CHAPTER THIRTY – THE ENEMY OF MY ENEMIES IS MY ALLY

Raya stood up and gave Barbara a warm embrace. "Barbara! How lovely to see you," Raya exclaimed, her surprise genuine. When Barbara spotted Kayla across from Raya, her smile faltered for a brief moment, a flicker of disapproval crossing her face. "Kayla," she greeted coolly, her voice laced with her usual passive-aggressive undertones. "What a coincidence bumping into you here." Kayla ignored the thinly veiled hostility, her focus solely on Raya. "Raya," she began, "Why is Barbara here?" Barbara huffed, pulling out a chair and settling down with a flourish. "Since you're Lance's girlfriend, darling," she said, her voice dripping with faux sweetness, "I figured you'd be the best way to get him to listen to Raya." Kayla's brows furrowed. "Listen to Raya about what?" Raya, however, didn't seem fazed by Barbara's words. "Kayla, Barbara was my biggest supporter," she said, her voice soft. "Back when Lance and I were together. She's the one who convinced me to return at the family reuni