Chapter 296: Whispers in the Shadows

**Thelma Zane’s Perspective** When it came to gossip, I had long since learned not to concern myself with the whispers trailing in my wake. Most of the time, I was too preoccupied with matters of actual importance to entertain such trivialities. Moreover, not everyone had earned the privilege of addressing me, let alone speaking about me. Though it might seem impolite to admit, many individuals lacked the standing necessary to even approach me for a conversation. For those whose names carried no weight, their words mattered even less. They were inconsequential, like leaves swept up in the breeze—briefly noticed but ultimately forgotten. For someone to truly catch my attention, they’d need to be significant, a force capable of genuine disruption, like a notorious villain or a provocateur of note. Thus, I had garnered a reputation for being tolerant, unshaken by the chatter of those beneath my concern. However, tolerance had its limits. Though I often ignored the murmurs behind