Chapter 33 Three Weeks

• Juliet Morgan's POV
• "I was trying to find a reason to stay."
• The confession lingered between us long after the words had left my mouth, settling into the quiet night air with a weight that neither of us could ignore. The city lights shimmered across the dark water below, turning the surface into a sea of gold and silver reflections, but my attention wasn't on the view anymore. It was on Charles. The expression on his face had changed completely from the moment I admitted the truth. For months we had hidden behind a contract, behind public appearances, behind carefully chosen words and half-finished conversations, yet in a matter of seconds everything felt exposed. There was no pretending now. No excuses. No convenient lie we could retreat behind. The truth sat between us, raw and undeniable, and for the first time I realized how terrifying honesty could be when the person listening mattered this much.