Belle's POV
When Priya told me about the board meeting, I just laughed. A real laugh. Not because it was funny, but because it was so predictable.
"Talia is sitting in your place, Miss Whitmore," Priya had said, her voice sharp with worry. "They're holding a meeting without your signature. This is serious."
And maybe it was serious. Maybe I was supposed to jump into my car, storm into that boardroom, and fight for my seat like my father always expected me to. But I didn't. I sat there on my bed, staring at the sunlight coming through the curtains, and I thought, if Talia wants my life, she can have it. Even if it's just for a day. After all, she hasn't had anything good in her life.
It's true. Talia has always been chasing what she can't have. Chasing me. My name. My place. My peace. And today? She got it. She finally got to sit in that chair and pretend she belonged.
Let her.
