26: Chapter 26: Night at Mishra's house
**Chapter: A Night at the Smith Mansion**
The warm glow of the Smith mansion's chandelier flickered against the polished mahogany dining table, casting shadows across the walls. Julie and Misha descended the staircase, the soft sound of their footsteps blending with the clinking of silverware from the dining room. Julie's heart thumped nervously as they approached the open door. It was the first time she was attending a dinner at someone's house, let alone someone like Misha's family. The thought of meeting Misha's parents made her stomach twist into knots.
Just as they reached the entrance, Julie's feet froze mid-step. Her eyes locked onto a familiar face seated at the center of the dining table. It was Mr. Smith, the board member of the university—the same man who had spoken to her during her interview, and the same person she had heard about in hushed conversations on campus. She had never imagined he would be here, in Misha's home. *What is he doing here?*
Misha, sensing Julie's hesitation, turned and called out excitedly, "Dad! I wanted to introduce Julie to you!" Her voice was full of warmth and pride, completely unaware of Julie's sudden apprehension.
Then it clicked in Julie's mind—Misha's last name was *Smith*. She had never made the connection that Misha's family and the powerful figure from the university were one and the same. Julie stood there, a little lost, unsure how to proceed.
Mrs. Smith, a graceful woman in her early forties, noticed Julie standing at the entrance. Her smile was kind and welcoming as she gestured toward the table. "Come on in, Julie. You're just in time for dinner," she said, her voice filled with genuine hospitality.
Julie stepped into the room, her nerves evident as she looked up to find Mr. Smith's eyes on her. His gaze wasn't surprised, as if he already knew she would be here. *Of course he knows,* Julie thought, her mind racing. *Misha's father must know she's friends with me. But why does it feel like he's studying me?*
As Misha practically dragged her over to the table, introducing her to her father, Julie felt her stomach flutter. She had always been an outsider, and now, here she was—sitting at the table with people who seemed so much more at ease than she ever was.
"Julie, this is my dad," Misha said cheerfully, pulling out a chair for her. "Dad, this is Julie. She's the one I told you about—the one I slapped at the gate." Misha laughed, as if that whole thing was a joke, but Julie couldn't help but blush at the memory.
Mr. Smith's expression softened into a warm smile as he extended his hand. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Julie. Misha has told me a lot about you."
Julie, feeling a little out of place, offered a nervous smile and shook his hand. "It's nice to meet you, Mr. Smith. Thanks for inviting me."
He nodded, his eyes briefly scanning her face. There was something almost... familiar in his gaze. Julie shifted uncomfortably in her seat, wondering if she was imagining things. Maybe it was just her nerves.
The dinner proceeded with the lively chatter of Misha recounting how she and Julie became friends—beginning with the slap and leading to the strange friendship that had bloomed between them. Misha was in her element, animatedly telling the story, her laughter infectious. When she got to the part where Julie slapped her back to settle the score, Julie felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment.
"I didn't know you had it in you, Julie!" Misha said between giggles. "I thought I was the only one who'd go that far!"
Julie laughed awkwardly. "I couldn't just let you get away with it," she said, her voice light, but she couldn't help but feel a little strange about the whole thing.
Mr. Smith, who had been silently observing the exchange, couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity when he looked at Julie. There was something about her face—something he couldn't quite place. A fleeting memory tugged at the edges of his mind, but it eluded him.
He blinked, shaking off the thought, but it lingered in the back of his mind. *Where have I seen her before?*
As the meal continued, Misha casually brought up the incident in the woods, telling her family about the strange event where Julie had nearly fallen off a cliff. Mr. Smith's brow furrowed at the mention of the fall. He hadn't heard about it before, and something about the situation didn't sit right with him. Julie, unharmed after such a dangerous fall, seemed almost too good to be true.
His mind flashed to his conversation with Prince Lucas just a few days ago. Lucas had mentioned finding his mate—a bond that would explain the strange pull Julie had experienced when she first met him. Mr. Smith's stomach tightened. Could it be? Could Julie be the one Lucas had found? The thought gnawed at him, but he needed to know more before jumping to conclusions.
He quietly excused himself from the table as the conversation turned to other matters. His mind was heavy with questions. *Was Julie really the one?* He needed to speak to Lucas directly to get answers.
As dinner came to a close, everyone moved to the living room. Rebecca arrived shortly after, her presence lightening the mood. "Hey, everybody!" she said, tossing her bag onto the couch. Mr. and Mrs. Smith excused themselves to retire for the evening, leaving the girls to enjoy their night together.
"Alright, you lot," Misha said as she plopped onto the couch. "Let's get this girls' night started! Julie, you have to join us. No excuses!"
Julie smiled shyly as she followed Misha and Olivia to her room. She felt at ease in Misha's presence, grateful for her kind, outgoing nature. The tension of the evening started to fade as the girls began changing into their cozy nightwear—fluffy robes, oversized shirts, and cotton shorts. Julie opted for the latter, the soft fabric comforting against her skin. The heater in the mansion kept everything warm, and it felt like a luxury compared to the cold dorm rooms she was used to.
The girls gathered on the bed, all excited to watch a movie. The usual chatter about which movie to pick began, with Misha fighting for a horror movie and Olivia arguing for a romantic one.
"Come on, Olivia," Misha teased. "We need a good scare!"
"I'm not going to be able to sleep if we watch a horror movie, Misha," Olivia replied, pouting. "Let's watch something with a happy ending."
Rebecca, ever the peacemaker, chimed in. "How about a compromise? A horror *romance*?"
The room was filled with laughter, but Julie couldn't help but feel a deep sense of contentment as she watched her friends argue in good humor. *I'm really lucky,* she thought, *to have found people who care about me like this.*
Eventually, Misha won the battle, and the girls settled in to watch a horror film. The room was filled with the sounds of popcorn being crunched and the occasional shriek as a jump scare sent everyone into fits of laughter. After two movies, everyone was nearly asleep, sprawled across the bed in a cozy pile of blankets and pillows.
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