CHAPTER 13

I stormed out of the restaurant, heart pounding. How dare Nathan warn me about Charles while flirting with his fiancee? And the nerve of him digging up old memories! Did he think I'd forgotten his betrayal? No way was I letting him back in. He'd burned that bridge.

But on the taxi ride home, doubts emerged. What if Nathan was partially right? I recalled glimpses of darkness in Charles, moments when his charm faltered. Could he be violent and manipulative? A shiver ran down my spine despite the warm taxi air.

By the time I reached home, my head throbbed with confusion. I'd tried to hurt Nathan by getting close to Charles, but the situation was a tangled mess. Truth and lies were blurred. Sleep was impossible. My mind replayed every tense conversation with Nathan and Charles, searching for the truth beneath their words.

The next few days were a blur of work, as I ignored calls from both men. I needed space to think clearly. Then, one afternoon, rushing back from a meeting, I bumped int