Chapter 125

*BRIANNE’S POV*

As I pushed open the door, the familiar scent of breakfast hit me—eggs, toast, and the faint hint of coffee. My parents were up, of course. They were always early risers, and I could hear the murmur of their voices coming from the kitchen.

I tried to sneak in quietly, hoping to make it to my room before they noticed. Maybe if I could avoid the inevitable interrogation, I could decompress from all the Josh-induced chaos. But of course, the floorboard near the kitchen door creaked loudly as I stepped in, announcing my presence like a trumpet.

“Mary, is that you?” my mom called from the kitchen.

I winced, caught in the act. “Yeah, Mom, it’s me.”

I walked into the kitchen, trying to act casual, but the second my mom saw me, her eyes narrowed in that way only mothers can do. She set down the spatula she was using to flip eggs and gave me a look, the kind that said she could read my entire soul with one glance.

“You look flustered,” she said, eyebrow raised. “Something happe