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Audrey stood next to Catherine, her gaze fixed on the monitor, her mind racing as she watched the scene unfold. She had always known that Liana harbored a deep animosity toward Catherine, but seeing it so openly expressed was a different matter entirely. The bitterness in Liana’s words was palpable, and the tension in the tearoom was nearly suffocating.
Liana’s voice continued to echo in the study, her resentment building as she berated her mother. “Why are you protecting her? You know she’s nothing but trouble. She’s causing a rift between Daddy and me, and you’re just letting it happen!”
Audrey felt a strange mixture of discomfort and pity. She wasn’t particularly close to Liana, but she knew the frustration that stemmed from being overshadowed. However, Liana’s words were venomous, and Audrey couldn’t help but wonder just how far Liana was willing to go to make Catherine’s life miserable.
“Liana, don’t go too far,” Rachael finally responded, her voice cold but measured. “Your father is making his decisions, and you need to respect them. Catherine’s presence isn’t a reflection of your failure. It’s just how things are. Besides, making a scene like this only hurts your own reputation.”
The silence that followed Rachael’s words was thick with tension. Audrey noticed how Liana’s fists were clenched tightly, her face flushed with anger. It was clear that she wasn’t used to being told to “respect” anyone, especially not Catherine.
“I won’t let her take what’s mine,” Liana hissed under her breath, though her words were barely audible through the monitor. “I won’t let her tear this family apart.”
Catherine watched Audrey’s reaction, the faintest smirk crossing her lips as she leaned back against the desk, her arms crossed. Audrey felt a shiver run down her spine as Catherine turned toward her with a knowing look. There was something almost predatory in Catherine’s demeanor, a sense of control that seemed to settle over her with every passing second.
“Liana thinks she has control,” Catherine remarked, her voice low but cutting. “But she doesn’t. Not really. It’s all just smoke and mirrors. She’s more desperate than she realizes.”
Audrey’s heart skipped a beat. She didn’t understand exactly what Catherine was implying, but the tone in her voice told her that Catherine was prepared to take this game much further than anyone had expected.
“So, what do you plan to do?” Audrey asked, her voice betraying a hint of unease. She wasn’t sure if she was more afraid of Catherine’s strength or Liana’s unbridled hatred, but either way, she could feel the impending storm.
Catherine didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she turned her attention back to the monitor, her fingers lightly tapping on the desk. Her expression was unreadable, but there was a dangerous glint in her eyes.
“Do you really think Liana can control anything here?” Catherine asked, her voice quieter now. “She may want to punish me, but she’s not the one calling the shots. Your mother, Rachael—she’s already compromised herself by getting involved with this. And your father, Korbin… well, he’s a puppet.”
Audrey’s eyes widened. Catherine’s words were hitting harder than she expected. “Are you saying that my father isn’t in control?” she asked, her voice trembling slightly.
Catherine finally turned to face Audrey fully. The coldness in her eyes sent a chill through Audrey’s spine. “Your father’s weak, Audrey. He may think he’s in charge, but the truth is, he’s just as much a part of the system as everyone else. No one here has true power.”
Audrey didn’t know how to respond. The idea that her father, the man she had always seen as the unquestioned head of the family, was weak and powerless… it rattled her deeply.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke. The air in the study seemed to grow heavier, and Audrey couldn’t help but feel the weight of Catherine’s words settle on her shoulders.
“Why are you telling me all this?” Audrey finally asked, her voice small. She couldn’t help but wonder if Catherine had an ulterior motive for sharing this with her, for drawing her into this complex web of power and manipulation.
Catherine’s lips curled into a faint smile. “Because you’re not as naïve as you think you are, Audrey. You’re smarter than this, and I think you know exactly what’s going on in this family. You just need to stop pretending you don’t.”
Audrey opened her mouth to reply, but no words came. She felt caught between Catherine’s calculated confidence and her own uncertainty. Catherine was right about one thing—Audrey had always been a little too passive, a little too willing to accept the status quo.
Now, though, with the truth starting to unravel before her eyes, she wasn’t so sure what her role was anymore. Was she a pawn in a game she didn’t even understand? Or was there something more she could do?
“Think about it, Audrey,” Catherine said softly, her voice almost gentle now. “The power in this family isn’t in the hands of the people you think it is. If you want to make a difference, you have to stop letting others pull your strings.”
With those words hanging in the air, Catherine turned away and walked toward the door, leaving Audrey to contemplate the weight of her words. Audrey felt a surge of something—maybe fear, maybe anticipation—but one thing was certain: this wasn’t just a family drama anymore. It was a game of power, and Catherine was playing it like she’d been trained for it her whole life.