Chapter 44. There’s Work to Do

Layla’s perfectly manicured fingers clenched into fists at her sides as she watched Camila Martinez stride into the competition hall, the very embodiment of grace under pressure. Camila moved with effortless poise, each step deliberate, measured, and magnetic. The thrumming in Layla’s veins was a chaotic mixture of raw jealousy and icy resolve. There was no denying Camila’s allure—the way she carried herself spoke volumes of quiet power, the kind that demanded attention without demanding it, and Layla despised her for it.

“Can you believe her nerve?” Layla hissed to no one in particular, her sharp blue eyes tracking Camila’s every move across the crowded room. The marble floors reflected the light in fractured patterns, glittering like tiny stars, yet all Layla could see was the girl she wanted to destroy. “Showing up here like she owns the place.”

“Who, Camila?” came the voice of Layla’s tr