Brandon's POV
"Zara called."
My mother's voice was calm—too calm.
"She said she's reconsidering her sponsorship."
The words landed like a brick dropped into water. Ripples exploded through my chest.
"She said the situation surrounding Chloe is… becoming a liability," my mother continued carefully. "If things don't change quickly, she might withdraw her support entirely."
Withdraw her support.
The phrase echoed in my head like a broken record.
Withdraw her support.
Withdraw her support.
"What?" I breathed.
For a moment, I genuinely thought I had misheard her. Zara was the biggest sponsor of the London Fashion Festival. Without her backing, Zoe—who everyone else knew—would lose the funding, the mentorship, the publicity... everything.
"How could she do that?" I muttered under my breath. My balance faltered slightly, and I leaned against the kitchen counter.
