Zara stopped and glared back, sickened by Riya's smugness.
"You really thought you could beat me?" Riya sneered. "Wrong. I'm the family's daughter. Of course, they'll believe me. I didn't have to do anything—just a few drops of tears and the right words, and I won. You, on the other hand…" she spat, looking at Zara with contempt, "you've lost their trust. Your reckless behavior made you look like the villain."
She stepped closer and tapped Zara's shoulder. "Next time, come prepared to fight back. Or be ready to accept defeat."
Zara slapped Riya's hand aside, her skin prickling with irritation. "No one is here now, so stop pretending," she hissed. "I saw what you did. So don't even try to lie to me. Tell me the truth. What did you give Dad? What did you put in that glass?"
