Cassidy's face went red. Her fingers curled around her fork until her knuckles turned white.
Sabrina waited for the explosion. The inevitable moment when Cassidy would slam her fork down and storm out of the dining room while shouting something inflammatory about Mother's parenting or the family or Valentine Holdings' obsession with optimization over humanity.
It didn't come.
Instead, Cassidy took a breath. Set her fork down gently. Looked Mother directly in the eyes.
"You're right. I'll talk to the coach tomorrow and either commit properly or quit."
Mother's eyebrow lifted by approximately two millimeters.
Sabrina nearly dropped her fork.
Cassidy had just agreed with Mother. Calmly. Without sarcasm or violence or defensive hostility.
Something had changed. Something fundamental. Sabrina's eyes flicked to Isaiah, who was very carefully focused on his fish like he hadn't heard any of the exchange.
But his ears had gone slightly red.
Fascinating.
"Sabrina."
