Chapter 132 Confidence & Reassurance

***Hazel***

Silence slams into the room.

Heavy.

Tense.

Preston shifts slightly, clearly realizing this is not his lane, while Gideon says nothing, but I can feel his attention locked onto me now. Watching. Measuring.

Max exhales, running a hand through his hair. “Hazel, it’s not that simple.”

“Actually,” I say, stepping closer, my grip tightening on the towel, “it is.”

His eyes flash with frustrat