Chapter 3 - The Fractured FamilyJulian closed the distance between them in seconds, his chest heaving as he pointed an accusing finger straight at Victoria. The tension on the patio reached a boiling point, freezing the breath of every guest in attendance.
"How dare you?" Julian roared, his voice shaking with fury as he towered over Victoria. "How dare you touch her? How dare you torment my family on our own grounds!"
Victoria’s confident facade flickered for a fraction of a second, replaced by a flash of annoyance, but she quickly masked it with an arrogant smirk. "Oh, please, Julian. I was just teaching the cripple a lesson about her place in this family. You deserve a real woman, not a broken doll."
Before Julian could lunge forward, a powerful, commanding voice rang out from the doorway, cutting through the chaos like a whip.
"That is enough!"
Arthur Vance, Julian’s formidable father and the patriarch of the empire, stepped out onto the terrace. His silver hair caught the golden hour sun, and his eyes blazed with a terrifying, seasoned authority. He strode directly past Julian and planted himself squarely in front of Victoria.
Victoria's smirk vanished completely. The color drained from her face as she looked into the eyes of the man who controlled the family's vast fortune and absolute law.
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"Arthur, I was only—" Victoria stammered, her voice suddenly losing its venom.
"Silence," Arthur snapped, his voice dropping an octave into a chilling growl.
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