Her confidence wavered, her smirk now fully gone. Beneath her feigned indifference, I saw a flicker of fear—fear of losing what she held dear, of facing the same helplessness she had forced on Lily.

I met their gazes, one after the other. “Respect is not taught by destroying dreams. It’s taught by understanding and nurturing them. You both owe Lily an apology—and you owe her a new sewing machine.”

The silence stretched, heavy with the weight of my words. Lily’s tears slowed, her sobs turning into quiet sniffles. She looked at me with eyes wide and grateful, as if she couldn’t quite believe I was standing up for her.