"I will look forward to it." Layla replied with a practiced smile, her eyes gleaming with barely concealed satisfaction. Inwardly, she savored the thought of her little sister's face once the plagiarism accusations came crashing down.
The image of Avery's confidence shattering played like a delicious preview in her mind. With that, the two sisters turned and gracefully headed their separate ways, each step echoing a rivalry veiled under poise and civility.
Avery, however, didn't let the weight of Layla's words cling to her. As she entered her designated hall, her smile softened into something genuine. Her team was already assembled inside, their faces lighting up at her arrival.
Just stepping back into their midst felt like inhaling fresh air after being shut in a stuffy room. Their warmth, their belief in her, it wrapped around Avery like a shield, easing the sharp edges of her earlier encounter.
