[Ellie's P.O.V]
The senior members might have thought that Hart and I weren't on good terms... Although we weren't exactly close, I became a bit anxious at that moment. Anton, under the table, quietly took my hand, offering comfort. Wrapped in his warmth, I heard him whisper just for us, "Don't worry."
Hart didn't respond immediately but fell silent for a while, leaning back in his chair with a half-smile that unnerved the senior members, making them visibly shiver.
Just as the senior members were about to continue persuading Hart, he finally spoke, "I recall, Mr. Franz, isn't your daughter...?"
Before he could finish, one of the senior members, already jittery, shook violently. His hefty frame quivered along with his trembling, and large beads of sweat formed, though he dared not wipe them away.
