Kariyah's cold threat hung in the air, sharp and suffocating as she shoved Diara aside, leaving her reeling from both the physical blow and the weight of her words.
Diara stood there for a moment, her hand pressed against her stinging cheek, feeling the heat radiate from the skin.
Pain mingled with a rush of anger and fear, but she bit her lip and swallowed it down. There was no point in provoking Kariyah further; she had learned that lesson the hard way.
With a heavy heart, Diara turned and made her way to the bedroom, her steps slow and deliberate, each one echoing the turmoil in her mind.
The door creaked open, revealing Kellan, who sat hunched on the edge of the bed, his fingers drumming impatiently against the mattress. His phone lay beside him, vibrating incessantly with calls from his mistress.
Diara caught a glimpse of the screen, the name flashing in bright letters, and a knot formed in her stomach.