Charlotte froze mid<b>–</b><b>step</b>.
<b>She </b>turned toward <b>the </b>voice and saw Zac standing beneath a tree, watching her intently. His gaze was sharp, almost menacing.
“<b>I </b><b>have </b>to go,” she said quickly into <b>the </b>phone before ending <b>the </b><b>call</b>. Then she walked over, <b>stopping </b><b>a </b>few feet away from him, her expression dark with annoyance.
“How did you even find this ce?”
Zac let out a low chuckle<b>, </b><b>eyes </b>narrowing. <b>“</b><b>So </b>you have been avoiding me.”
Charlotte <b>frowned</b>. “Why would I avoid you? I told you I was going home, didn’t I?”
He took a step forward<b>, </b>closing the distance.
Charlotte instinctively stepped back.
That simple movement made Zac’s expression darken even more.
<b>“</b><b>You </b>said you were going home for a while<b>,</b>” he said, voice low. <b>“</b>You didn’t say you weren’ting back to Harbor City. How long are you going to keep this up?”
Charlotte let out a sharp sigh. “I’m not keeping anything up. Zac, we’re over. I’ve made that clear. Please stop showing up like this.” “Over?” He <b>let </b>out a bitterugh. <b>“</b>The hell it is. This ends when I say it ends.<b>” </b>
“God, Zac, are you seriously insane?” Charlotte snapped. “You’ve got Wendy now. Go bother her. Why are you here bothering me?”
Zac raised an eyebrow<b>, </b>his tone suddenly lighter. “You’re jealous?”
Charlotte rolled her eyes so hard it almost hurt. “God, could he be any more full of himself?” she thought.
Zac <b>took </b>another step toward her. “There’s nothing between me and Wendy. She’s just a friend. You’re blowing this out <b>of </b>proportion.”
“A friend <b>you </b>sleep with?<b>” </b>she shot back, voice cold.
He flinched. A flicker of guilt crossed his face. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Charlotte’s smile was bitter. “After Wendy came back, you slept with her more than once, didn’t you?”
Her <b>tone </b>was icy with sarcasm. “You think I didn’t know? I just didn’t bother saying anything. Because I don’t care anymore.”
I don’t care anymore.
Those four words hit <b>Zac </b>like a punch <b>to </b>the gut. His chest tightened, and his expression faltered with visible hurt. “You don’t care anymore? “But I do.” His voice dropped, <b>quiet </b>and bleak. <b>“</b><b>You’ve </b>been all <b>I </b>can think about these past few days. I miss you. <b>Let’s </b><b>get </b>back together, Charlotte<b>.</b>”
She stared at him with open disdain.
“Is he bipr or what? One second he was yelling at her<b>, </b><b>the </b>next <b>he </b>was ying <b>the </b>heartbroken ex,” she wondered.
“Not a chance,” she said tly.
“Why not!” Zac exploded, his voice rising. A few people walking nearby nced their way.
Charlotte found it embarrassing and winced. “Can you not scream at the front gate of my building? If you don’t care about your <b>dignity</b><b>, </b><b>I’d </b>like to keep mine.”
Zac suddenly grabbed Charlotte’s wrist, his voice rising in a panicked shout. “Charlotte,e back with me!”
“Let go of me<b>!</b>” She struggled to break free<b>, </b>but his <b>grip </b>was too strong.
Charlotte’s eyes narrowed. <b>Her </b>voice turned cold. <b>“</b>Let go<b>, </b>or I won’t be so nice.<b>” </b>
<b>She </b>was seconds away from showing him exactly what <b>she </b>could <b>do</b>.
<b>“</b>I’m not letting <b>go</b>!”
With one hand <b>locked </b>around her wrist<b>, </b>Zac reached up with the other<b>, </b>grabbing <b>the </b>back of her <b>head</b><b>, </b>trying <b>to </b><b>force </b><b>a </b><b>kiss</b>.
“Charlotte, I miss you so damn much—”
She braced <b>herself</b><b>, </b><b>ready to </b>fight <b>back</b>.
<b>“</b>Let. Her. <b>Go</b>!”
A sharp <b>voice </b>cut through <b>the </b>air.
Zac turned around and <b>froze </b>when <b>he </b>saw <b>the </b>tall<b>, </b>imposing man standing a few feet away, his aura cold andmanding.
Zac blinked. “Who <b>the </b>hell are you?”