I didn’t know what to say when Harper’s mother turned to face us. The look on Harper’s face said it all—she wasn’t expecting her. The air in the room turned heavy. For a few seconds, no one spoke. Her mother just stood there, tall and cold, her eyes sharp like she had already judged everything in the room, including me.
“Mom,” Harper said softly, her voice shaky.
The woman’s eyes finally moved to me. “And you must be Sienna,” she said, her tone flat.
“Yes, ma’am,” I replied quickly. “It’s nice to meet you.”
She gave a small nod, but I could tell she didn’t come all the way here just to say hello. Her presence filled the room with this strange tension that made me want to leave. Harper tried to smile, but I could see her hands trembling a bit.
“Why are you here, Mom?” Harper asked.
“I
