Third-person POV
Irina would let out a sigh of frustration that was heavy with everything she was trying to hold back, and as she stood there in the dim garden light, she made a visible effort to really calm herself down before speaking. She clenched her hands tightly for a while, and after a brief pause, she unclenched them as if she were letting go of her frustration as she did.
When she finally looked back at Penelope, there was a clear shift in her expression, not softer exactly but more controlled, more careful, like she was choosing every word before letting it leave her mouth.
"I don't know where you got that idea from," Irina said, her voice calm, though there was still a trace of irritation buried under it, something she couldn't fully hide no matter how hard she tried. She exhaled slowly before continuing, her gaze steady on Penelope. "That I wouldn't look at you twice as a friend if Electra weren't around. Trust me, Pen, that doesn't even make sense."
