Miranda didn't leave immediately after Evelyn walked out.
She stayed where she was, standing beside the table, her hands clenched loosely at her sides. A server approached to ask if she needed anything else. She waved them away without looking.
Only when Evelyn was fully out of sight did Miranda reach for her phone.
She dialed without hesitation.
The call connected on the third ring.
"She refused to budge," Miranda said.
Adrian didn't respond immediately. She could hear faint background noise on his end—papers shifting, a drawer closing.
"I expected that," he said at last.
Miranda frowned. "You sound calm."
"She's always been stubborn," Adrian replied. "Stubborn people think resistance equals strength."
"She's aligning herself with Milan," Miranda said. "Publicly. Confidently."
"That doesn't scare me."
"It should," Miranda said. "She's not desperate anymore. That changes how people see her."
Adrian exhaled slowly. "Let Milan enjoy their moment. The industry corrects itself."
Miranda lowered her voice. "She's different now."
"Everyone thinks that when they lose control of someone," Adrian said flatly. "Is that all?"
Miranda hesitated. "Yes."
"Then we proceed," Adrian said. "As planned."
The call ended.
Miranda stared at her phone for a moment before lowering it.
Her expression hardened—not with rage, but with something colder. Something resolved.
"You will face whatever comes at you," she said quietly, to no one in particular."But remember—you were warned."
She picked up her bag and walked out.
Liora didn't ask questions when Evelyn got into the car.
She waited until they were a few minutes away from the café, traffic steady, before speaking.
"So," she said, eyes still on the road. "How bad?"
Evelyn leaned back against the seat. "Not as bad as it used to be."
"That's vague."
"She wanted control," Evelyn said. "She didn't get it."
Liora nodded once. "That usually doesn't end well."
"I know."
They drove in silence for a bit.
"She threatened you?" Liora asked.
"Indirectly."
"Classic."
Evelyn glanced at her. "You're not surprised."
"I work in this industry," Liora said. "Indirect threats are the polite version."
Evelyn let out a short breath. "She kept talking about consequences."
"Did she explain them?"
"No."
"Also classic."
Evelyn smiled faintly. "She thinks I don't understand what I've stepped into."
Liora snorted. "People always assume that about newcomers."
"She thinks Milan will drop me."
Liora glanced at her briefly. "They won't. Not yet."
"That's comforting," Evelyn said dryly.
"It's honest," Liora replied. "They'll test you. Push you. But they won't discard you unless you give them a reason."
Evelyn nodded. "I can handle that."
"I believe you."
They turned into the estate a few minutes later. The gates opened smoothly, familiar now.
When they got inside the apartment, Liora kicked off her shoes and headed straight for the kitchen.
"Sit," she said. "You look like you forgot to eat again."
"I didn't forget."
"You ignored it."
"Same thing," Evelyn admitted.
Liora moved around the kitchen easily, pulling ingredients from the fridge. "I'll make something quick."
Evelyn sat at the small dining table, watching her.
"You're very comfortable here," she said.
"That's because I plan to stay alive," Liora replied. "And hunger makes me dramatic."
Evelyn laughed. "I believe that."
Liora glanced over her shoulder. "You laughing is a good sign."
"It is?"
"Yes. Means you didn't let her crawl under your skin."
Evelyn considered that. "She tried."
"They always do."
Liora plated the food and brought it over. They ate quietly at first.
Then Liora said, "So did she bring up Cross?"
"Yes."
"Of course she did."
"She wanted to remind me who still runs the city."
"And?"
"And I reminded her I don't live in it anymore."
Liora grinned. "That had to feel good."
"It did," Evelyn admitted. "I walked out."
"Nice."
"She didn't follow."
"Even better."
They ate for a bit longer. Liora told a story about a model who'd once shown up to training with two different shoes on and refused to admit it.
Evelyn laughed, genuinely this time.
Then Liora's phone rang.
She frowned when she saw the screen.
"Unknown number," she said. "That's weird."
"Maybe spam," Evelyn said.
Liora answered anyway.
"Hello?"
She listened.
Her posture changed almost immediately.
"What?" she said. "That's not funny."
She stood up.
Evelyn straightened. "Liora?"
"Who is this?" Liora demanded into the phone. "Where is she?"
Her face drained of color.
"No," she said. "No, listen—"
The call ended.
Liora stared at the screen, breathing shallowly.
Evelyn stood. "What happened?"
Liora swallowed. "They said… my mother has been kidnapped."
She lowered the phone slowly.
The room fell silent.