MADDIE POV.
I just stood there, staring at him, my mind blank and loud at the same time.
It felt like the room had tilted, like gravity had suddenly changed direction and I was struggling to keep my feet on the floor. My chest felt tight, my throat dry, and for a moment I honestly wondered if I was about to cry or scream—or both.
I took a step back.
Then another.
“Jeremy,” I said, my voice shaking despite how hard I tried to steady it. “You’re my cousin.”
He didn’t move.
“You’re like my brother,” I added quickly, because maybe if I said it enough times, it would start to make sense again. “I grew up with you. We grew up together. This is—this is wrong.”
He watched me, completely still, his face unreadable. No anger. No embarrassment. No hesitation.
“You know we’re not really cousi
