He narrowed his eyes slightly. "Why?"
Because that was her last shred of dignity.
Even if it had already been shattered into countless pieces, now stitched together by nothing but the remnants of her pride, she refused to let it be trampled on again.
"Because the family I want," Rachel said slowly, her voice trembling but firm, "is not someone like you. To me, you can be a creditor, a stranger, or even a boss, but you will never be family."
The word family carried a weight unlike any other for her. It was something she had longed for since she was a child, something warm and untouchable.
And that was exactly why she would never allow that word to be mocked in front of her.
His gaze turned sharp, cold enough to cut. It pierced through her like a blade, each glance slicing deeper into her heart.
But Rachel didn't flinch.
She met his eyes head-on, calm and steady, silently telling him that no matter what he said or did, he would never be her family.
