Ellen remained seated, keeping her expression calm. Gerald towered above her, clearly unfriendly. Inside, she was almost amused.
Oof, he's starting off so strong.
It was clear he couldn't stand pretending to be polite around her anymore, even with his mother right there. The mask had slipped.
She stole a quick glance at Clara, who looked utterly shocked. Her eyes were wide, and her lips parted as she stared at her son in disbelief. Clara had obviously not expected to see this side of Gerald, especially not directed toward Ellen. This was something Ellen could use to her advantage.
Clara recovered quickly from her shock and took a step toward Gerald, her brow furrowed in confusion and anger. She gave his shoulder a light push, trying to break his intense focus on Ellen. "What the hell are you doing, Gerald? Why are you acting like this toward Ellen?" She clearly baffled by her son's behavior.
