Chapter 2 - Shadows of Old Family Secrets
The heavy silence inside the expansive living room pressed down like lead upon everyone gathered there.
Eleanor remained seated on the velvet sofa, her composure entirely unbroken by the rising tension in the air.
Stallone turned his back slightly, shielding little Olivia from the cold gazes of the extended family members.
“You cannot erase years of tradition just because you disapprove of discipline,” Eleanor stated calmly, adjusting her rings.
“Tradition doesn't give anyone the right to strike a four-year-old child,” Stallone replied without raising his voice.
The quiet firmness in his tone carried a weight that made even the adult relatives look down at their shoes.
They knew Stallone's history, whispered behind closed doors for over a decade, involving battles far worse than family disputes.
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He had walked away from this estate years ago, vowing never to let its toxic culture consume his own peace.
Yet looking at Olivia’s tear-stained cheek, he realized walking away had only left the vulnerable defenseless against tyrants.
