The room grew even more tense, the silence heavy with unspoken challenges and the weight of confrontation. Susan struggled to regain her composure, while Hailey looked on, her earlier smugness replaced by a nervous glance.
"Never mind, Mom, I was just joking," I said, my laughter coming out more strained than I intended. My body shook with the effort to seem lighthearted, but the humor was clearly lost on Susan. Her face twisted further into a scowl, clearly displeased with my response.
Turning my attention to Hailey, I continued with an edge of sarcasm, "Even though you’re just an outsider with no real connection to me, I have to give credit where it’s due. You really know how to win people over."
My gaze locked onto Hailey’s, my expression a mix of cold amusement and disdain. "For the sake of Susan’s wishes, I’ll begrudgingly approve your request to join my company."
My tone was intentionally haughty, making it clear that I was asserting my authority. Hailey’s face reddened with barely concealed anger, but she bit her lip and managed to keep her emotions in check, knowing that a public outburst would not be wise.