The atmosphere in the living room turned tense within seconds.
Valerie stood in the middle of the room, her chin slightly raised, her gaze fixed straight at Leo and Sebastian standing across from her. There was a clear stubbornness on her face, something familiar, but this time, far harder to soften.
"I'm only asking for one rematch," Valerie said. Her voice was calmer than it should have been, and that was exactly what made it feel more serious. "Just one."
"And I already said, that's a bad idea," Leo replied quickly. His tone didn't rise, but there was pressure in every word. He stood with both hands on his hips, his jaw tightening slightly. "You just almost—"
"I'm fine."
"Valerie—"
"I can still fight."
"That's not the point."
Their words clashed, neither of them willing to back down. Sebastian, who had been standing to the side, finally stepped into the argument with a long sigh.
