We moved to the dinner table one by one. Chairs scraped quietly against the floor. No one spoke. Nala placed the photo at the edge of the table, face-up, like a silent threat watching over us.
Minne served dinner without a word, her movements careful, her eyes downcast.
I stared at the photo as the plate was set in front of me, my jaw tightening until it hurt.
Fucking whore.
This wasn't just intimidation anymore.
This was war.
As Minne set my plate down in front of me, my phone buzzed against the table. The sound felt too loud in the silence. I frowned, picked it up, and saw Kayla's name flashing on the screen.
Bad timing. Really bad timing. But with Carrie already crossing lines, I couldn't afford to ignore anyone close to me.
I pushed my chair back and stood. Without a word, I walked to the balcony, slid the glass door shut behind me, and let out a heavy sigh before answering.
"Hey," I said, forcing my tone to sound lighter than I felt.
