My stomach dropped.
“Mother.”
She leaned closer, lowering her voice conspiratorially.
“You know, Stella did say you’re very attentive.”
I closed my eyes briefly.
This conversation needed to end immediately.
“Mum, if you value your continued presence in this house—”
“Oh relax,” she said, laughing softly.“I didn’t tell her about university.”
My eyes snapped open.
“You what?”
“Not the details,” she clarified quickly.“Just that you were… enthusiastic.”
My hand dragged down my face.
“Enthusiastic,” I repeated flatly.
“Yes,” she said, clearly enjoying herself far too much.“You always did have impressive stamina. I used to worry you’d exhaust the entire female population before you turned thirty.”
“Mother.”
“I mean, that poor girl from your second year—”
“Mother.”
The door behind me creaked open.
Of course it did.
Stella stood there, leaning casually against the frame with her arms folded, a slow smile spreading across her face.
Her eyes sparkled with pure trouble.
“Don’t stop on my account,” she said sweetly.“I’m learning so much.”
I closed my eyes.
Perfect.
Just perfect.
My mother beamed at her.
“Oh good! I was just telling Maddox how athletic he used to be.”
Stella’s eyebrows lifted.
“Used to be?” she asked.
I turned slowly toward my mother.
