A sharp, dangerous smile spread across Lenora’s face, her voice slicing through the air. “You really are something else. If you want one, Hailey, earn it. Join the division. Work for years, bleed for it. Then, maybe, you’ll understand what this means.”
She extended her hand, fully expecting Hailey to surrender the plaque. But instead, Hailey clutched the box tighter, her face twisting with mock hurt.
“Why are you so cruel?” she whispered, eyes glassy. “I wasn’t stealing it. I just… I just wanted it nearby, as a reminder of what I could become.”
Lenora’s patience shattered. She stepped closer, her palm outstretched, her voice low with warning. “Give it back. Now.”
But Hailey only hugged the box to her chest. The tension snapped, and in their struggle, the box slipped. It hit the floor with a hollow crack.
The plaque splintered into glittering fragments, scattering like broken ice across the floor. For a moment, silence reigned—until Hailey gasped dramatically, clutching her leg where a shard had nicked her skin, a thin line of blood trickling down.
The door creaked open. Evan and Raymond entered, their expressions shifting instantly from confusion to horror at the sight before them.