Chapter 2 - The Wicked MockeryPain radiated up Clara’s leg and through her bruised palms, but she refused to stay down. Ignoring the sting of her wounds, she scrambled desperately toward the pillar where Lily was still sobbing. Clara reached up, untying the cruel satin ribbons with shaking fingers, and pulled her precious daughter into a tight, protective embrace.
"Shh, baby, I've got you. Mommy is right here. No one is ever going to hurt you," Clara whispered fiercely, burying her face in Lily's golden hair.
Victoria paced slowly behind them, her heels clicking rhythmically against the stone. She tossed her head back with a sharp, ugly laugh, completely devoid of empathy.
"Look at this pathetic display," Victoria mocked loudly, addressing the gathering handful of stunned party guests near the banquet tables. "A mother who can't even stand on her own two feet, playing the hero. You're a liability, Clara. You always have been."
Clara clutched Lily tighter, shielding the little girl's face from the toxic spectacle. But the humiliation was cut short by the sound of heavy, furious footsteps echoing across the terrace.
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"Mom! Stay the hell away from my daughter!"
It was Julian—Clara’s husband and the heir to the prominent estate—storming out of the main house. His face was twisted into a mask of pure, unadulterated rage, his eyes locked onto Victoria.
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