Chapter 11: The Fight
(Charlotte's POV)
Crystal’s question still lingered in the air, sharp as a blade. Her grey eyes, cool yet probing, latched onto me. She didn’t blink. The silence was thick, heavy, and suffocating.
“And you are?” she repeated, her voice soft, but with an unmistakable edge.
I opened my mouth, then closed it again. Words stuck in my throat as my mind raced for an answer that wouldn’t make things worse.
Before I could respond, Lucas stepped forward. He planted himself firmly between me and Crystal as though shielding me was his responsibility. The smirk on his face was confident, even smug.
“This is Charlotte Chase,” Lucas announced, his tone exaggerated and deliberate. He smiled easily, but there was a sharpness behind it. “She and I were having dinner... dis
