For as long as April could remember, Eloise had loved threatening her, and April had always submitted.

    But that day, after a deep breath, April, still slightly stammering, said, "T-Then go ahead andin. I''m not afraid."

    Eloise was thunderstruck; her once-docile little cousin, little stutterer, suddenly had a spine.

    "So you''ve grown bold, April? Talking to me like that? Believe me, I cane over right now and teach you a lesson!"

    Hearing Eloise''s vicious tone, April was still afraid.

    Yet, she remembered Cecilia''s words—she couldn''t stay a doormat forever.

    "Come if you want. I''m no longer the cousin you could bully at will. If you want to ''teach'' me a lesson, I''m ready anytime."

    She finished, then hung up.

    Listening to the dead line, Eloise stood frozen.

    She had never imagined April could transform in the span of a single conversation.

    At first, she thought of tattling to April''s parents, but then realized they''d side with their own daughter over a niece.

    So, Eloise had no choice but to give up.

    Elsewhere, April''s heart still pounded; she feared Eloise might go to her parents after all.

    Her parents had disfavored her since childhood.

    But her worry proved needless-Eloise neverined.

    April learnedter that her parents knew nothing of the quarrel.

    In fact, once they discovered Cecilia''s present status, they began urging April to curry favor with her and stay close friends.

    April understood ever more clearly what Cecilia had said. Once you start to change, things aren''t as frightening as they seem.

    The very next day, she reported for work at Jamieson Group.

    Cecilia refused to y favorites; she arranged a solid, entry-level post that suited April''s abilities.

    April''s academic record was ster, more than enough to satisfy the hiring standards at Jamieson Group.

    After years apart, April had blossomed into a poised young woman, though a trace of shyness still hovered around her like morning mist.

    "Cecilia."

    Cecilia nodded. "Hey, Eloise hasn''t been giving you a hard time again, has she?"

    April drew a steadying breath before answering, "No. You were right. Once I work on myself, people won''t dare bully me anymore."

    Cecilia rewarded her with a warm, knowing smile.

    "Good. Off you go-get to work."

    "Okay."

    Light danced in April''s eyes as she turned and headed for her station.

    Charlotte stepped up and

    murmured, "Ms. Escobar doesn''toet

    seem like the rest of that family at all. She''s easy to talk to, no airs whatsoever."

    Cecilia sighed. "From childhood, she was mocked and sidelined, just like me, because of a physical disability. We share the same

    Charlotte frowned. “But she sounds perfectly normal when she speaks.”

    Cecilia exined, "April never truly stuttered. She tripped over her words once while nervous, peopleughed, and the ridicule made her shrink into herself. Now, whenever she''s scared, the stammer returns."

    "Oh... poor thing."

    "Mm.” Remembering something, Cecilia asked, "How are things with Sven?"

    At Sven''s name,plicated emotions clouded Charlotte''s face. After a pause, she spoke.

    “He refuses to tell me anything. He keeps saying I shouldn''t pry and that I''ll understand someday."

    Staring at her own fingers, Charlotte muttered, "If I don''t know now, how will I knowter? And I''m not a kid anymore."