Cassandra's expression went completely still. For a long moment, neither sister spoke. The office felt smaller than it had moments ago, the walls pressing in on all sides like a trap slowly closing.
"I need to do no such thing."
"She's loyal. She's competent. She's served our family without complaint for years, and you hit her because she answered a question you asked." Blair's voice cracked on the last word. She hated how young she sounded. How weak. "That was wrong."
"It was necessary." Cassandra picked up her briefcase and walked toward the door, toward Blair, with the unhurried confidence of someone who had never once doubted her own judgment. "Move aside."
Blair didn't move.
"I said move aside, Blair."
"Apologize to Misato. One conversation. Two minutes. Then I'll step out of your way and you can go back to Singapore and your important problems and forget you ever had a sister stupid enough to care about someone beneath her notice."
