Isabel’s POV
The sound of my mother’s worried voice pulls me back into the present as she says softly, “If you want, I can go with you to the event.”
I shake my head gently, offering a faint smile. “You don’t have to worry about me, Mom. I’ll be good.”
Aurora, my ever-outspoken sister, immediately interjects. “Now that’s a lie. How can you be okay? Sis, this is Cynthia we’re talking about here. You, of all people, should know how cunning and evil she is. She betrayed you, remember? And had an affair with your husband! She can literally do anything just to get what she wants.”
Her words hang in the air like a blade, slicing through the tenuous peace of the room. My eyes flick to Aurora, and she immediately clamps her hand over her mouth. “Sorry,” she mumbles, her voice subdued. “I didn’
