The Confrontation Geared Up
Once inside, he found Maria pleasantly preparing snacks for the kids. “Who was that?” she asked, glancing up from her work.
“Oh, just Tom, chatting about the community event and some gossip,” Javier replied lightly, but the change in Maria’s demeanor was immediate, her interest sharpening.
“Gossip? About what?” Maria pressed, setting down the bowl of snacks.
“Nothing too substantial, just typical neighborly talk,” he deflected, attempting to mask the undercurrents of...