The liquid splashed down her hair, soaking through the strands and dripping over her face, her neck, her blouse. It wasn't hot anymore, the tea long gone cold, but that didn't matter. The effect was exactly what she wanted.
Then, without hesitation, she slammed the ceramic cup onto the ground.
Right at my feet.
It shattered instantly.
The sharp crack echoed through the room as fragments of porcelain exploded outward. Several pieces skidded across the floor, a few slicing lightly into my ankles.
A sharp sting followed, but I barely registered it.
Adriana stood there, drenched, her hair clinging to her face in messy strands, her blouse soaked and sticking to her skin. She looked utterly disheveled.
Pitiful.
Humiliated.
Perfect.
This woman wasn't just ruthless. She was terrifying.
Before I could move past her, she stepped forward, blocking my path completely.
And then she screamed.
"Elena! What are you doing?! Why would you hurt me like this?!"
Her voice was high, shrill, and filled with raw, trembling emotion.