Stephen's words hit her more than the slap itself… well, to be honest, she felt that too, as her whole face was red, her whole being was shaken up by it, because no one had ever hit her this hard.
No one ever had enough balls, especially in the government, to raise their hand against her out of respect, out of friendship, out of fear, but Stephen did it… and with it, he did something deeper.
Stephen planted that seed in her mind that would grow and grow, the thought that she would never be on top of the chain, that she would never be that person who could command or give orders that needed to be said, especially in this situation.
She is not someone who can give out those orders without damage to her soul. She isn't the person who can just get over it, knowing very well that innocent lives are being lost, they are killed and she is dumb enough to think that it wouldn't happen.
