Rose’s POV

A moment of silence hung between us, with the tension easily felt. At last, I got up, moving the chair away from the table. "I've expressed everything I needed to express." It is now your choice to determine your position.

He observed me intently, his face revealing nothing. He then rose slowly to his feet. "I'll support you, Rose." However, you must exercise caution. If James is truly taking action, we must understand precisely what he intends to do.

I didn’t respond to ...