"Got ya," Raya said softly, almost like a whisper meant only for Camilla.
The silence stretched.
It was the kind that pressed against the ears, heavy, expectant, thick with anticipation. It wrapped itself around the boutique, forcing everyone inside to hold their breath. Every eye in the store fixed itself on Raya, waiting for her next move. Phones were raised higher now, lenses zooming in, capturing every flicker of expression, every subtle breath, every second of hesitation.
Eight hundred thousand.
The number hung in the air like a challenge, daring someone to blink first.
Camilla stood stiffly across from her, shoulders squared, chin lifted in practiced pride. On the surface, she still looked composed. Untouchable. But her hands betrayed her. They trembled slightly as she clenched her purse, nails biting into the leather. Her smile, forced and brittle, was already cracking at the edges, threatening to collapse entirely.
