"I believe," she continued, her voice steady, "that it is disrespectful to speak to my… husband in that tone."
Silence.
An absolute one.
It was the kind of silence that didn't simply fill the room, it pressed down on it. Thick. Suffocating. Heavy with power and unspoken consequences.
For a fleeting second, Raya forgot how to breathe.
What have I just done?
The thought slammed into her mind so hard it nearly made her dizzy.
She sat there, back straight, chin lifted, posture composed, but inside her thoughts were spiraling wildly. A thousand warnings screamed at her all at once. This wasn't a casual dinner. This wasn't a place where people spoke freely and survived on courage alone.
This was the Blake dining table.
Power was currency here. Words were weapons. And she had just fired the first shot, at the wrong people.
Yes, one of those ridiculous articles about seducing Adrain, she had read told her to defend him.
Stand up for him.
Show loyalty.
Make him feel supported.
