From the edge of the grand hallway, behind a half-veiled column wrapped in ivy and soft lighting, Naomi and Elena stood silent—mere witnesses to something they weren't supposed to see.
The aftermath of Vivian's silence-breaking moment still lingered in the air like the scent of scorched parchment and pride. Ere, or at least… the version of her that had just bowed like a high priestess to a dark god, had already vanished into the hallway, her voice still echoing in their bones.
In the room beyond, Vivian sat still, scrolling again as if the walls hadn't just spoken for her. As if she hadn't just snapped an Olympian Champion into submission without so much as a raised brow. And across from her, Evelyn and Annabelle watched in awe—shoulders low, breathing quiet, their eyes still trying to compute what had happened.
