Chapter 3 - The Kneeling Groom
Julian remained collapsed on the marble floor, his hands desperately clutching the hem of Clara’s backless royal blue gown.
"Clara... please... look at me," Julian sobbed, his voice choked with raw, uncontrollable guilt.
"I didn't know... I swear on my life I didn't know what she was doing to you!" he pleaded, tears streaming down his face.
Clara pulled her royal blue silk dress back up over her bruised shoulders, her hands trembling uncontrollably.
She stepped backward away from Julian, her high heels clicking sharply against the hard floor.
"You turned a blind eye for two years, Julian," Clara whispered, her voice carrying a haunting, icy clarity.
"Every time I came to dinner with bruises on my arms, you pretended I was just clumsy," she added.
Julian buried his face in his hands, his charcoal black tuxedo shoulders heaving with ragged sobs.
The framed American flag mounted beside the grand marble archway stood as a silent witness to his total humiliation.
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Two heavy-set security guards in black suits stepped onto the floor, waiting for Arthur’s final command.
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