Cynthia’s POV
I sit up on the bed, my mind replaying Claire’s words from earlier at the school, her voice smooth yet laced with an edge. With that infuriating smile of hers, she said, “Let’s be clear, Cynthia. It’s always better to know where you stand. You wouldn’t want to make an enemy of me—not when I can make things… difficult.” The smile on her face never wavered, but the words lingered, carrying a weight I couldn’t ignore.
Pushing my hair back, I think about the way she glared at me, her expression a clear message: she was in control now. The memory tightens my chest, my irritation building with every passing second. I couldn’t even defend my daughter, not when the partnership between our foundations had just been announced. As someone with a high profile, I couldn’t afford a publi
