Chapter Eight : Uncle Charlie
The air in the living room was thick with a tension so sharp it felt like it could draw blood. Alexander’s gaze was fixed on the hallway leading to Chase’s room, his nostrils flaring as he processed the high-pitched voice that had just shattered my fragile facade. He took a predatory step toward the sound, his hand already reaching out as if he could pull the truth out of the shadows. My heart was a frantic bird trapped in my chest, and I felt the words dying in my throat. I was seconds away from losing everything.
Then, the sudden, frantic jiggle of a key in the front door lock made us both jump.
The door swung open with a bang, hitting the stopper and bouncing back. Charlie burst in, his arms loaded with two overflowing grocery bags and a giant, brightly
