Carl sprang to his feet, his eyes wide with shock when he heard what Adrian said. 

Carl's eyes widened in shock as he processed Adrian's revelation. "Your mom threatened Amanda?" he repeated, his voice low and even.

Adrian's voice was laced with frustration. "Yeah, I just found out. Apparently, she's been manipulating things from behind the scenes, trying to keep Amanda and me apart."

Carl's mind was racing. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Why would your mom do that?" he ...