A heavy silence fell.
Thomas froze, then whipped around to Selene and Lance, his arrogance doubling.
“Did you hear him?" "Get on your knees now!” he barked. “You’ve angered Mr. Smith! You people are going to lose your heads today!”
Nathaniel smirked. “It doesn’t matter how strong you think you are. One word from Mr. Smith, and you’re all dead.”
Selene didn’t move.
Instead, she stepped forward, eyes sharp, voice cutting through the tension like a blade.
“How dare you mention Astra Corp?” she demanded. “None of you are worthy to even speak its name, let alone represent it.”
She took another step.
“Astra Corp stands for honor and integrity. But you—” her gaze swept over them, filled with disgust “—you use power only to oppress and trample others. Is this how the East District conducts
