Hannah sat alone in the music room, the faint notes of the piano lingering in the air. Her fingers hovered over the keys, but the melody she once loved refused to come. Instead, silence pressed against her, heavy and suffocating.
For weeks, her nights had been restless. Every time she closed her eyes, Sara's face haunted her — not with anger, not with bitterness, but with that quiet, wounded dignity she always carried. And every time Hannah remembered Emily's smirk, her cruel words, the guilt burrowed deeper into her chest.
"You're too soft," Emily had told her once, after forcing her to spread a rumor about Sara. "If you don't help me, you're useless to me. And I don't keep useless people around."
Hannah clenched her fists in her lap. She wasn't stupid. She knew Emily didn't really care about her. She was just convenient — the shadow that made her schemes easier. But leaving Emily felt impossible. Emily was fire and fury; standing against her meant burning alone.
The door creaked open, breaking her thoughts. Lina stepped inside, holding a sheet of music. "Oh. I didn't realize someone was here."
Hannah stiffened. "I—I was just about to leave."
But Lina tilted her head, studying her. "You look pale. Are you okay?"
Hannah forced a smile, but it wavered. "I'm fine."
Lina didn't press, but she didn't move either. Instead, she walked closer and placed the music sheet on the stand. "You know, Sara always says this room feels safe. Like a place where you can breathe without pretending."
The words struck something inside Hannah. She swallowed hard, her throat tight. "Sara… she says that?"
Lina nodded. "She doesn't say it to many people. But she said it to me. And to Daniel. Maybe because this is the one place where she doesn't have to fight anyone."
Hannah's chest ached. Sara had lost her mother, endured a stepmother's cruelty, and yet still found spaces to treasure. Spaces Hannah and Emily had poisoned with lies.
"She's… stronger than she looks," Hannah murmured, almost to herself.
"Yes," Lina said softly. "But even strong people break if they're pushed too far."
The words lingered, sharp as glass. Hannah looked down at her trembling hands. She remembered the last time she saw Emily with Grace, whispering and plotting. Emily's eyes had glittered with malice. Grace had promised her rewards, influence. And Hannah had stood there, silent.
She felt sick.
"Lina…" The name slipped from her lips before she could stop it.
Lina looked at her curiously. "Yes?"
Hannah's mouth went dry. The truth clawed at her throat, begging to come out. If she said it, everything would change. Emily would destroy her. But if she didn't… Sara might never know who her real enemies were.
"I…" Her voice cracked. She gripped the edge of the piano. "I know something. Something important. About Emily. About Grace."
Lina's eyes widened, but she didn't interrupt. She simply waited.
Hannah's breath came in shallow bursts. Tears blurred her vision. "They're planning to ruin Sara. Not just at school. Everywhere. Grace… she's going to use her father. And Emily—Emily is helping her. I…" She broke off, covering her mouth with her hand.
Lina stepped closer, her expression gentler than Hannah expected. "Thank you for telling me."
Hannah shook her head violently. "No, you don't understand! If Emily finds out I said anything, she'll—"
"She won't," Lina cut in firmly. "I'll protect you. And Sara will too. You don't have to carry this alone anymore."
For the first time in months, Hannah felt something shift inside her — relief, fragile but real.
But as she wiped her eyes, a shadow loomed outside the door. Unseen by either of them, Emily stood in the hallway, her smile sharp as a blade.
So, Hannah had chosen her side.
Emily's fingers curled around the doorframe, nails digging into the wood. "Traitor," she whispered under her breath. "You'll regret this."