Clara could tell something was off with him; he seemed unusually fixated. And who was this "brother" he kept mentioning?
"I'm not messing with you," she said, reaching for his hand and pulling him to sit beside her on the bed. "I don't hate you. Don't overthink it."
"What about the shell?" he asked again, hung up on every little promise she’d made.
Clara suddenly wondered if she’d gone too far. "I forgot. I'll make it up to you next time."
He stayed silent, his lips trembling slightly. "Clara, you're just playing with me."
Clara felt a bit of frustration bubbling up. She wasn't one to sugarcoat things. The room felt charged with tension, and she decided to face it head-on. "If you think I'm playing with you, then maybe we should break up."
As soon as those words left her mouth, she could feel the air change—like a storm was brewing, but it wasn't directed at her.
He stood up slowly, then suddenly cupped her face and kissed her hard. The metallic taste of blood spread in their mouths. She winced, trying to push him away, but he bit down on her lip.
She flinched. "Z," she called out, and he let her go.
"You'll regret this, Clara. You'll regret it," he said, his voice rough.
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