Chapter 22

• Katherine stood near the entrance of the cafeteria, her gaze fixed on Maya as she happily served the last customer in line. Maya, unaware of Katherine's presence, smiled warmly at the customer, her brown eyes sparkling with kindness.
• As the customer left, Maya turned toward the counter to clear the table, her attention focused on her task. Katherine's heart raced with a mixture of anger and determination as she watched Maya. She had rehearsed this moment countless times in her mind, preparing for the confrontation she was about to initiate.
• Finally, with the cafe momentarily empty, Maya looked up and noticed Katherine standing by the entrance. Surprise flickered across Maya's face before she plastered on a polite smile.