As Charlie woke up earlier than expected, she felt the weight of her emotions pressing down on her. Her eyes were sore from the tears shed the night before, and she lay there, staring blankly at the ceiling, trying to make sense of it all.

‘It seemed like no matter how hard she tries to redeem herself to Serena… nothing will change… Will I just have to accept my fate? And just think of other ways to escape my death and my glands from being ripped? I could just take a huge chunk of money and go hide on the mountains… that’s plausible…’ Charlie thought.

But the thought of Serena being bullied and harassed again haunted Charlie… She couldn’t bear the idea of Serena going through something horrible once more.

Charlie got up from the bed and walked to her study area. She opened her notebook and began to contemplate her situation.

‘Maybe I should start playing the role given to me… I should stop trying to befriend Serena… but… I also can’t stand idly by and watch other people hurt her… I’ll protect her from the sidelines… Yes, that’s better..’ Charlie let out a faint smile, feeling a sense of resolve wash over her.

Charlie went down for breakfast, but unlike before, she didn’t ask Aunt Carol to call Serena. Instead, she sat quietly, eating her breakfast in silence.

“Miss… do you want me to call, Miss Serena?” Aunt Carol asked, noticing the change in routine. She was genuinely happy to see Charlie and Serena getting along now. Aunt Carol had raised Charlie, and she knew her to be a good kid at heart.

“No need… she’ll come down herself if she’s hungry… I’m leaving now…” Charlie replied coldly, a stark departure from her usual warmth.

“Okay… Miss,” Aunt Carol replied, a hint of confusion in her tone.

“Oh, and Aunt Carol… have the driver take Serena to school…” Charlie added before swiftly exiting the room.

“Okay, Miss,” Aunt Carol responded, her confusion growing.

Charlie went to school earlier than usual, deliberately attempting to avoid Serena.

Charlie was just about to enter the car when Serena grabbed her hand. Charlie felt the sudden touch and tensed up, her eyes shifting to Serena’s hand holding hers.

“Serena.. What?” Charlie said coldly, avoiding Serena’s gaze as she pulled her hand away.

“About last night Charlie… I’m—” Serena started, but Charlie cut her off before she could finish.

“Forget it…” Charlie said coldly her voice betraying the pain she felt inside.

Charlie went straight to the car, her mind swirling with conflicting emotions. Serena followed her silently, the tension between them palpable.

It seemed like just yesterday the tension in their car ride had lifted, but today, it was back with a vengeance.

Serena wanted to apologize for her actions, to make amends, but she could see Charlie’s guarded demeanor and decided against it. She looked somber, her thoughts clouded with uncertainty.

“I-I’m sorry…” Serena muttered softly, her voice barely audible amidst the quiet tension.

Charlie felt a pang of guilt in her chest. Despite the hurt she felt, she couldn’t blame Serena for her skepticism. After all, Serena had suffered greatly at the hands of the original Charlie.

Charlie wanted to tell Serena that it was okay, that there was nothing to apologize for. But she hesitated, her resolve to keep her distance from Serena faltering.

“I told you to forget it…” Charlie said, her voice laced with pain as she turned away, unable to meet Serena’s eyes.

Seeing Charlie’s distress, Serena decided to let the matter rest, choosing to stay quiet as they drove to school, their thoughts weighed down by the unspoken tension between them.

When they arrived at school, Alice and Leora were already waiting for the arrival of Charlie’s car. As Charlie and Serena stepped out of the vehicle, Alice and Leora noticed the awkward atmosphere between them and exchanged puzzled glances.

“Hey, what’s going on?” Alice asked, furrowing her brows as she approached Charlie and Serena.

Leora nodded in agreement, her eyes flicking between the two girls. “Yeah, you both seem kind of tense.”

Charlie forced a smile and coldly said. “Oh, it’s nothing. We were never even close in the first place…”

Serena remained silent, her gaze fixed on the ground as she avoided making eye contact. What Charlie said hurt her… yeah.. They were never close… they weren’t friends… so why would she feel bad for her…

After that, Serena walked away and head into class herself.

“Are you sure everything’s okay?” Leora pressed, concern evident in her voice as she watched Serena walked away.

Charlie nodded quickly. “Yeah, everything’s fine. Let’s just head to class, okay?”

Despite their suspicions, Alice and Leora decided not to push the issue further. They followed Charlie and Serena as they made their way into the school building, wondering what could have caused the sudden tension between the two.

As they entered the school building, Alice and Leora couldn't shake off the uneasy feeling that lingered in the air. They exchanged worried glances, silently pondering what could have transpired between Charlie and Serena.

“Do you think they had a fight again?” Alice whispered to Leora as they walked down the hallway.

Leora shrugged, her brows furrowed in concern. “I don’t know… It just seemed really tense back there.”

“I hope everything's okay…” Alice murmured, her thoughts drifting to the two.

Leora and Alice, much like Aunt Carol, were pleased to see Charlie's positive changes, attributing them to her sudden care for Serena. They had noticed a brighter spark in Charlie's demeanor, a warmth that had been