"Listen to me, all of you. Until I bring Valerie back, no one helps Hazel. She can kneel, beg, or die right in front of your eyes—you do not engage. Valerie is sensitive. If Hazel's punishment is shortened by a single day, Valerie might relapse. Anyone who upsets my precious sister will answer to me."
The room fell silent. The men exchanged uneasy glances.
Even Jonathan's friends found the logic twisted. The silence in the private room was heavy until someone awkwardly broke it.
"Jonathan, aren't you afraid Hazel will find out the truth and leave you?"
Jonathan scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous. We share the same blood. No matter the conflict, it's just an internal family matter. Hazel worships me. Even if someone held a knife to her throat, she wouldn't leave. This is just a small lesson." His tone shifted to protective tenderness. "Valerie is different. She's adopted, already at a disadvantage. It's only natural I compensate her."
His voice turned icy. "But remember: what happens here stays here. If word gets back to Hazel, don't blame me when our friendship ends."
I leaned against the cold corridor wall, the chill seeping into my bones. My limbs felt heavy, detached.