Aria’s POV
The room was tense, every nerve in Aria’s body coiled as if ready to snap. Tamara’s whines and manipulations had been relentless, her lies painting Aria as the villain. Ethan had stood there, torn, silent, unsure... his doubt like a knife twisting in Aria’s chest.
And then, the front door opened.
The air shifted immediately. The tall, elegant figure of Ethan’s grandmother entered, her face sharp, a serious frown etched deep across her features. She moved with the authority of someone who had seen too much drama to tolerate even a sliver of nonsense.
Tamara’s smirk faltered the instant she saw her.
“Enough!” the grandmother snapped, her voice like thunder. Before anyone could react, her hand shot out, connecting hard with Tamara’s cheek. The slap echoed through the room, mak
