"What am I lacking? I'd be happy to fix it for you, of course. Anything to earn your approval."
Serena's mouth opened, but no words came out. She floundered for a moment, her gaze darting between Mabel, who looked far too entertained, and Aiden, who was now smirking like the devil himself. She'd been tricked by these two masters!
"Uh... well..." she stammered, her mind blanking under the weight of their combined attention. She could feel the heat rising in her cheeks, and she instinctively scrambled for an escape.
Finally, with a nervous laugh, she jumped to her feet. "You know what? I just realized I'm really tired," she blurted, taking a step back toward the stairs. "I think I'll go grab some sleep. Bye, Grandma! I'll see you in the evening."
Before anyone could stop her, she turned and bolted, her footsteps echoing as she fled up the staircase.