Helen’s face went even paler, her voice trembling as she spoke. "I’m sorry… I just—"
Delilah placed a hand on her forehead, closing her eyes as she processed Helen’s request.
The frustration simmered in her, but beneath it, she felt a small pang of sympathy.
Helen’s voice had sounded so desperate. But this was more than just a favor—it was a breach of the very foundations they had all agreed on.
"Helen," she said slowly, dropping her hand and opening her eyes, "the rules exist to protect us, all of us. If we start bending them now, then what’s to stop us from doing it again? And what’s to stop someone else from asking the same thing later?"
Ruby leaned back, crossing her arms. "I mean, if we’re going to break every rule for everyone’s convenience, we may as well quit."
"Stop it, Ru
