The question echoed in the silence of the room, and for a moment, I hesitated.

“Are you in love with Hunter?” Zora's question reverberated in the small space, filling it with an intensity that made my heart race.

Instinct told me to admit the truth, but the fear of revealing my feelings, of opening my heart to a stranger, spoke louder. I decided to lie.

I hesitated for a moment, my gaze momentarily shifting before deciding to answer. “No, I'm not,” I lied, avoiding ...