[Waylen Company – Lobby]
Adeline stepped out of the elevator, still rattled by her earlier confrontation with Luke. Her body was tense, her mind racing, but she was determined to leave it all behind. As she passed through the lobby, her pace faltered when she spotted Hazel laughing with a group of workers. Hazel's eyes locked onto hers with an unmistakable gleam.
"Oh, here's who we have," Hazel said, narrowing her eyes and stepping forward. "The melodramatic Adeline, playing victim number two thousand, right on schedule."
Adeline stopped in her tracks, her irritation flaring. She turned to face her stepsister, ready to put her in her place.
"What do you want, Hazel?" Adeline asked.
Hazel smirked, mocking her. "What, still pretending to be the innocent little princess after humiliating Luke?"
Adeline clenched her fists at her sides. She wasn't about to let Hazel manipulate the situation.
"I didn't humiliate him. He did that all on his own," Adeline replied sharply.
Hazel laughed, cold and biting. "Oh, please. He's been nothing but a saint to you, and this is how you repay him? You always make everything about you."
"You've got it all wrong," Adeline shot back, her voice ice-cold. "I never humiliated anyone. Luke's actions speak louder than anything I could say."
Hazel scoffed and stepped closer, raising an eyebrow. "Don't play dumb. You know he loves you. He's been through hell, Adeline. And you…" She shook her head dramatically. "You make it worse."
Adeline stepped forward, her voice low and firm. "Worse? Like you're an angel? I'm not the one who slept with my sister's fiancé, Hazel. Let's not forget that."
The words hit harder than Adeline expected, but she stood her ground. Hazel's expression flickered with anger, but she quickly masked it with a tight smile.
"You don't know anything," Hazel sneered. "It's not what you think. You're always so judgmental, but you don't know the first thing about Luke and me."
"I don't care what you think," Adeline replied, stepping even closer. "I'm done pretending everything's fine just because you want it to be."
At that moment, one of Hazel's friends, a young man who had been watching the exchange from the sidelines, stepped forward. His jaw was clenched, and his tone shifted to something darker.
"I'm getting sick of hearing this," he said, addressing Hazel. "Someone needs to remind Adeline what's coming."
Adeline's eyes flashed with irritation. She wasn't about to back down.
"Are you threatening me?" she asked, her voice sharp.
The young man sneered. "No, just reminding you of your place. You can't keep acting like you're better than everyone else."
Before Adeline could respond, Hazel moved in, placing a hand on her friend's arm.
"Just let it go," Hazel said, her smile returning, though there was a flicker of unease behind her words. "It's not worth it."
Despite Hazel's calm demeanor, Adeline could feel the tension. She scowled at them both, then turned on her heel and stormed toward the door. Her thoughts raced—this was her life now, and she wasn't going to let Hazel or anyone else control her.
"I've had enough of this," she muttered to herself as she exited.