"You're not going to give me the surgery anymore, right?" Estelle asked. Her chin stayed lifted, her voice steady even as her pulse thudded hard against her ribs.
Magnus didn't answer immediately. He just looked at her. His eyes narrowed slightly, as if he were trying to peel her apart layer by layer, searching for something beneath the surface. "I'm glad you already understand the consequences," he said at last, his tone even.
The words settled in the space between them.
But Estelle didn't flinch. She didn't even plead. Instead, she smiled. It was small, but it was there, sharp at the edges. "Then I guess the contract is over," she said calmly. "And I'll find my own path."
"No, Estelle." Justin's voice broke in, strained, almost desperate. "You can't stay in that chair."
Her head snapped toward him, her eyes blazing. "You should have thought about that before you betrayed me," she shot back.
The words hit harder this time, and she didn't wait for his response.
