So-Yeon called a meeting in the mansion's library. Her eyes were sharp as steel. "If Hana is stepping into this war, she needs allies. I'll stand by her."
One by one, members of Mi-Ho's circle agreed. Security, advisors, even estranged relatives.
Hana looked around the room, her throat tight. For so long she had carried her battles alone, convinced no one would stand with her. But here they were—an alliance not of obligation, but of choice.
Mi-Ho caught her gaze. "This is what happens when you stop surviving, Hana. You start leading."
Her heart thudded. Maybe, finally, she wasn't just surviving. She was becoming.