022: The Other Woman

HANNAH'S POV

I gazed at Eva, my expression cold, disinterested. Every muscle in my face was deliberately still—no flicker of warmth, no hint of openness.

The air between us felt thick, suffocating, as if the tension had manifested into something tangible. But Eva, unfazed, stepped closer. She forced a smile—tight, strained—and extended her hand, a hollow gesture wrapped in forced civility.

“Let’s start again, Hannah.” Her voice was coated with a sickly sweetness, each word dripping with an effort to seem kind. I could hear the tension beneath it, the way her vocal cords tightened with resentment she couldn’t fully mask.

“I think we got off on the wrong foot. Maybe we should reintroduce ourselves, try to make amends. Who knows—we could become allies, if not friends.”

A sigh escaped me, slow and deliberate, laden with disinterest. “I’m not interested in becoming your ally or friend, Eva.” The words came out clipped, each syllable sharp, as though I was too exhausted to even bother w