The air in the room didn't just turn cold; it turned lethal. Amira pulled back from the hug, her smile twisting into something jagged and cruel.
"Half-sisters, Mother," Amira whispered, the word dripping like venom. "We might share the same face, but you and I both know the truth."
Madam Pedro froze. The color drained from her cheeks, leaving her looking fragile and aged. Without a word, she grabbed Amira's arm and hauled her away from the main hall, dragging her into the heavy silence of the mahogany-lined study. She slammed the door shut.
"Amira, what are you talking about?" Madam Pedro gasped, her chest heaving. "How... how could you say such a thing?"
Amira let out a sharp, jagged laugh. She began pacing the room, her fingers trailing over the expensive books she wasn't supposed to own. "Mother? I don't even know why I call you that. You aren't my mother. Isn't it twisted, Auntie?"
"Amira, stop this!"
