“Exactly!” Layla flashed a bright smile. “Just the two of us might get boring, don’t you think? With Carter along, it'll be much livelier.”William was rendered speechless and a vein twitched subtly on his temple. He had imagined countless versions of their sunrise trip—quiet, peaceful, just the two of them. Never, not once, did he picture Carter crashing the scene. For the first time, William found Carter genuinely annoying. Bathed in the golden sunlight, Carter felt a sudden chill prickle up his spine. Goosebumps rose on his arms, and an unexplained sense of dread crawled up his back. He swallowed nervously, his Adam’s apple bobbing. He didn’t dare meet William’s eyes. Instead, he forced an awkward smile at Layla. “Uh… Layla, how about I sit this one out?” Layla frowned, puzzled. “Why?” “I just, uh… something came up—” But before he could finish, he caught sight of William’s icy glare. The unspoken warning hit him like a slap, and he instantly clammed up, his
Read more