Chapter 39
I Should be the Bigger Person
The meal ended not with satisfaction, but with a silence so heavy it felt like another presence at the table.
The only sounds had been the dull scrape of cutlery and the hollow clink of plates. No laughter, no warmth, only tension strung tight like a wire.
When the last fork touched porcelain, Lilith turned to her friends, her smile bright but brittle.
"You should all head home," she said, her voice dripping with a practiced, delicate concern. "I'm sure you're exhausted after such a… taxing day."
Her friends exchanged glances. Relief flashing wordlessly between them. They had served their purpose, witnessed her humiliation, and now wanted nothing more than to flee.
"Thanks for the treat, Lilith."
"I'll see you later."
"Bye."
Their goodbyes were rushed, their footsteps fast.
In seconds, they were gone, leaving only the hollow echo of their departure and the suffocating tension they abandoned behind.
