Absence makes the heart grow fonder (6)

He had hit the nail right on the head. This showed that Charles knew his girlfriend inside out. Even though she had not said anything, he could deduce that she wanted to break it off.

Thalia had steeled herself and wanted to break up with him once and for all. This was because she knew that she would be all in, to the very end … to the death, if she continued their relationship, and she did not want to be stuck between her mother and her boyfriend, fiancé, or husband; whichever position he took over in the future. But one look at him and all her resolution dissolved.

It was like making an earnest New Year's resolution on the first of January and completely forgetting about it on the fifth!

Thalia still steeled herself and brushed past him to go, but he held on and would not let her go. He tightly embraced her in a back hug and refused to let her take even one step!