Chapter 3 - The Broken Wand
David carried Emma up the grand staircase, leaving the chaotic whispers of the ballroom far behind.
Inside his private study, he set the little girl down on the leather sofa, handing her a glass of warm water.
Emma clutched her wooden flower wand, which was snapped clean in half at the base.
"She broke it on purpose, Uncle David," Emma whimpered, tears rolling down her pale cheeks onto her sky-blue tulle dress.
"She said if I didn't leave the house today, she would send me away to a boarding school in Europe," Emma added.
David felt a surge of cold fury tighten in his chest as he gently brushed a strand of wavy blonde hair from her face.
Emma was the only daughter of David's late brother, a Navy officer who had died in the line of duty two years ago.
When David took custody of Emma, Victoria had promised to treat the orphaned girl like her own child.
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Now, the mask had slipped completely.
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