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Charles' POV
I could feel their eyes on me — both of them — like a pair of hawks waiting for something to move before they struck.
The silence pressed down hard, heavier than any weight I'd ever carried.
"You have a lover?" my mother asked again, her tone so calm it made my stomach twist. "Since when, Charles?"
I swallowed, forcing my voice steady. "It's not what it sounds like."
"Then what does it sound like?" Anna's mom asked, crossing her arms. Her eyes were sharp — too sharp. I'd seen that look before. It meant she wasn't leaving without an answer.
Anna shifted uncomfortably beside me. "Maybe we should just—"
"No," my mom interrupted. "We've waited long enough."
Her words cut straight through the room. Anna froze. I stared at the floor, watching the shadows stretch beneath my shoes. My pulse was racing. I could feel it behind my eyes.
"I don't have a lover," I said finally. "At least not in the way you're thinking."
"Then what way is it?"
