The following day, Erie sat at the head of the dining table, dressed in a crisp white shirt. His expression was unreadable as he absently stirred his coffee, thinking about his daughter, Evelyn, and how he had failed her.

Claire, seated beside him, was equally quiet, her eyes downcast as she picked at her fruit salad. She, too, was thinking of her daughter, Sandra, and how she had failed to raise her properly.

The click of heels announced Sandra's arrival. She entered the dining room looking forlorn, although her hair was perfectly styled and her makeup flawlessly applied, as always. "Good morning!" she greeted, sliding into her chair opposite her parents.

Eric and Claire looked up simultaneously, their expressions neutral. "Morning," Eric muttered, his voice lacking its usual warmth. Claire echoed the greeting with a forced smile, her eyes flickering briefly to Sandra's before returning to her plate.

Sandra seemed oblivious to the tension, or chose to ignore it. She poured herself coffee, her movements smooth and practiced. After a sip, she set the cup down and leaned back, her gaze flitting between her parents. "So," she began casually, "how was your date last night?"

Eric and Claire exchanged a quick glance, struggling to maintain their composure. "It was fine," Claire answered, forcing a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "We had a nice time."

"Yeah, it was good," Eric added, his tone clipped. He avoided looking at Sandra, focusing instead on his plate as he cut his eggs with more force than necessary.

Sandra's eyes narrowed slightly as she observed them, but she still didn't seem to notice their unease. "That's great," she said lightly. "You both deserve some time to yourselves."

She took another sip of coffee, then set the cup down with a satisfied sigh. "Anyway, you won't believe what Evelyn did yesterday."

The mention of Evelyn's name, as usual, caused Eric's hand to freeze. His jaw clenched, and he slowly set down his fork, his appetite gone. He looked up, his eyes sharp as they met Sandra's. "What has she done this time?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous. Sandra, mistaking his reaction for his usual anger at Evelyn, smirked inwardly, leaned forward, and sighed, as if worried about causing more trouble.

"I'm not sure if I should…"

"If you're going to speak, then do so. If not, keep quiet!" Claire snapped, causing Sandra to flinch.

"She's trying to seduce Michael's cousin, Derek. Can you believe that?" Sandra asked incredulously.

Claire frowned, her fork pausing mid-air. "That's ridiculous," she said. "Where did you hear that?"

Sandra waved a hand dismissively. "Evelyn told me herself," she replied, as if it were obvious.

"When and where did you have this conversation?" Claire asked, although she already knew, as Evelyn had told them and played a recording of the conversation.

Sandra bowed her head sadly. "Yesterday. I went to her office to plead with her, as her sister, to leave Derek alone because we're in a relationship. I cried and begged, but she said she wanted Derek and I could have Michael. I don't know what I did to her, but she's always like this, causing trouble for me. She's giving our family a bad name. And now, because of her, she's lost her job," Sandra said with a worried frown.

Eric's grip tightened around his coffee cup, his knuckles whitening. His blood boiled, but not for the reasons Sandra assumed. He hated hearing her talk about Evelyn this way, twisting the truth to suit her narrative.

Claire, sensing the tension, composed herself. "She lost her job?" she asked, feigning surprise. "Maybe now she'll return to the family company and take her place."

Sandra's smile faltered; a scowl threatened to break through her composure. She quickly forced a smile back on, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Yes. It would be nice if Dad could forgive her and let her return," she said, her voice tight.

Eric's eyes bored into Sandra's. "Are you sure about that?" he asked.

Sandra nodded without hesitation. "Yes, Dad. Of course," she replied, though her voice lacked conviction.

Eric sighed, setting down his coffee cup with a thud. "If that's what you want," he said, his voice heavy with implication. "But if you can convince Evelyn to come ask for my forgiveness and beg for a job, then I'll let her have it."

As if on cue, footsteps echoed from the hallway, and Evelyn appeared at the dining room entrance. She stood poised and confident, taking in the scene.

Sandra's eyes widened in surprise, her carefully crafted mask slipping momentarily as she met Evelyn's gaze.

"I want to join the family magazine," Evelyn said calmly, her voice cutting through the tension. She stepped further into the room, meeting her father's gaze.

Eric looked at her, his expression unreadable as he leaned back. "Do you now?" he asked, his voice deceptively mild.

Without hesitation, Evelyn walked to her father's side of the table and knelt before him. "I'm sorry for everything, Dad. I know I disappointed you and hurt your feelings. Please forgive me," she said steadily. "I want to come back."

Sandra stared in disbelief, her mind racing. This wasn't how things were supposed to go. Evelyn wasn't supposed to be here like this, groveling and begging. Was this Evelyn's way of showing her that she truly meant war and was coming back to take her place?