Maria moved among the guests at the party with grace, her smile warm and inviting as she struck up conversations with each one of them. The laughter and chatter filled the air as the evening got underway.
Knowing how crucial it was to keep up appearances tonight, Maria embraced the energy.
A colleague, noticing her, approached with a concerned expression. "Maria, have you seen Vivian? I heard she wasn't coming tonight."
Maria let out a deep breath, a small smile playing on her lips. "Oh, really? Well, that's a relief. I wasn't looking forward to any drama tonight."
The colleague nodded in agreement. "Vivian's not exactly Paula's biggest fan, is she?"
"No, she isn't," Maria replied, her tone light but with a hint of irony. "Vivian's had it out for Paula for weeks now. It's almost like an obsession."
"I understand that it all began due to a miscommunication, but it has only gotten worse," added a second visitor to the discussion.
