Chapter 1 - The Chandelier And The Glass Pitcher
The crystal chandeliers of the grand estate cast cold reflections across the polished marble floor, echoing the heavy silence that usually preceded a storm. Five-year-old Lily clutched the fabric of Julian’s black suit jacket, her small frame trembling as she wept. Her white and pink dress was smudged with dust from the hallway, and her dark hair was tangled from running.
“Please help my mama!” Lily cried out, her voice cracking with terror. “The pretty lady is hurting her!”
Julian stood tall, his dark hair and beard framing a face carved from granite. He looked down at the child, his expression stern yet completely calm. Just a few feet away, in the background of the sprawling hallway, Bianca stood in her pristine white silk dress. Her long blonde hair fell perfectly over her shoulders as she lifted a heavy glass pitcher filled with water. With agonizing slowness, she tipped it forward, pouring the entire contents directly over the head of a kneeling maid. The maid wore a black dress, a white apron, and bright yellow cleaning gloves, shivering helplessly beneath the deluge.
Julian’s eyes shifted from the weeping child to the woman in white. His jaw tightened, and the muscle beneath his dark beard twitched. The air between them grew dense with a sudden, suffocating pressure.
Julian stared at Bianca, his voice dropping into a low, terrifying register.
“What did she hear, Bianca?” Julian asked, his tone ice-cold. “The wedding is cancelled.”
Bianca did not flinch. She lowered the empty glass pitcher, the water dripping from its rim onto the marble. A faint, mocking smile touched the corners of her painted lips.
“You are making a terrible mistake, Julian,” Bianca replied smoothly, her voice lacking any warmth. “She was simply reminding the staff of their place. Nothing more.”
“That maid was cleaning the east wing where my sister’s private documents are kept,” Julian countered, stepping forward while keeping Lily safely behind him. “She didn’t just hear something, did she? She found out the truth about the missing inheritance.”
Bianca stepped closer, her silk dress rustling like dry leaves. “If you break our engagement tonight, the scandal will destroy your entire family before the weekend ends.”
May you like
Before Julian could answer, the maid on the floor raised her head, revealing a dark, angry bruise starkly visible against her arm, and gasped for air.
---
