Chapter 77 Divided Heart

• Rachel POV
• The sound of Cody’s footsteps descending the stairs sliced through the air like a knife, shattering the fragile moment between Jeremy and me. My eyes widened, my heart racing as I scrambled to compose myself. In an almost automatic reflex, I stepped away from Jeremy, the heat of his closeness still lingering on my skin. The puppy, until then nestled in my arms, squirmed restlessly, as if sensing the shift in the air, its tiny paws brushing against me. I held it tighter, as if it could anchor me amidst the whirlwind overtaking me.
• “Rachel?” Cody’s voice echoed from the hallway, firm but tinged with curiosity, before he appeared at the kitchen door.