I sat there, utterly bewildered, struggling to grasp the reality of the moment. My body felt paralyzed, as if my limbs were bound by some invisible force, rendering me unable to move at will. Just moments ago, I had believed that Charlie's father had left for good, but here he was, striding through the front door once more.
This was not how it was supposed to unfold. We hadn’t even broached the subject of what we would do if we were ever caught in this predicament.
Beside me, I could have sworn Charlie had held his breath for a full minute, his expression a mix of panic and disbelief. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that Emma and Vanilla mirrored the same look of horror and shock.
Charlie’s father, Bernard, fixed his piercing gaze on me, narrowing his eyes with a cold fury. "I as
