Zoe's POV
he suffocating tension that had gripped the air between us didn't snap with a dramatic explosion. Instead, it dissolved the exact second Ashley's name hung in the cool night breeze, leaving behind an absurd, ridiculous truth that neither of us could deny.
Brandon froze, his eyebrows pulling together as the realization slowly dawned on him. Then, a quiet, disbelieving laugh escaped his throat, and he shook his head, running a hand over his face. He looked up at me, taking in the way I was standing frozen against the stone railing, likely realizing I was mentally beating myself up for ever trusting Ashley in the first place.
"Let me guess," Brandon said, a faint, amused smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Ashley asked you to wait out here?"
I couldn't help it. The sheer absurdity of the trap broke through my defensive wall, and a breathy laugh escaped my lips. I nodded, shaking my head in disbelief. "Yeah. She did."
