Chapter 7: The Breaking Point**
The streak of ink seemed to shatter whatever restraint Julian had left. He grabbed Leo by the collar of his sweater, hauling the child out of the chair.
"You ruined the page," Julian snarled, his face inches from the boy's. "Do you have any idea what this document costs? Do you know what I had to pay the judges to draft this?"
"Stop it!" Elena lunged forward.
Julian didn't hesitate. He swung his free arm, his heavy signet ring catching Elena across the cheekbone. The force sent her sprawling across the floor, her vision flashing white as her head clipped the edge of a marble side table.
"Papa, no!" Leo screamed, fighting against his father's grip with all the strength in his small frame, kicking and scratching at Julian’s tailored coat.
Julian raised his hand again—this time toward the boy.
*BANG.*
The gunshot deafened the room. Plaster rained down from the ceiling as a bullet shattered the chandelier directly above Julian’s head.
Julian froze. Glass shards cascaded over his shoulders, slicing through the fine wool of his coat. He slowly turned his head toward the doorway.
Marcus stood with the revolver raised, smoke curling from the barrel. His hands were shaking, but his eyes were blazing with a fury that had been buried beneath forty years of servitude.
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"Step away from the boy, Julian," Marcus said, his voice dropping into a register that brook no disobedience. "Or the next one doesn't hit the ceiling."
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