Holden had always felt something strange around Lana, his father’s new wife. She was kind, beautiful, and treated him like more than just a stepson. Over time, admiration grew into something heavier—something he didn’t talk about, even to himself.
One quiet morning, walking past the bathroom, the door was ajar. Lana stood there, unaware, wrapped in steam and nothing else.
Holden froze. Just for a second. Then he turned away, heart pounding, guilt rising fast. He hadn’t meant to look—but now he couldn’t unsee it.
Some things, he realized, change you in silence.
English