Meanwhile, back at the party hosted by the underground bosses…
"So I thought I'd pay a visit… and join the fun."
The room froze.
Not in a dramatic, slow-motion kind of way—more like a real-world glitch. Awkward. Jarring. Confused.
That exact kind of stillness you get when you walk into a room and everyone was clearly just talking about you. They weren't subtle. And now they were caught.
Only this time, it wasn't a classroom.
It was a room full of underground bosses.
And they'd just been caught mid-conspiracy.
The silence lasted only a few seconds, but every second felt like it dragged the air down with it.
All eyes were locked on her.
Isabella stood in the doorway, completely unfazed. One hand rested on the frame. Her posture was relaxed, almost lazy. Nothing forced. Nothing defensive.
She didn't look like she was pretending to be confident.
She looked like someone who already belonged.
