"Hey, Ms. Sullivan, I heard Finn''s mom gave you a hard time?"


    A gentle voice floated over, and Amara turned to see Liliana approaching. She was as elegant andposed as ever, as if she was just casually inquiring and not here to stir up trouble.


    Liliana had this knack for sarcasm that was both ssy and cutting. Even when she was throwing shade, she managed to keep her dignity intact.


    Amara pondered for a moment and replied, "Yeah, she really lost it, didn''t she? Jumped to conclusions and started criticizing me. I''ve never seen anything like it. What, are you here to offer me a shoulder to cry on?"


    That caught Liliana off guard. A flicker of emotions crossed her face before sheposed herself and smiled, "Comfort or nofort, that''s Finn''s mother we''re talking about. Ms. Sullivan, how could you call her brainless? It''s quite


    disrespectful to elders, don''t you think?"


    Liliana''s red-polished fingers covered her lips as she chuckled softly, her mockery barely concealed.


    Amara had been waiting for this. She raised an eyebrow and said, "Didn''t you see the nonsense she posted on Twitter? Not a shred of truth in it, and it was downright insulting to me. Calling her brainless is putting it mildly."


    "So, by blindly defending her, you make yourself out to be unreasonable too. That''s one."


    "And two, so what if she''s Finnian''s mother? I have no ties to Finnian. She''s just another person to me. Why should I respect her just because she''s older by a couple of decades?"


    "Sure, respectable elders deserve respect. But if we start revering every town crier and troublemaker, society would be in chaos."


    Amara''s arguments were solid, leaving Liliana at a loss for words, her face clouded with frustration.


    The onlookers, who''d followed the morning''s trending topics, had been eavesdropping expecting Amara to falter. But much to their surprise, Amara handled herself with rity and turned the tables on Liliana.  s<fn0b13> Th?s chapter is updated by find~novel</fn0b13>


    The crowd wasn''t necessarily against Amara or siding with Liliana; they were simply spectators eager to witness any drama unfold. While they didn''t get the amusement of seeing Amara flustered, watching Liliana stumble was just as entertaining for them. They whispered among themselves, casting sidelong nces at Liliana,


    whose expression grew even more strained.  s


    "Ms. Sullivan, you''re quite something," Liliana remarked, trying to regain herposure. "Didn''t realize you had such a sharp tongue. Ever since you stopped biting it, you''ve been quite the wordsmith."


    Liliana''s words implied that Amara was unting her wit.


    Amara met her gaze coldly. "I won''t im to be smarter than anyone just because


    I''m a writer, but my logic does seem to outpace yours."


    "I can''t see how my character or style has changed before or after any so-called ''mask removal.'' My principle has always been simples don''t start fights, but won''t back down from one. So, save the snidements."  s


    In essence, Amara was saying she only pped back at Liliana because Liliana had instigated it.


    Someone in the crowd chimed in, "Yeah, Amara didn''t do anything wrong to begin with. Why should she take the heat for Finnian''s mom''s online rant?"


    "Who even knows if any of that online stuff is true? It''s all just his mother''s baseless ims," another added.