Gray Areas | Englot | GirlxGirl

21. Doubt

Zara, Lana, Anna... and other names that Charlotte couldn't even bring herself to remember.

Who were these women lighting up Engfa's notifications?

Just the sight of their names was enough to set Charlotte's nerves on edge. She didn't even need to open the messages to feel the familiar, gnawing discomfort in her chest. Engfa seemed to thrive on keeping her off-balance, constantly testing the limits of her patience, as if pushing boundaries were a game.

As Charlotte drove back to Nattawin Music Studio, her mind raced. Her hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly that her knuckles had gone pale. She couldn't shake the feeling of being trapped in a cycle of uncertainty.

When she finally parked and turned off the engine, she took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. Stepping out of the car, she swallowed hard, the weight of her irritation-and something deeper, more unsettling-hanging heavily on her.

Inside the studio, Charlotte spotted Engfa immediately. She was seated on the couch, her tablet resting on her lap, notes scattered across the coffee table in front of her. Their eyes met across the room, an unspoken tension thick in the air. Neither of them moved, locked in that silent exchange, unwilling to break it.

The stillness was finally interrupted by Apo's voice from the doorway.

"Uh, Charlotte! Hey!" he called, his eyes darting nervously between her and Engfa.

"I'm just gonna grab some snacks for us, alright?" Apo added quickly, and before either of them could respond, he was gone, the door clicking shut behind him.

Now, it was just the two of them.

Engfa's gaze stayed steady on Charlotte as she stood motionless, before slowly rising from the couch. She moved towards Charlotte, her movements slow, tentative. "Uh... let's sit, baby," she murmured softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

She guided Charlotte to the couch, both settling down side by side, close enough to feel the heat from each other's bodies. Engfa unlocked her phone, her thumb hovering over the screen before she showed it to Charlotte.

"Baby, look..." Engfa began, her voice tender, almost pleading. "I'm opening these messages in front of you. They keep texting me, but I haven't replied or opened them either."

Charlotte didn't even glance at the phone. Instead, her eyes focused on her nails, trying to keep her hands steady, to calm the storm swirling inside her. She could feel Engfa's gaze lingering on her, waiting, hoping for some sign of reassurance or forgiveness. But Charlotte wasn't ready to give that just yet.

After a few moments of silence, Charlotte finally turned to face Engfa, meeting her gaze.

"I don't care if you haven't opened or replied to them," Charlotte muttered, her voice tight with irritation. "The fact that they're there at all is enough to mess with my head."

Engfa's hand found Charlotte's gently, her thumb tracing circles against her skin in an attempt to soothe her.

"Most of them... they're just work contacts, baby," she said, her voice soft, almost apologetic. "Before we got back together, I was single. So, you know, things happened."

Charlotte's jaw tightened, a flash of anger flickering in her eyes. "Things happened?" she echoed coldly. "Is that what you call it?" Her voice dropped to a sharper tone. "I didn't know you were still keeping those hoes around."