A sharp slap echoed through the quiet room.
"What the hell are you doing?!" Harlan Sterling's voice thundered as he loomed over his daughter, his hand still trembling from the impact.
He grabbed the nearest tablet from the table, the screen still glowing with the headline about Eryx and Lunara, and hurled it with a crash, just inches from where Valerie was standing.
"Do you think playing it cool like that would help our family?!" he snapped, his chest rising with each breath. "You smiled like a damn guest star while our name burned in the background!"
Valerie didn't flinch. Her eyes stayed fixed on him, calm and unreadable. She didn't say a word.
"Matilda won't let this pass!" Harlan roared, his voice rough with frustration. "We need Grantham, without them, everything falls apart!"
Still, Valerie said nothing. The silence between them stretched uncomfortably, her calmness only fueling his rage.
"Say something!" he demanded.
