No one answered her, and Ethan's gaze, sharp and unforgiving, locked onto hers again.
Charlotte felt her heart hammering in her chest as if it were trying to escape.
"Go to your room!" Finally, Ethan broke the silence, his voice cutting through the tension.
Charlotte flinched at his commanding tone, but her feet remained rooted to the spot.
"But sir, I—"
"Now!" He cut her short, his voice dropped an octave, laced with cold authority. His piercing, bloody gaze seemed to drain the air from the room.
Charlotte's mouth opened to protest, but Ethan's eyes darkened even further, and his jaw tightened.
"I said leave now," he ordered, his voice colder than she'd ever heard it. The raw intensity of his gaze sent a shiver down her spine, and she nodded hesitantly.
"Alright sir," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
She turned and walked away, her footsteps hurried and unsteady, leaving the suffocating tension behind.
