I said quietly, "I am not asking for your approval. Just your cooperation. You had your chance to protect me once. You didn't. Now I'll protect myself."
For a moment, I thought Dave would argue, but surprisingly, he didn't. He just stared down, shoulders tight, eyes glassy with things he wasn't ready to say. Now now. Not in front of them, especially.
Nicole's nod was the only acknowledgment that mattered. Grace's glare, the only proof that she still had not learned her lesson yet.
I leaned forward, clinking my hands together looking at them straight into their eyes, "This isn't about revenge, but correction." I said it out in my calm and composing voice making them feel the seriousness of the matter.
The moment Nicole and Grace stood up, the mood in the room changed.
The sound of the chairs scraping against the floor broke the tense silence. Everyone knew the conversation was over, but the air still felt heavy.
