Chase's POV
Chase let out a heavy breath, dragging his palm across his face. Calista was backed into a corner now. Her walls were crumbling, and for just a heartbeat, her eyes turned glassy—like tears were threatening to spill.
That was enough to make him ease up. He knew his sister better than anyone; she'd scratch her way through solid concrete before letting a soul witness her breakdown.
He had to pull back.
"Take a seat," he said quietly, the fury draining from his voice.
Calista immediately scoffed, tossing her hair like she could shake off that brief moment of vulnerability. "Save your sympathy."
"This isn't sympathy, Calista," he replied, his tone steady and controlled now. "Please. Just sit."
Something in his voice—quiet but unyielding—made her pause. Her mouth pressed into a hard line before she reluctantly sank back onto the bed. She crossed one leg over the other like she needed to prove she still held the reins.
