The longer Elena stood her ground, the thicker the tension grew, coiling around the room like invisible smoke.
Staying or leaving now would both feel unbearable. Amy’s smirk stretched wider, sharp and venomous, as she twisted the knife deeper. “Some people crave attention so much that they don’t realize when they’ve become an embarrassment. It’s just pathetic.”
Her words sparked a ripple of murmurs across the hall. Voices urged Elena to yield gracefully, to spare herself greater humiliation by pretending to be considerate of the organizers. If she clung on and forced a scene, the embarrassment would be crushing.
A faint, composed smile touched Elena’s lips. She straightened with quiet elegance, her posture radiating poise, and spoke in a voice as calm as still water—yet laced with stee
