Maria.
Noah's eyes widened, his brows furrowed as if he was trying to read the situation, trying to understand what had just happened and why the air between us was suddenly charged in a way he hadn't anticipated. I could see the tension in his jaw, the slight shift of his stance, as if every muscle in his body was ready to spring into action. For a moment, I felt almost guilty, but only for a heartbeat, because Darren had provoked this chaos, not me.
I quickly smoothed my expression, forcing my face into a controlled glare aimed squarely at Darren. My heartbeat was racing, not entirely from fear or adrenaline, but from the thrill of having taken back control, of having drawn a line in the sand. I stepped forward slightly, letting the fire in my eyes speak louder than any words could.
"All I know," I said, my voice sharp and unwavering, "is you can't win!"
