"It's nothing," she muttered.
Ebere frowned. Nothing? It was clearly something. But before she could press further, her mother abruptly changed the subject.
"By the way, what exactly did you and your brother disagree on?"
Ebere stiffened. A sudden wave of regret washed over her. I should have just left when I had the chance…
She had already gotten what she wanted, her mother's protection from Obinna's threats. But now, she had allowed herself to be pulled into something deeper.
"It's nothing, Mom. Just some trivial things," she tried to brush it off.
Queen Chioma narrowed her eyes, her sharp instincts picking up on the hesitation in Ebere's voice. "And what trivial things would those be?" she asked suspiciously.
Then, as if something clicked in her mind, her face twisted with anger. "Don't tell me you're still spending time with that girl. The one you've been getting closer to despite everything I've warned you about."
Ebere didn't answer, but her silence spoke volumes.
