Zoe POV

"You're lying," I say flatly, cutting through whatever excuse he's about to offer. "Tell me the truth, Noah. Stop trying to manipulate me with words you don't mean."

Noah goes silent, and for several long seconds he just stands there in the doorway looking at me with an expression I can't quite read—guilt, confusion, fear, maybe all three at once.

"I don't know," he finally admits, his voice barely above a whisper. "I honestly don't ...