The room was charged with tension as Ray's words hung heavily in the air. The second aunt stood in front of him, her posture rigid, her face an expertly maintained mask of calm and warmth. Despite the chaos unfolding around her, she kept her composure, her eyes flickering with a mix of calculation and defensiveness.
Ray's glare was icy and unyielding. "You've overstepped, Vice President," he said, his tone devoid of warmth. "I trusted you to handle certain matters, but this?" He gestured toward the Mer, crumpled on the floor like a discarded puppet. "This is a failure. And not just any failure—*your* failure."
The second aunt's eyes narrowed slightly, but her expression remained smooth and polished. She met Ray's gaze with a calculated calmness. "I assure you, Ray," she began, her voice smooth and unwavering, "this situation was never meant to escalate. I had every confidence".
