Chloe leaned in closer to Isabella, her voice dropping to a whisper. “Doesn’t Sophia seem a little manipulative? If she really wanted to apologize to you and Ryan, wouldn’t a private setting have been better? This feels like a performance to make herself look good at your expense.”

Isabella offered a faint, knowing smile. Of course. Sophia was staging another one of her carefully crafted public displays.

Just then, four large bodyguards in black entered the room. They carried two massive containers of milkshakes. The entire office fell into a curious silence, followed by a wave of murmurs.

Sophia stood near the entrance of the secretarial department, beaming. She directed the bodyguards as they set down an assortment of colorful drinks. With practiced grace, she began handing them out.

“Thank you, Sophia!”

“You’re amazing, Sophia.”

“This is so sweet of you, really.”

She glowed under the praise, her eyes bright with satisfaction. She loved being the center of attention—the one pulling all the strings.

When only two cups remained, she scanned the room sweetly. “Did everyone get one?”

Chloe shot Isabella a conflicted look.

Loyalty tugged at her heart. Isabella wasn’t just a coworker—she was a friend. Someone worth standing up for.

But refusing Sophia’s gesture meant standing alone. It would mark her as an outsider in this tightly knit office.

Isabella noticed the hesitation in Chloe’s eyes. Warm gratitude flooded her, mixed with concern.

She valued Chloe’s support, but she didn’t want her to face backlash because of her.

Gently, Isabella nudged Chloe’s arm. “Go ahead. Take one. I’m fine, really. Don’t worry about me.”

Chloe bit her lip, hesitated, then finally raised her hand. “I’ll take one.”

Sophia handed her the drink, then turned her radiant smile toward Isabella. “And this one is for you, Isabella.” She extended the last cup warmly, as if they were the closest of friends.

Isabella eyed the creamy beverage. The strong scent of milk hit her immediately. The overpowering sweetness turned her stomach.

She took a subtle step back and lowered her voice. “No, thank you. I’m actually allergic to milkshakes.”

A tense silence fell over the room. All eyes shifted between Isabella and Sophia.

Isabella’s polite refusal seemed to strike a nerve.

Sophia’s expression shifted. Her eyes lowered, long lashes casting shadows across her cheeks. Her voice came out soft, laced with hurt. “You’re still holding a grudge, aren’t you? Otherwise, why would you make up an excuse like a milkshake allergy just to reject me?”

That one sentence drew a clear line. It separated Isabella from everyone else.

As expected, sharp criticism followed almost instantly.

“That was unnecessary, Isabella. Sophia apologized sincerely—why make things harder?”