Zoe's POV
"You liar."
The words hit me like a slap. Sharp and sudden.
My heart dropped so fast it felt like it had slammed into the floor of my chest. My body reacted before my mind could catch up—panic surged through me, sharp and suffocating, like I had just been thrown into deep water with no warning.
"Ashley, I… it's not… it's not what you think—"
"Girl, chill."
She cut me off so quickly I almost stumbled over my own words.
"You don't have to explain anything to me," she added, waving her hand dismissively, as if whatever I was about to confess didn't matter. "I understand."
I froze.
…She understood?
My pulse, which had been racing wildly, stuttered in confusion.
"You do?" I asked carefully, searching her face for any hint—any sign—that she knew the truth.
"Yeah," Ashley said casually, as if this was the most obvious thing in the world. "I saw you and Brandon outside by the driveway earlier."
My brows pulled together.
