Chapter 19: Power and Pride
(Cassandra’s POV)
Sarah Rivers stood at the center of the room, her poise carefully maintained, but her eyes betrayed her feelings. Behind the smile painted on her face was unease, the kind born from unfamiliar territory.
Her gaze flickered to my grandmother, frail on the medical bed. Grace's chest rose with shallow, labored breaths. At that moment, I caught something in Sarah’s expression.
A flicker of guilt—so brief it might have been imagination. But, like always, it hardened quickly into something sharper, colder, and far more familiar.
"I came here out of concern," Sarah began, her voice smooth and sweet, dripping with false sincerity. "As her daughter, I have a responsibility to ensure she is well cared for."
I stepped forward, cutting her off
