Chapter 27

~Charlotte

As Eleanor's words echoed in my ears, my mind whirled like a cyclone, threatening to tear me apart. My stomach churned, my chest constricted, and all I could do was stare in disbelief.

No. It couldn't be true. Eleanor was a liar, a schemer, a manipulator. Why would I believe anything she said?

But...what if it was true? What if the child she carried was Adam's?

The thought sent a shiver down my spine, a cold, sinking dread that made my legs buckle beneath me.

The salty air stung my eyes as I fled, the rhythmic roar of the waves crashing against the shore a brutal reminder of my turmoil. The white sand beneath my feet felt like quicksand, slowing my escape, trapping me in this nightmare.

"I can't lose him," I repeated, my voice ragged with panic. "I can't let Eleanor take him away from me."

With every step, my heart pounded harder, the sound of my own footsteps echoing in my ears.

I had to get away.

I caught a glimpse of Adam in my rearview mirror, his face a mask of confusi