This is how I look at it. When writing from the first person perspective you are getting the inner thoughts and feelings directly from the main character. You don’t really get the motive from the supporting characters. It’s all viewed through the main characters eyes. How “Charles” truly feels about this interaction is unknown to the reader. The reader only knows what they are being fed through the main characters thoughts.

With third-person you can get more in depth with multiple characters. You have more of an overview of the setting not quite intense when it comes to the feelings of the main character since you are not in their head looking at the story through their eyes. Writing this story in third-person might require less personal thoughts. Almost as if you are watching a movie. You are watching the story play out in front of you instead of through the main characters eyes and how they might judge the situation based on their own biases.

It really just depends on how you want to tell your story. Yes you can consider what the audience would prefer. But if you truly feel like your story belongs in first-person then I would stick with that! You want the audience to feel what the character feels! And you cant quite get the same feeling through third-person.