"Don't call me that anymore," Raya said.
Her voice wasn't loud. It didn't need to be. It carried the kind of firmness that came from exhaustion, not fear, the kind born when a person had already reached the edge and refused to step any further.
Adrian lifted his gaze slowly, as though she had merely interrupted a thought rather than challenged him.
"Call you what?" he asked.
"Stop calling me babygirl," Raya said, her jaw tightening. "I am not your babygirl."
For a moment, the room seemed to hold its breath.
Adrian leaned back in his chair, one arm resting casually against the armrest, his fingers relaxed. There was no anger on his face, no irritation, only mild curiosity, the same expression one might wear when watching something interesting unfold.
"You sound angry," he said calmly. "Are you angry at me?"
Raya let out a humorless breath.
