Chapter 1
The reflective black marble floor of the grand hallway caught the harsh glare of the crystal chandelier overhead. Elena gasped for breath beneath Ethan's heavy hand, her crimson red satin gown twisting awkwardly against the polished stone.
"You crossed a line that can never be uncrossed, Elena," Ethan whispered, his voice vibrating with a terrifying, suppressed fury. "Consider this your absolute final warning."
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Noah stood frozen in his forest green button-up shirt, his small hand instinctively reaching out to shield six-year-old Lily. Lily clutched her pale pink ruffled dress tightly, her blue eyes wide with unyielding shock as she stared at her father.
Ethan released his grip on Elena's throat, standing up slowly and adjusting the cuffs of his charcoal black three-piece suit with chilling precision. He didn't offer her a hand; he simply stepped over her fallen form as if she were nothing more than debris.
