Charlotte's laughter echoed through the room, but Akai remained unmoved, her back still turned to her friend.
"I'll see how you handle it when you face something like that with Mr. Thompson," Charlotte suddenly blurted out.
As soon as Akai heard Mr. Thompson's name, she realized Charlotte was referring to Ryder. She quickly turned to her side, her eyes wide with shock, and exclaimed, "How..." But she couldn't finish her sentence.
Akai was taken aback, her mind racing. Charlotte's words had caught her off guard.
"Oops, sorry! I didn't mean to spill out your secret," Charlotte said, looking sheepish.
"You knew?" Akai's voice trembled.
Charlotte nodded, a sly smile spreading across her face. "Hmm... I've guessed it a long time ago."
Akai's eyes narrowed, wondering how Charlotte had discovered her secret. And then Charlotte's expression changed, as if she was recalling a memory.
Flashback:
