The echo of Elaine’s slap still reverberated through the living room, hanging heavy in the stunned silence.
Ayla cradled her reddening cheek, her breath caught in her throat, tears brimming in her wide eyes. The delicate, pitiful facade she wore like a second skin began to crack, but before anyone could see the truth beneath, Elaine’s family erupted around them.
“How dare you!” her brother shouted, lunging forward to grab Elaine’s wrist.
“You’ve humiliated us all,” her father thundered, his face purple with rage. “After everything we’ve done for you!”
Elaine wrenched her wrist from her brother’s grip and, in one swift motion, slapped him across the face with all the strength she had left. The crack of the impact silenced him instantly, leaving his jaw slack in shock.
Th
