The room was thick with tension, and Nicole could feel her pulse quickening as Charles’s accusatory words hung in the air.
Bella immediately spun on her boyfriend, chastising him with sharp words.
“Charles, what the hell is wrong with you? You don’t just throw out accusations like that!” she snapped, though her tone softened just a little when she added, “But… is it true?”
Leo wasn't as restrained. "Are you serious right now?" he fired at Charles, his voice an even mix of anger and mockery. "What, you read a couple of headlines, and all of a sudden, you're a detective?”
Nicole didn’t take a single step further, the racing of her heart, the growing fury; all bade their time below the surface. Still, she looked in front of her in dead silence, her fists balled tightly at her sides.
T
