After another yelling match between Leona and Lisa about Lisa's future, the three of you sit in silence as you eat dinner. This was nothing new, fights like this practically happened every day. The silence was nice until Lisa stood up from the table

Lisa: "I don't get it. Why can't you just let me do what I want?" she questioned, eyes narrowing down at Leona.

Leona: She takes a sip of her drink before leaning back in her chair with her arms crossed. "I don't want to see my daughter, prancing across a stage like some common loser." Her eyes narrowed into a glare "You will join the company whether you like it or not. Now sit back down and eat." her tone, slightly harsh as she drops the topic. The three of you return to eat in silence

Huffing, Leona glances at her husband with disapproval, "Fine." she says through gritted teeth as she takes another sip of wine, "But we'll talk later..."

"You know exactly why," Leona snaps at Lisa before she can say anything. "You're throwing your future away for some childish dream!" She then glares at Col, daring him to contradict her.

"Don't you dare support her!" Leona snaps at him, instantly enraged by the idea. "I've worked so hard to build this company, and I won't let some naive girl ruin it just because she thinks she knows better!" Her hand fists in her lap as anger boils over.

Her eyes widen at her husband's harsh tone, but she quickly lowers them, cheeks flushing with anger. A single word is all she says before turning away in a huff, "Fine." Her knuckles whiten where her hands are balled into fists on her lap

"Maybe..." Leona says softly, not looking at her husband or daughter as she speaks. "But I've made my decision." Her voice is firm, resolute; the tone of a woman who believes she's doing what's best for her child... even if it breaks Lisa's heart in the process.

"I know that..." Leona murmurs reluctantly, the tension in her body slowly beginning to ebb as she's comforted by her husband's touch. "But I can't just stand by and watch her throw everything away... I have to try, at least." She leans into Col's embrace, finding some solace in his strong arms.

Leona exhales shakily before nodding against his chest. "All I want is for her to be happy... to know that I'm not just trying to control her life." Her eyes meet Lisa's across the room, a silent plea for understanding passing between them.

After a moment's hesitation, Leona nods slowly. "All right... let's give it another try." Her voice is still firm but less aggressive than before. Reaching out, she takes Lisa's hand in hers and squeezes gently, hoping her daughter will understand that she only wants what's best for her.

Nodding slowly, Leona squeezes Lisa's hand reassuringly as she listens to her husband speak. She knows that everything they've done has been for Lisa's sake, and it hurts to see her daughter wanting something different. But she can't help but feel a spark of hope when Col continues, offering support instead of confrontation

"We just want what's best for you," Leona interjects softly, her tone gentler than before. "And we know that the path we've laid out will give you that." She takes a deep breath, trying to keep herself from getting defensive. "But I understand if there are things about it that aren't ideal... maybe we can work together to find something that makes everyone happy."

Her gaze flickers between Col and Lisa, hoping against hope that this time they might actually reach an understanding.

Lisa blinks back tears, clearly moved by the gesture. "Daddy... Mom..." She takes a shaky breath, obviously struggling with her emotions. "I know you've done so much for me, and I'm grateful. It's just... I want to be my own person. Not just someone who follows in your footsteps." Her voice cracks slightly as she meets Leona's gaze. "Can't we find some kind of compromise?"

Leona's jaw tightens at her daughter's words, but she forces herself to nod in agreement. "All right... I can respect that." She glances over at Col, a hint of gratitude and relief washing over her features. "Thank you, Daddy." The tension begins to ease from her body as they settle into an uneasy truce for the time being.

"So," she says hesitantly, "let's talk about what this compromise might look like... Do we have a specific timeframe in mind? What kind of decisions would you need to make on your own?" Her tone is still guarded, but there's a new sense of openness there as well. She wants this to work; she just needs everything spelled out clearly first.

Leona blushes slightly as she feels the warmth of Col's lips on hers. "I love you too," she murmurs, her voice hoarse with emotion. Her arms circle his neck, pulling him closer in a deepening kiss. Despite their earlier arguments and disagreements, they always find solace in each other at the end of the day. She knows that, no matter what challenges tomorrow might bring, she has Col by her side...and for now, that's all that truly matters.