Chapter 10

Maxwell's face turned pale, and I could see the anger building up in his eyes. He took a deep breath, trying to keep his cool. Without saying another word, he walked over to the fridge in his room, opened it, and took out a bottle of water.

He unscrewed the cap with a swift, almost violent motion and brought the bottle to his lips, gulping the water down his throat in large, hurried swallows.

I stood there, watching him, my heart pounding in my chest.

The silence between us was thick and heavy. Maxwell finished drinking the water and tossed the empty bottle into the trash can. He walked over to the sofa and sank into it, his eyes fixed on the TV. He picked up the remote and turned it on, flipping through the channels as if we hadn't just had a life-changing conversation.

"Max, please talk to me," I pleaded, my voice trembling.

He didn't respond, his eyes glued to the screen. The flickering images from the TV reflected in his eyes, but I could tell his mind was somewhere else.

I could