I turned to him with a forced smile, my eyes cold. "It’s not about being fascinated," I said, my voice clipped. "It's about observing how things have changed."
Chris seemed momentarily embarrassed, his cheeks reddening as he quickly shook his head, clearly uncomfortable with the escalating tension.
Before the situation could spiral further, Susan cleared her throat with exaggerated emphasis. "Yasmine, I have something to tell you," she said, her voice taking on an unusually soft and conciliatory tone. Her expression, which had always been stern and critical towards me, now held a semblance of gentle concern. It was clear that whatever she was about to say was intended to smooth over the discomfort.
"Go ahead, Mom," I said, maintaining my smile. Despite our strained relationship, I was determined to keep things civil for Chris’s sake.
"Well, you know Hailey has been studying abroad and just graduated with a degree from a prestigious business school," Susan began, her voice brimming with pride. "She’s a real talent—many large domestic companies are clamoring to hire her."