At that moment, Abigail could only shake her head, the weight of disappointment pressing heavily on her chest. Her perfectly styled hair barely moved, but her fingers twitched by her sides, curling slightly in silent frustration. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go—not at all. She had walked into this meeting with the confident belief that she held the upper hand. She thought all it would take was a bit of pressure, a few sharp words, and Summer would eventually fold. That she would give them what they wanted. That the girl would break under the tension of so many eyes watching her, judging her.But Summer didn’t.And now, Abigail stood there, silently swallowing the chaos that was erupting within her. Because this wasn’t just about authority or pride. No, it was far deeper than that.She had come here with a purpose—one purpose only. Not for politics. Not for status. She wasn’t here to punish or prove anything. What she truly wanted, the only reason she had sat through this st

At that moment, hearing what Dave had just said, Soma slowly rose to her feet again, her eyes steady but softer than before. There was no need to raise her voice her gratitude was clear in the way she carried herself. “Mr. Dave,” she began, her tone calm yet warm, “I am very, very grateful. I’m happy with the way you’ve handled this whole situation. The way you calmed everything, the way you stood your ground it went extremely well. And I truly mean it when I say, I am happy about it.”There was a pause, and her words seemed to ease some of the tension that had been lingering in the room. A few of the stern faces that had been frowning earlier now softened just slightly, though not all.Mr. Dave gave a small, approving nod. He didn’t smile, but his eyes reflected a quiet satisfaction. “No problem,” he replied evenly. “That is the best thing to do. The right thing to do. And I’m not shying away from it. When a matter needs to be handled, it should be handled directly, and I’ll always s

At that moment, the man who had spoken earlier leaned forward, his voice rising once more. “So, is that it? Is someone here really telling us that she’s not going to do what we’ve asked her to do? Is that what you’re saying?” His words rang across the table, sharp and accusatory, pressing Soma to the edge.Soma lifted her chin, her face set with determination. Her voice, though calm, carried enough weight to silence the room. “Yes. That is exactly what I am saying. I will not go back on my words. I have made my stand, and nothing you say will change it.”A ripple of tension swept through the hall. The man gave a short, bitter clap of his hands and muttered, “No problem, then. No problem at all.” He lowered himself back into his seat, though the tightness in his jaw betrayed his frustration.All eyes shifted back to Soma. Some were cold and filled with contempt, others curious, waiting to see if she would falter. But Soma stood still, her posture straight, her silence louder than any p

At that moment, Camilla’s hands were already trembling slightly as she held the phone to her ear. Her chest rose and fell quickly, her breath unsteady. The ringing tone barely lasted a few seconds before Soma answered.“Hello?” Soma’s voice came through, gentle and unsuspecting.Camilla didn’t wait. Her voice came sharp, cold, and laced with emotion. “I trusted you, Soma.”There was a pause.“I really did,” Camilla continued, her tone rising, her words sharper now. “Out of everyone, I never thought you’d be the one to do this to me. If this was your plan from the beginning to make sure I never had peace then why in the world did you even introduce Jason to me? Why? Was it a game? Was it funny watching me fall for someone just so you could take him back?”On the other end of the line, Soma’s lips parted, but for a moment no sound came out. She was frozen, her heart beating fast as she tried to comprehend what she had just heard.“Wait… what?” she finally managed to say, her voice soft

At that moment, upon hearing what Carmilla just said, Soma’s eyes slightly widened, though she quickly masked the reaction with a faint smile. But deep down, her mind was already racing. Her instincts didn’t lie something was going on. She could feel it in the way Carmilla spoke, the way her tone dipped with irritation, the way her words subtly pushed blame toward Jason. That wasn’t the usual sweet, affectionate Carmilla she always portrayed when talking about him. No, something had definitely shifted.Are they quarreling? she thought, biting the inside of her cheek gently. It was something she hadn’t expected something she didn’t even know she had been hoping for until now. A subtle flicker of satisfaction stirred within her. So, it’s not all perfect between them after all.Yet, that satisfaction came laced with guilt and hesitation. Yes, a part of her was happy that things seemed to be breaking between Jason and Carmilla. But at the same time, it was a strange kind of sadness. Becau