Lena stood still for a while, her feet rooted to the ground as though they had forgotten how to move. She neither denied nor accepted the endearment Raymond had just used on her, the word echoing faintly in her mind, stirring emotions she wasn't ready to confront.
"I think I can find my own way home with my friends," Lena finally said, her voice steady despite the tension tightening in her chest. She tried to step past him, but Raymond shifted slightly, his tall frame effortlessly blocking her path.
"Find your way home with who? This man beside you?" Raymond asked, his tone low and dangerous. He didn't even spare David a glance, as though he wasn't worth the effort.
"Mr. Black, I don't think this is right. You cannot just block our path for no reason," David said, irritation slipping into his voice. That, finally, earned him Raymond's attention.
