Several gasps rippled through the room, as the sound of surprise colliding with disbelief. Mirelle raised her voice, “You would withdraw?”
“If it benefits him,” Lila answered simply.
Her words didn’t echo, but they resonated. It was impossible to ignore them as they appeared to settle in the air like dust following an explosion.
The room fell silent. A silence that seemed almost sacrosanct. Nobody dared to break it for a few heartbeats.
Then Sarah exhaled slowly, her posture relaxing as though she had finally seen something she hadn’t expected, something human. “I misjudged you.”
Lila offered a small, composed nod. “It’s alright. This situation encourages assumptions.”
Aressa pressed her fingertips to her forehead, frustration melting into reluctant humility. “I… may have been harsh
